I want to learn some British recipes. What is the thing you make best?
Posted by catpowers4life@reddit | AskABrit | View on Reddit | 330 comments
In the United States we have a lot of a potlucks/bring a dish events like Thanksgiving (do you?) and if you’re a good cook you get known for a specific recipe. If you’re extra lucky you get that recipe passed down to you eventually to continue making it.
What are your family recipes? What do you best make that family/friends love? HOW do you make it? Give me your cookbooks lol
Few_Resource_7372@reddit
Apple sponge with cinnamon and nutmeg. Served with cold or warm custard.
bunnyswan@reddit
Crumble. Shepard's pie. A good traditional stew. Pie (steak and ale goes down well). Roast dinner.
A good recipe book for very traditional English recipes is 'Favourite Boating Recipes; Traditional Cabin Fare'
Important to note some parts of UK dishes seem odd, they are always important. It's going to be comfort food, so that mint sauce may seem on but it's there to cut through and add brightness.
SingerFirm1090@reddit
Look for cookbooks by Delia Smith, she is the grand dame of British Cookery, plenty of recipes to choose from, though remember they will be in metric (ie sensible) units.
witchypoo63@reddit
The gospel of Saint Delia works every time, I’d recommend her chocolate bread and butter pudding made with a hefty slug of rum, always goes down well with.
witchypoo63@reddit
Chicken tikka masala with naan bread and pilau rice. Tastes better the second day
Dizzy_Guest8351@reddit
Knowing what I know about American potlucks, I'd make scotch eggs.
CBWeather@reddit
You may need to explain what "soft boiled" is.
DJ-Stu-C@reddit
The yolks are still runny but the outside cooked, quite hard to peel but excellent when you cut the scotch egg open.
CBWeather@reddit
I know what they are but most Canadians and Americans seem to prefer hard boiled. The only people I know who like runny yolks are myself and one of my granddaughters.
Wild_Region_7853@reddit
I think it’s because of them needing to be cooked through over there because they’re not pasteurised or something?
Neferknitti@reddit
Eggs sold commercially are washed, so the protective coating comes off. That puts the eggs at risk for salmonella poisoning, and they must be kept refrigerated.
loki_dd@reddit
Well I never! I think I'd get a couple of chickens.
Hard boiled eggs? I'd rather snort wasps
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
I heard that in America egg cups are basically non-existent because they really just don't eat them boiled and directly out of the shell.
Can anyone verify this? What do they use for shot glasses when they don't have enough? :D
_hammitt@reddit
I’m an American who for reasons unknown grew up eating soft boiled eggs. For much of my misspent youth I used shot glasses as egg cups.
_hammitt@reddit
I now have a collection of egg cups but it’s certainly a quirky thing to have and visitors don’t always know what they are.
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
What happens when you tell them what they are? Do they ask what boiled eggs are? Or why we out them in an eggcup?
I'm hesitant to ask because it inflamed people, but are boiled eggs not a thing because if the way you (I assume American TBF) treat they shell as... Dangerous isn't the right word, but you know what I mean.
_hammitt@reddit
I think everyone has understood the concept from seeing it on TV or something, they just thought it was old fashioned and not done anymore.
I honestly can say I have absolutely no idea why they're not a thing. The shell shouldn't be the problem, we do wash it which means it loses the protective layer (that's why American eggs are refrigerated) but I've not heard of Americans (and I am one) thinking they're inherently dangerous. After all, hard boiled eggs are a reasonably common snack.
There are people who don't eat runny yolks, but that's not common, either -- most americans will eat say a sunny-side up fried egg or a poached egg with a runny yolk (I'm currently pregnant and not supposed to - the laid in britain scheme, which basically is all eggs in the UK, are laid by hens who are vaccinated for salmonella which ours aren't. I have no idea why. IT seems like a good idea? You can get pasteurized eggs, which is what I've been doing but they're hard to find)
My best guess is they think its a fussy or old fashioned way to eat an egg? I dunno! We briefly had an English nanny when I was little, which is, I'm assuming, how my family came to eat them. Eggs and soldiers was a common meal in my house. It's a mystery!
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
Well, kudos for the reply, and thankyou!
When you say they they are "a reasonably common snack" do you mean "in their shell" or just, uh, nude?
My mum will often go out for the day, and whip out a boiled egg in the shell from her handbag, peel and eat it. I am WELL aware this is a bit unhinged, even here in the UK.in a rush-hour train.
_hammitt@reddit
I used to do that in class in grad school, truly unhinged behavior but I was lifting a lot at the time and VERY broke.
Gas stations etc will sell them nude, but they’re p common fully jacketed as that way they’re easier to transport.
seladonrising@reddit
You don’t eat them out of the shell, you fully peel them and then serve them like that (usually cut up, it depends on what you’re doing with them.
Although devilled eggs are best thing to do to them.
CBWeather@reddit
I can't recall the last time I saw an egg cup in Canada.
CBWeather@reddit
I can't recall the last time I saw an egg cup in Canada.
Dizzy_Guest8351@reddit
Yep, that's pretty much it. They do eat boiled eggs, but they're most likely to be hard boiled and part of a packed lunch.
Ok_Anything_9871@reddit
I've just realised I'm now at the point in life where I'd need to use an egg cup as a shot glass rather than vice versa.
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
I'm at the point where I need matching Le Cruset shot glasses to match my egg cups - that random collection just doesn't look great!
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
I don't know about America but I live in Spain and that's the case. I brought some from the UK. They eat eggs fried or as omelette, or hard boiled in salad.
_hammitt@reddit
I grew up eating soft boiled eggs and I remember my first grad school roommate being baffled and amused by my egg cup. They’re just not that common over here! But Americans will know them from putting them in ramen etc.
Ruby-Shark@reddit
We don't tend to have that potluck style event in the UK. I'm sure it happens but it's not really a cultural thing. Generally the host is responsible for everything unless they ask people to bring things like dessert. Bring your own alcohol is definitely a thing though!
PastorParcel@reddit
It happens a lot in churches across the UK, we usually call it a 'bring and share.'
It's especially good in multicultural churches that do 'International Sunday' where every person brings a dish from their home country.
As for a a British food, I would learn how to make Yorkshire puddings. You can add them as a side dish to most meaty dishes, and they are easy to make with simple ingredients. Just search BBC Good Food for recipies.
Ruby-Shark@reddit
Username checks out.
PastorParcel@reddit
Correct!
lucylucylane@reddit
I don’t even know one person that goes to church
PastorParcel@reddit
That's a pity. Although, as church attendance is growing in the UK you may find you do actually know someone who goes, but you haven't realised it.
Jumpy-Sport6332@reddit
In Yorkshire it's called a fuddle
lagoon83@reddit
Nottinghamshire too. I moved up from the south about a decade ago, and fell in love with the concept the moment I discovered it.
MINKIN2@reddit
Notts here too. Only ever heard of this in the office situation. No one I know outside of work that I have met has ever used the term.
lagoon83@reddit
I've seen them in offices mostly, but also social clubs / groups.
Inner-Purple-1742@reddit
Fuddle is used all over the country
AnyOriginal1319@reddit
Yorkshire person here and I've never heard of it. I would love to go to one, though.
catpowers4life@reddit (OP)
Haha I just want to know the recipes people serve, I guess. What yall make, and how to make that cuz googling British recipes gives me a lot of nonsense
ChanceStunning8314@reddit
The trouble is these days ..what is ‘British’ food? Most people would say it’s basically bland, cheap dishes which sound unappetising. However that is true of the basic culinary dishes of almost any country-food the masses would eat.
However to answer your question, look at online resources such as River Cottage- https://rivercottage.net/recipes/ Hugh is as British as it gets, and his stuff tends to at least feel/taste British/reflecting what most of us here would like to see on a plate!
pozorvlak@reddit
I think most Brits these days have never had traditional British cooking done well. When cooked by someone who knows what they're doing our traditional dishes are delicious, but they take time and are easy to mess up.
Street_Inflation_124@reddit
Yes, the reason our traditional foods take time and effort and don’t have sauces is because our produce was historically better than France, and didn’t need them to disguise the fact the meat was off.
EmFan1999@reddit
This is the issue. It really annoys me that people think British food is bland and cheap. It’s amazing when done well
Antique_Ad4497@reddit
My mum used to make banging food! My dad did the Sunday roast.
glassbottleoftears@reddit
And need good quality ingredients
pozorvlak@reddit
Absolutely - another casualty of wartime rationing (along with the vast majority of our native cheeses!)
Leroy-Leo@reddit
Also the hairy bikers have a great selection too with my personal fave always being a pie
https://www.hairybikers.com/recipes/view/steak-and-ale-pie
eveniwontremember@reddit
British traditional food is basically peasant food but I would suggest our best ingredients are cheese. So passibly pan haggerty ( another hairy bikers recipe) are a good cauliflower cheese with English mustard.
Leroy-Leo@reddit
I would argue that a lot of Italian and French cooking can be considered the same but the skill and care taken elevates the dish to fine cooking. My experience of Italy is no one there actually knows how to make a bad meal.
FryOneFatManic@reddit
Pan haggerty is a traditional regional recipe. I also agree that our well known dishes are all based around peasant food, which is the same as in other countries.
ChanceStunning8314@reddit
Yeah! Sorry. How could I have not mentioned Dave and Si.
tgerz@reddit
Damn those look good
OriginalBrassMonkey@reddit
"Lancashire hot pot" is the obvious traditional british pot-meal.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/nigel_slaters_lancashire_48954
Away-Ad4393@reddit
Cottage pie, sausage and mash, liver and onions, roast beef dinner, steak and kidney pudding, fish and chips, beef stew and dumplings,Cornish pasty and fried pork chops.
Miercolesian@reddit
Those are the kind of things that we used to have for school lunches and National Health Service cafeteria lunches. I still like all of those.
Away-Ad4393@reddit
These are the things my gran used to cook, she taught me how. They were always served with lots of vegetables from their garden. Delicious.
Dave-the-Generic@reddit
Try backyardchef on Youtube. Lots of recipes from around the Isles.
Rockpoolcreater@reddit
The main question is are they being served hot or cold? Cold party food would be along the lines of sausage rolls, samosas, quiche, etc. we tend to do smaller individual nibbles rather than bigger pots of food.
If hot and a large dish is wanted, Shepherds or cottage pie, chicken tikka, Lancashire hot pot.
You could go to BBC Food's website to find some recipes. Also Delia Smith is a classic old school British cook, her sausages braised in red wine is delicious if that's online.
zombiejojo@reddit
They'll struggle to get good British type sausages. Closest is maybe Italian sausage. But not the same, the flavour profile is a long way from a classic Cumberland or Lincolnshire sausage.
Same making a steak and ale pie... The steak will be okay if they get good grass fed free range beef, and we can all do a flaky or rough puff pastry, but getting a good malty ale with the right sort of flavour will be tough!
Lupiefighter@reddit
Good point. Usually with potlucks here in the states get separated into a couple of different categories as well. Our fall/winter type holiday Potluck would be more akin to your hot items. Some families do potluck sides to go with the main course for holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. In the spring/summer months “cookout” or “BBQ” style potlucks are popular. Our hot food would be whatever we grill. Your “cold party foods” would be type of stuff meant to eat along with those grilled items. Although items such as sausage rolls would be appropriate in both settings.
TheNavigatrix@reddit
The classic British cookbook, to me, is anything by Deliah Smith. https://www.deliaonline.com/ The BBC Food website is pretty good, and Nigella Lawson's recipes turn out well when I've done them.
Dishes I love: Fish pie (with both a pasty or a mashed potato top). Toad in the hole with onion gravy (my kids love). Roast lamb with mint sauce is a classic. Kedgeree is amazing.
That should get you started.
Gullible_Fan4427@reddit
Closest thing I can think of is the Sunday roast. Every family has their own tweak on it. Preferences for meat served/aunt Bessie’s yorkies or homemade. Vegetable side varieties etc.
Fish nd chips are very British but it’s not exactly a dish handed down through family etc, it’s a “I cba to cook, let’s go down to the chippy” dish.
Full english breakfast.
Outside of that we have lots of snack/lunch things like sausage rolls and pasties.
I’m sure there’s more I’ve forgotten about but a lot of handed down dishes nowadays come from other cultures!
Inner_Farmer_4554@reddit
If we were to do this it would be buffet style with all cold food. Open sandwiches, salad etc.
I usually do mushroom vol au vents (very retro, but also incredibly popular!) or twice baked potatoes with onion, cheese and bacon (and a few onion, cheese and mushroom ones for the veggies). The latter is what I'm most asked to bring - though some cheeky buggers ask me to bring both 😉
MarvinArbit@reddit
Look up Sausage Rolls !!! Also Cornish Pastys !
Ok_Aioli3897@reddit
Because you want to claim it's a family recipe from a British relative and that makes you British
Fanoflif21@reddit
We do bring and share at work.
Our HT makes brownies and I like to bring cottage pie (I always add a bit of Worcester sauce to the mince when I'm frying it.
My friend makes gorgeous samosas and bajis 😊
Ruby-Shark@reddit
That's very much going to be a generational thing. If you came to my house for lunch or a group came to my house for lunch I'd probably put on a buffet type spread salad, crisps, cold meat, homemade guacamole, hummus, cheese.
For an evening meal for a group: curry or chilli or spaghetti Bolognese. Obviously if it's summer we can barbecue.
ExArdEllyOh@reddit
Lots of events in the countryside that have people bring along food but it's usually puddings.
Glittering-Sea-6677@reddit
Wouldn’t a street party be a potluck style? The UK is great at those!
ihathtelekinesis@reddit
Just remember to bring your Jubilee chicken or your neighbour will send the Council Men round.
Glittering-Sea-6677@reddit
😂
PixieXV@reddit
I thought a British potluck was called a Jacob's join, we do it quite a bit.
stay_sick_69@reddit
Never heard of that before
No_Bullfrog_6474@reddit
maybe it’s a regional thing? I’ve known that phrase as long as I can remember
Paulstan67@reddit
You could make scotch eggs.
I haven't got quantities because I cook these on the fly.
Boil some eggs, I do them for about 5 minutes so the yolk is still soft. Plunge them into iced water to stop them cooking and carefully peel them.
Get a couple of pounds of minced (I think you call it ground) pork , add in some fine breadcrumbs, some dried sage, some nutmeg, some finely chopped onions (not too much) plenty of salt ,plenty of black pepper.
Mix well.
Now take a dollop of the mince mixture and flatten it out and wrap it around an egg. Carefully sealing it up. Set aside until you have wrapped all the eggs.
These now need breadcrumbing , get 3 bowls, 1 with seasoned flour, 1 with beaten egg and a splash of milk, and one with breadcrumbs.
Dip the mince covered egg in the flour, then the egg mix then the breadcrumbs making sure that they are well covered with breadcrumbs (some people do this twice to give an extra coat but I think once is enough)
These are ready for frying. It's best to deep fry 1 or 2 at a time, shallow frying can be ok but you are at risk of over cooking some parts and under cooking other bits.
Deep frying them they will be ready in about 5 minutes. I know people who bake them in the oven about 20 mins, but the crumb never turns out crispy enough for my liking.
These can be eaten hot there and then or will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.
You can serve these with English mustard or even ketchup.
You can use the same mince mixture to make sausage rolls.
Just place a long sausage of the mince inside a roll of puff pastry and bake for 20 minutes.
spingledoink@reddit
Toad in the Hole
catpowers4life@reddit (OP)
I had a friend who called an egg cooked in bread in a pan that. Is that the same thing?
PuntTheRunt010@reddit
That's gypsy toast
Reasonable-Feed-9805@reddit
This recipe https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/toad_in_the_hole_with_86283
Use good sausages, if you can get a Lincolnshire sausage then you've hit peak TITH perfection.
affordable_firepower@reddit
use pigs in blankets (sausages wrapped in bacon) for an exceptional Toad in the Hole
Former_Bandicoot_769@reddit
One can also include stuffing balls for additional joy: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sausage-stuffing-toad-hole-onion-gravy
Or sod it, go full Christmas: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/christmas_toad_in_the_33488
Valuable-Aardvark608@reddit
Yep - those little cocktail pigs in blankets cooked inside Yorkshire puddings (so individual rather than one big one) - actually very easy but my kids think this is a real treat in the winter!
Agile-Candle-626@reddit
Genius!
Chubby_nuts@reddit
There are so many downvotes for making a statement . JC!
This sounds like Eggy bread a savory somewhat lower effort French toast.
herefromthere@reddit
I think they mean chicken on a raft.
MarvinArbit@reddit
Look up Scotch Eggs.
LordAxalon110@reddit
I think what your friend tried to make was a Scotch Egg. Which I'd a boiled egg covered in sausage meat and then breaded, deep fried and that's your Scotch Egg.
youdontknowmeyouknow@reddit
It’s a slice of bread with a hole in the middle and an egg cracked into the hole. Then it’s fried in a frying pan. My American uncle used to make it. Pissed him off no end when I pointed out it wasn’t toad in the hole.
tgerz@reddit
That's funny, I just always called it egg in a hole because I had no care for a more imaginative name. Never knew anyone in the states thought it was toad in a hole, but it kind of makes sense to me.
LordAxalon110@reddit
It's literally called egg in a hole in England haha
tgerz@reddit
TIL (American plopped in London so I am ignorant to many things)
LordAxalon110@reddit
You'd be surprised at how many things America has claimed that come from other places. Like macaroni and cheese is a British dish, yet it's made to be a traditional American dish.
Same can be said the other way around sometimes as well, like the british standard baked beans is Heinz, which is an American company.
Life's full of little tid bits of knowledge :-)
tgerz@reddit
For sure. TBH at some point in my life I looked around at all the food and thought nothing I eat is "American" LOL!
nonsequitur__@reddit
Never heard of anyone doing that! Is it an American thing?
youdontknowmeyouknow@reddit
Must be. I’ve never heard it called that here.
Specific-Sundae2530@reddit
I call it egg in toast
LordAxalon110@reddit
Yeah egg in a hole.
I forgot about that, scotch eggs are better though lol
Fyonella@reddit
The way you seem to think a slice of bread with a hole cut into it, with an egg cooked in the hole in any way resembles a Scotch Egg is genuinely baffling!
LordAxalon110@reddit
I just misread the comment is all. It's not a big deal, I'm just tired. It's been a long week.
YchYFi@reddit
I've always called that egg in a basket.
deadgoodundies@reddit
Always reminds me of this scene in V for Vendetta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FtAXyfe6Yg
nonsequitur__@reddit
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sams-toad-hole
_a_nice_egg_@reddit
No, something else.
Imagine a massive yorkshire pudding with sausages in it. Delicious.
E420CDI@reddit
Ratty, Badger, and Mole: "Not again!"
Essex-Lady@reddit
Thank you the giggle, I found your comment probably over-amusing 😂
MolassesInevitable53@reddit
Not really suitable for a pot luck, though. It needs to be eaten straight from the oven.
Vaiuri@reddit
I make mini ones in cupcake tins with 1/3 or 1/4 sausages in them. They travel and warm up great! Plus, you can arrange them into a fancy champagne glass pyramid to pour gravy over them.
Peak Yorkshire posh.
Voice_Still@reddit
This would not travel well
NLFG@reddit
Always this.
BatsWaller@reddit
You never seem to hear her mentioned anymore, but back in the 90s/00s, Delia Smith was practically a religion. The chocolate truffle torte and squidgy chocolate log are two of my favourites to make. Be aware, the latter contains partially cooked eggs.
https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/occasions/christmas/christmas-desserts/the-famous-chocolate-truffle-torte
https://hungrysquirrels.wordpress.com/2012/04/02/delias-squidgy-chocolate-log/
thefreeDaves@reddit
Beans on toast. Sounds simple, but easy to get wrong.
Street_Inflation_124@reddit
Yorkshire pudding. Equal weights of flour, eggs and milk (2 eggs makes one big one). Oven at 250 (communist units, I don’t know what this is in freedom units). Tablespoon of oil in a baking tray, heat in oven. Rapidly take tray out, put batter in. Bake for 40 minutes, turn down to 180 half way through.
Add sausages (pre-seared) to the tray when preheating (only do 5 mins) to make toad in the hole. Serve with Bisto gravy (not American gravy) with cooked onion in it, and HP sauce.
Goodbyecaution@reddit
You need the BBC Good Food recipe website. You can see there reviews for the recipes. I would suggest looking into: fish pie and shepherds pie (not actual pies), steak and ale pie (an actual pie), toad in the hole, bangers and mash, various curries, spag bol (that we’ve stolen from the Italians), chili con carne (that we’ve probably nicked from elsewhere), fish and chips, various roast dinners. For sweet stuff: scones, carrot cake, trifle, bread and butter pudding, apple crumble, stout cake, sticky toffee pudding. Have fun!
LeeYuette@reddit
I’ve found that shepherd’s pie goes down great with Americans as lamb doesn’t seem to be as common a meat there. I do mine with a sweet potato rather than a regular potato topping
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
Yes, but they do make shepards pie over there and call it as such, just with beef.
People might get a heck of a taste surprise unless it's labelled "correct, lamb-based, shepards pie" :)
eekamouse4@reddit
If it’s made with beef it’s a Cottage Pie.
Dogsafe@reddit
The cottage/shepherd split seems to be a fairly new thing. The older written recipes for shepherds pie say to use whatever meat you have rather than only lamb. But I think the name cottage pie was being used at about the same time.
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
Suspect they called it Shepard's pie because they don't know what a cottage is...
TheNavigatrix@reddit
But shepherds... HERD SHEEP. How hard is that? They do NOT herd cattle. It makes no damn sense!
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
Neither does a stargazy pie (well, it kind of does). Of all their transliguinstic errors (sic, probably) I'll let it fly.if you know
eekamouse4@reddit
They should know what a shepherd i’d thought. 🎶While shepherds watched their herds by night🎶 do
nbeforem@reddit
I love their Cottage Pie recipe. I make it all the time.
EzriDaxwithsnaxks@reddit
We didn't steal it! We borrowed it on a long term basis!
....much like most of the British Museum..
Impressive-Safe-7922@reddit
I love a chicken and mushroom pie. I made that for some guests a few months ago, and everyone enjoyed it/commented on how long it had been since they'd had one. There's also a great recipe for sausage, leek and apple pie, though I dont know how well it would work without British style sausages.
nonsequitur__@reddit
I recommend Nigella Lawson’s STP recipe :-)
MyCatIsAFknIdiot@reddit
Nigella Lawson ... {sigh}
hallgeo777@reddit
Can of hienz baked beans…. Two slices of buttered toast (with cheddar cheese if you feel fancy) put toast on plate…. Cover with hot beans ….BOOM BEANS ON TOAST!!
mrbennbenn@reddit
When i was in the US i would bring my British : Toad in the hole. Wins every time.
Minky_Dave_the_Giant@reddit
Some terrible answers in this thread. Open up BBC Good Food (Google it) and look up the following to get the recipes:
Shepherd's Pie/Cottage Pie Scones Victoria sponge cake Toad in the hole (this is sausages in batter, served with vegetables very much like a Thanksgiving dinner) Trifle
If you make Shepherd's Pie make sure to serve it with Worcestershire Sauce, it makes a huge difference.
This may come as a surprise but did you know apple pie, sandwiches, IPA beer and the chocolate bar are all British inventions?
rememberimapersontoo@reddit
toad in the hole is very much NOT like a thanksgiving dinner 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Minky_Dave_the_Giant@reddit
I never said it was, emoji boy.
VicLondon1@reddit
You did.. word for word
rememberimapersontoo@reddit
then tf did you mean by much like a thanksgiving dinner
BaitmasterG@reddit
"served with vegetables very much like a Thanksgiving dinner"
jo-jocat@reddit
Yep, this would be my answer too…you beat me to it!
triciama@reddit
Every time I have visitors I make a chicken dish.
4 chicken breasts poached in chicken stock. Blanch broccoli and peppers. Fry some mushrooms. Make a bechamel sauce add a little garlic two tablespoons of curry powder 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise to the sauce. You need about two pints of sauce. Chop chicken and put it a large ashet along withe the vegetables pour over the sauce. Slice potatoes and par boil them for 10 minutes. Place potatoes over the chicken and sauce. Cover the potatoes in cheddar cheese and bake in oven until cheese is golden. Beauty of this dish is that you can pre cook everything. Just put it in the oven for 39 to 40 minutes. My visitors love this. You can use a variety of veg.
SigourneyReap3r@reddit
You wanna make a real nice beef cobbler. Suet pastry with soft flaky meat and rich gravy, I fall in love thinking about it
highrisedrifter@reddit
My Shepherd's pie is a family favourite. I also make damn good sausage rolls and Scotch eggs too.
And now i'm hungry. Damn you. :)
IntrepidTension2330@reddit
Not sure where you are but we are from Scotland and opened a cafe years ago in arkansas, now moved to Georgia and about to open another with sausage rolls, shepherd pie, fish Nichols, Cornish pasties, chicken pakora, Trifle, gingerbread with hot custard, berry crumble, scones, beans on toast, bacon sandwich with curry mayo, chips n curry sauce , fritters, and we import all the sweets, crisps etc
Sweet--Olive@reddit
Scones with jam and cream are always lovely. You can also make savoury scones such as cheese ones.
AnyOriginal1319@reddit
Whatever they serve in Betty's Tea Rooms, make your own version of that.
spotquotient@reddit
Shepherd's Pie made with leftover slow roasted leg of lamb. Sautée chopped onion, carrots and celery until soft. Add the cooked lamb (minced using a food processor), loads of leftover gravy and season. Stick it in a pie dish and top with mashed potato made with butter and milk. Bake until the top is crispy and serve with peas or cabbage. Yum.
zombiejojo@reddit
We did one of these at work as we had a few countries represented from all over the world. Being mostly English and a bit Welsh, I brought:
home-made scones, light and fluffy as a cloud! with butter, good strawberry jam and clotted cream. This was a massive hit with everyone. You probably can't buy clotted cream in the US but you can make it yourself, and people will think this is the most indulgent thing they've ever eaten. They will ask you where to buy it. Then they will beg you to tell them how to make it. 😆
barra brith. That's a Welsh tea bread which is a tea bread (not a yeast bread, more like a cake or soda bread texture) flavoured with tea and spice and plenty of dried fruit, not too sweet, best eaten cold, sliced, slathered with salted butter, and served with a good strong cup of tea. This will appeal to those who prefer something less rich and more delicate complex flavours.
LongAd4728@reddit
Try Jugged Hare
ZoltanGertrude@reddit
Marmalade sandwiches.
justanAverageBloke69@reddit
Beef Wellington 💞💞 Decent roast dinner (Lamb) Home-made Yorkshire pudding (easy to do) Even measure off eggs milk and flour, pinch or two
EconomicsPotential84@reddit
For a general guide, BBC good food's classic British selection is on point.
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/british-recipes
My favourite is sausage and mash, it can be made both simple and fancy. However this is really contingent on how avaliable British style sausages are to you.
Assuming you have the right sausages:
Mashing potatoes, pick a variety that's between waxy and floury, like russets.
Bake, don't boil. Once baked, scrape out the pots and mash them, a ricer works best, if you don't have a ricer then mash with a masher, and pass through a fine mesh sive. Do this whilst hot and leave in a covered pan.
Starting with a cold pan, heavy bottomed, place the sausages over medium heat. Starting cold and gently heating will help render the fat. Cook till browned and hot in middle. Take out of pan and wrap in foil with a knob of butter.
Now add a knob of butter to the pan and melt, add flour and mix, cook the roux to golden brown. Add large glug of ale. An ipa will work. Mix in the roux and reduce by half. Add beef stock and set to simmer.
Now add butter to the potato pan, about 10% by weight. Mix in under low heat. Add a touch of full fat milk to losen it.
Your gravy should now be done.
Serve with your choice of greens, garden (sweet) peas are traditional.
jupiterspringsteen@reddit
That website and list of recipes is shite.
Britain is a very multicultural place and has been for a long time so British food often has international influence.
I think a good source of great British recipes which build on the more historic British recipes but subtly include ingredients not originally known on the shores is on Nigel Slater's website https://www.nigelslater.com/Recipes
Time_Candle_6322@reddit
Sushi
helenslovelydolls@reddit
I do an awesome bring and share curry. It’s accidentally vegan and transports and reheats easily.
White onions large chopped I do 2 Garlic (lots) three cloves Plump tinned chick peas (a lot as this is the main part) four to six tins Coconut milk full fat. Two to three tins Whole jar of korma paste (very mild curry paste) A bag of sultanas
Cook out white onion and add grated garlic until cooked. Stir in jar of curry paste and cook through for a few minutes.
Add all the drained chick peas, sultanas and coconut milk including the fat.
Cook on low until chick peas are tender. It takes a long slow cook.
NickiNoo192@reddit
Trifle with a good layer of shepherd's pie halfway down
Lynex_Lineker_Smith@reddit
Exquisite flavour combinations
daveb_33@reddit
Got it, and I got yours too!
VeterinarianOk4719@reddit
Pies. Steak and ale pie, chicken pie… pies are great with mashed potato. Not a great summer food, but filling and lovely in the colder months.
Odd_Championship7286@reddit
Chicken and leek pie is food of the gods tbh
skibbin@reddit
The problem with making pies in America is that their butter is different, making pastry different. Unless you use Kerrygold
CBWeather@reddit
We used to eat cold pork pies in the summer. It used to be standard at picnics in our family.
Accomplished_Alps463@reddit
I've never heard of eating them hot? Didn't know you could, and I'm not sure I'd want to.
CBWeather@reddit
I hadn't either but it was somewhat implied in the comment I was responding to.
turbo_dude@reddit
You need the right fat for the pastry.
Agitated_Ad_361@reddit
But with proper pastry
Garden-Rose-8380@reddit
Try a Scottish soup. Cullen Skink, it's delicious.
CaptainQueen1701@reddit
Well, British food doesn’t really exist. Each country in the UK has specific dishes they eat. I’m Scottish so I would say:
Haggis, neeps & tatties (illegal in the US) Steak pie Stovies Lorne sausage on rolls Cullen Skink soup Scotch Broth soup Lentil soup Smoked salmon Oatcakes and cheese (real not plastic) Cranachan Shortbread Black pudding (probably illegal in the US)
booboounderstands@reddit
Nut roast, steak and kidney pie, Cornish pasties
ysilver@reddit
Shepards pie, fish pie, all pies.
DefinitelynotDanger@reddit
Sticky Toffee Pudding
em_press@reddit
Spotted Dick
Public-Guidance-9560@reddit
Is it brown/beige? Put it in.
Bendandsnap27@reddit
Sticky toffee pudding would be a great pudding!
PinkGemz27@reddit
I had to do a potluck type thing when I was studying abroad and bring something from my home country. As a Brit, I made a trifle. Queen of desserts.
kachuru@reddit
No. These are secret British recipes handed down from parent to child for many generations. We're not giving them away.
Acceptable_End7160@reddit
Scotch eggs
Lancashire Hotpot
Beef Wellington
old-speckled-hen@reddit
Baked beans on toast. Enough said.
TheRea1Gordon@reddit
Add cheese and BBQ sauce to the beans.
catpowers4life@reddit (OP)
Do British people use the same bbq sauce as Americans? I can’t imagine adding more flavor to the baked beans I (rarely) buy.
TheRemanence@reddit
Best with brown sauce (a type of ketchup - not all ketchup is tomato) or English mustard (very strong in comparison to US)
Fanoflif21@reddit
HP sauce would be my preference.
Accomplished_Alps463@reddit
No, Daddies it tops
Fanoflif21@reddit
I would happily eat Daddies but Id be thinking of HP.
SlinkyBits@reddit
the thing is, our sauces have less sugar/sweetener in them.
and even the baked beans
and the bread.
basically. dont eat baked beans on toast in america, itll be nasty
dreamsonashelf@reddit
As much as I love baked beans (who would've thought you'd catch me say that when I moved to the UK?), they're already quite sweet. I can't imagine how the American ones are.
tgerz@reddit
The baked beans you buy in the states are pretty different from the standard beans you get in the UK. Most "baked beans" you get in the states have added sugar and chunks of streaky bacon or pork belly.
CBWeather@reddit
In Canada you can buy baked beans in maple syrup. Individually they're great but combined they're disgusting.
nonsequitur__@reddit
Never heard of bbq sauce with them but cheese is often added.
TheRea1Gordon@reddit
UK baked beans taste very different to US. Ours a mildly tomato flavoured. US beans are a lot more flavoured than ours
YchYFi@reddit
I just add a few drops of Worcestershire Sauce to the beans. No bbq.
LiqdPT@reddit
The baked beans in the UK are different than those we have in the US. More of a plainer tomato base than the sweet BBQ base we have.
old-speckled-hen@reddit
Thank God for understanding!
Hamsternoir@reddit
That's just over complicating things
TheRea1Gordon@reddit
Sorry they said recipe, I felt I needed more than 2 ingredients to impress the foreigners.
Hamsternoir@reddit
You could use organically sourced artisanal butter from hand reared Highland cows from the Lake District I suppose if you need multiple ingredients.
old-speckled-hen@reddit
Cheese Yes! BBQ sauce? You scamp No!
nonsequitur__@reddit
They’d need to get hold of British baked beans. American ones are different.
Captain_Kruch@reddit
Make sure its proper toast ie real bread (not that 50% sugar wonderbread crap), toasted properly. I've seen numerous Americans try to make beans on toast before, and it's always looked like a baked bean sandwich.
Figgzyvan@reddit
Make a pie. Steak and Ale. Shepherds.
Make a stew.
blissnabob@reddit
You can't go wrong with Shepherds pie or Cottage pie. I almost always make cottage pie, because I'm the only person in my household that likes lamb mince.
Orwell1984_2295@reddit
It's funny as as a Brit I started to think about the things I cook for friends and most of it isn't really British other than a roast, shepherds pie or sausages and mash with a red onion chutney gravy. I also cook lasagne, BBQ pulled pork, chilli, chicken cacciatore, enchiladas, curry and any recipes I find and think they may like. Plus there has to be a pudding (dessert)!
justeUnMec@reddit
Potlucks are a very US thing, particularly in office culture it's not something that happens in the UK. I found it a bit weird when I was visiting colleagues in LA and they did this; the Health and Safety police would have a heart attack at the risk of food poisoning:) I think in parts of Scandinavia they do something similar sometimes.
Obviously there is overlap with the states with things like macaroni and cheese which is British in origin, though we tend to use a less rich flour-based sauce for our version, but it's worth noting dishes vary regionally, and amongst the four nations of the UK. A good book for traditional English cooking is Jane Grigson's English Food which has some great recipes.
For dishes you can bring cold to an event that represent post-war Britain, the classic is "Coronation Chicken" which was invented as a cold dish to prepare in advance specifically for street parties and picnics for the Queen's coronation. Apart from that, for picnics and buffets our cuisine is probably similar, with finger food like cucumber sandwiches being at the "posh" end, ham sandwiches, and baked goods like fruit scones with jam and clotted cream (English scones, not those weird big things they have in America), or Victoria sponge, basically sandwich sponge with jam in the middle. Also simple strawberries with pouring cream, or layered trifles are common.
Wasps_are_bastards@reddit
Roast dinner, best meal ever.
SlinkyBits@reddit
had a grandparent known for making an awesome cheese and tomato quiche?
Accomplished_Alps463@reddit
My partner, she makes the best cheese and onion quiche ever, but she likes it hot, whereas I like mine cold.
LuDdErS68@reddit
A roast. Shepherd's/Cottage pie. Sausage and mash. Toad in the hole. Beef stew.
Accomplished_Alps463@reddit
Sausage, mash, peas, and thick brown gravy.
Or for a real London treat, something from long ago, bread and dripping, that's good crusty bread spread with the renderings from cooked beef, out of the cooking pan when it's cold, if you can get some jelly from the juices all the better.
BumblebeeNo6356@reddit
A batch of scotch eggs would be good to take to a pot luck.
OK_LK@reddit
Lasagne al forno and Macaroni cheese are popular
Also big pots of Chile con carne and a homemade curry are always favourites
rememberimapersontoo@reddit
OP post again and ask everyone what their favourite school dinner was i think you’ll more get the answers you’re looking for lol
AdEmbarrassed3066@reddit
For me the best British dishes are the comfort foods. Shepherds Pie, Bangers and Mash, Cornish Pasties, Full English Breakfast (or Scottish, Irish, Ulster, Welsh or whatever variant), Steak and Ale Pie, Haggis Neeps and Tatties, Roast Beef with Yorkshire Puddings and Roast Potatoes, Stovies, Pork Pies, Scotch Eggs (proper ones with runny yolks)...
Apologies, I'm on a diet and am slightly delerious.
reasonable-frog-361@reddit
Full English breakfast and Sunday dinner
purrcthrowa@reddit
I'd make beef stew with dumplings, or steak and kidney pudding (or just steak pudding if people are a bit iffy about offal. Maybe substitute mushrooms for the kidney). I don't think I've seen any suet-pastry based dishes in the US, but they are a classic British recipe, and absolutely delicious.
I think my favourite foods in general are peasant foods that are made with really high quality ingredients and skill. The French and Italians are fantastic at this, and the last couple of decades have seen the same thing happening in the UK. The key to a really excellent beef-based pudding is the stock. Ideally, you want to make it yourself (bone broth), out of roasted beef bones.
LeeYuette@reddit
Iffy about offal lol! I invited friends over to dinner and asked what they ate: “anything, as long as it’s not on the transplant list”
RoyceCoolidge@reddit
That's Uncle Ron off the menu then!
elizable9@reddit
Mince and dumplings
purrcthrowa@reddit
*drool*
Time-Mode-9@reddit
Quiche :
Short crust pastry base, Part cook fill with egg, cheese and other things (eg bacon, mushrooms, asparagus etc) and bake 160° for 45 mins. Serve with boiled new potatoes with chives and butter and salad.
Difficult_Falcon1022@reddit
I like to make a lemon drizzle cake. The BBC has some good recipes.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/easy_lemon_drizzle_cake_78533
1_innocent_bystander@reddit
Scouse.
But you won't make it as good as me gran.
Paper182186902@reddit
Served with pickled cabbage on top and thick buttered bread. Delicious.
MyCatIsAFknIdiot@reddit
Pah!! My great gran made the best scouse .. lol
... and herein lies the problem .. no one makes the best scouse, like y'gran!!
Electronic-Sand4901@reddit
Go to YouTube and look for Fallow. It’s an amazing restaurant in London and they have a video making and eating British dishes including the infamous (but never actually seen) stargazy pie.
nonsequitur__@reddit
I’ve never even heard of stargazy pie! Is it a regional dish?
Electronic-Sand4901@reddit
It’s horrid. Fish head pie. It’s a meme
DJ-Stu-C@reddit
It’s not fish head pie at all, it’s standard fish pie (with chunks of fish fillet) that has small fish prodding out of the top. They don’t have to be eaten, you can just eat the normal bits.
Stuff like this is why the internet is a joke.
Electronic-Sand4901@reddit
Yeah, I just summarized the meme
nonsequitur__@reddit
Ew!
Electronic-Sand4901@reddit
I’ve never ever seen it in real life
StrangeKittehBoops@reddit
The Ship Inn in Mousehole was serving it a few years ago. Haven't been for a while, so I don't know the current menu.
KezzaK2608@reddit
It's local to Mousehole in Coemrnwall.
Dolly9019@reddit
I've not made them myself - too lazy and my oven is terrible. However, my favourite British food item is the Yorkshire pudding 😋 even better if there's gravy (typical British gravy - it seems to be different in the US)
RootVegitible@reddit
My signature dish is shepherds pie, I make a veggie one with quorn mince and lashings of caramelised onions a veggie stock cube and onion gravy… it’s superb, and extremely easy to make. I do skin on mash with just butter and dash of water to make it super light but creamy.
jinny7@reddit
Do you have the recipe pls
RootVegitible@reddit
Ah it’s very simple… Cut carrots into small cubes, add 2 onions to a pan and fry until golden and caramelised, add garlic … add veggie stock cube and quorn mince.. make onion gravy from granules (life’s too short) and add to mixture.. cut up potatoes skin on and boil, mashing them with butter then add a dash of water to carry on mashing and turn them creamy.. put filling in the bottom of a large dish and cover with mash, run a fork over the mash to make tractor lines (lol) and sprinkle with cheese from happy cows, put in the oven for 30-45 mins to get a classic golden brown mash top.
jinny7@reddit
Thank you.
Juniper__Bloom@reddit
If I'm going to a potluck I take cheese and onion pasties and/or sausage rolls. Scotch eggs are a winner too.
If you want to make more of a proper meal, Toad in the hole with mash and gravy should be a crowd pleaser and is quintessentially British.
Acceptable_Bunch_586@reddit
Lancashire hotpot, scouse, chicken tikka masala, scones jam and cream, sausage rolls
tykeoldboy@reddit
A couple of Youtube sites worth watching for British food is Baking on a Budget and Backyard Chef
Fingers_9@reddit
For a pot luck, you can't go wrong with Welsh cakes.
I'd make one traditional batch with sultanas or currants, and one with chocolate chips.
turbo_dude@reddit
Why are there so many similar but different things like these in the uk?
Eccles cakes, Chorley cakes, scotch pancakes etc
Never see it in Europe.
Fingers_9@reddit
The base ingredients are cheap; flour, sugar egg.
Dried fruit was probably popular because it keeps well, and fruit was probably hard to come by in the winter. I imagine in Europe they had much better access to fresh fruit.
Spices like nutmeg and cinnamon were incredibly popular.
Simple, cheap, easy to make and datisfies that craving for something sweet.
SeeThePositive1@reddit
British food is mostly an amalgamation of all different foods. When I think of British food I think of pub grub. So if you head to most British pub websites, eg. Green King you will find a range of classic meals. Things like steak and ale pie, fish and chips, gammon and egg, half roast chicken, sunday roast etc but you will always see things like lasagne, chicken tikka masala, burger and chips which isn't technically British but we'd expect to see it in a pub menu. Also I don't have any recipes but hopefully that gives you a starting point.
No_Bullfrog_6474@reddit
i mean, tikka masala is kind of british
ClevelandWomble@reddit
From my reading, Americans don't do meat pies. How about making a steak and ale pie? We can move on to steak and kidney once you've broken the ice.
turbo_dude@reddit
That’s remarkable given that they would’ve had to travel as pie-oneers
Food keeps for longer when the meat is covered in that awful jelly crap.
More-Razzmatazz9862@reddit
Not seeing g many desserts. How about apple crumble, or a proper trifle (sponge, fruit, jelly, custard, cream, must be topped with one glace cherry and a crumbled chocolate flake)
turbo_dude@reddit
Eton Mess.
Dead simple to make but must be in season. Use the heaviest cream you can. Mix the meringue and cream first before gently stirring in the fruit.
Cranochan, gooseberry fool, sticky toffee pudding, death by chocolate (is that British?), but all these and more are far more interesting than just “pies” which is the only thing people seem capable of thinking of!
Also Kedgeree, Mulligatawny soup, cock-a-leekie soup
Ok_Anything_9871@reddit
I think you are asking two different questions here. For most Brits their 'signature dish' that they'd default to for a dinner party or bring to a shared meal is probably quite different from their most traditionally 'British' recipe.
For example if someone wanted me to bring a salad for a buffet or barbecue I'd make a roasted cauliflower and pomegranate one like this Nigella one or for dinner I'd make a Spanish-ish chicken stew with chorizo, kale, butter beans & paprika (something like this)
Which is very typical of what British people actually cook. That said, British-style Bolognese, chilli, or curry are their own traditions and going to be quite different from Italian, mexican or Indian ones.
Handed down I have my Nan's Christmas pudding recipe and a Be-Ro flour baking book which is the updated version of the one my mum and nan always used.
RareBrit@reddit
Given your average American's sweet tooth. I suggest the humble gypsy tart. The art is to whisk the evaporated milk and dark muscovado sugar together until very light and fluffy.
It's a tooth-achingly sweet tart very often fondly remembered by anyone who went to school in the South-East.
kreemy_kurds@reddit
Take a tikka masala
Spiritual_Edge_1831@reddit
Make sausage rolls. Very easy and basic but always go down well. Or you could do a board of "Ploughman's" lunch. If you Google ploughman's lunch you'll see what is included
Beautypaste@reddit
Shepherds pie
Kind_Ad5566@reddit
Add some smiles with:
Spotted Dick
Faggots
Toad in the hole
Bubble & Squeak
Bangers and Mash
And if you are lucky enough to be able to source free range, locally reared, haggis then that's the king of meals.
Horseflesh-denier@reddit
Here’s some Scottish classics:
Cullen skink Balmoral chicken Stovies Venison stew Scallops on black pudding with pea and mint puree
Glittering-Sea-6677@reddit
I make Scones, Trifle, Victoria Sponge Cake, and Tikka Masala! Among other things.
ParsnipMammoth1249@reddit
Don't know about British, but Scottish cuisine is famous in the world. There's Italian, there's Chinese, there's Mexican...
GrendelKhanmac@reddit
If this is for a pot luck, try sausage rolls.
LordAxalon110@reddit
We don't do pot lucks often in the UK, but they do happen especially in churches and similar communities. My uncle runs a church and when they have a celebration or some event, it's a pot luck and everyone brings a bit of something.
It really depends on what sort of dishes your wanting to take to a pot luck, will you be able to cook it/warm it up there or will it be served cold?
If your able to cook or reheat it where the pot luck is then you could do a lot of different things. I'd suggest something like a savory pie or stew and dumplings, maybe tater hash, corned beef hash, cottage or shepherds pie, Lancashire hot pot.
There's a lot of recipes you can find online, bbcgoodfood is a good website, anything from Delia Smith is gold, hairy bikers, two fat lady's are all people who have amazing recipes and a very good understanding of British food.
If there's something a little more specific your after then let me know. I was a chef for 20 years so I've got a lot of knowledge on this particular subject, so if you have any idea the type or style of food your wanting then I could give you more ideas on what to make.
Impressive-Safe-7922@reddit
Church shared lunches in the UK tend to mostly be cold food in my experience - quiches, sandwiches, sausage rolls, cheese straws, salad etc. You can have hot food, but it's less common as you usually eat after the church service, and most church kitchens will only have space to reheat a few things.
LordAxalon110@reddit
My uncles church has a decent kitchen with a large industrial cooker in it, so they'd usually warm things up slowly during the service.
But as a rule your right on the cold food, but a pit luck is a pot luck. Can't grumble for at a free lunch haha.
nonsequitur__@reddit
Something I appreciate about the hairy bikers’ recipes is that they tend not to contain ingredients that you only use once in a blue moon. Feels less wasteful and more simplified :-)
LordAxalon110@reddit
Yeah I enjoy they're food a lot, it's not over complicated and it's usually really simple to make.
I was a chef for 20 years and I loved watching their programs, same with two fat lady's as well and Delia Smith.... Well even chefs don't fuck with Delia. We all know she'd kick our arses, even celebrity chefs don't fuck with Delia haha.
Opposite-Bus-2411@reddit
Full English Breakfast
BigBunneh@reddit
Homity Pie, born out of necessity during post war rationing. Love it with some buttered broad beans and new potatoes. The Hairy Bikers did a version, just Google them and it - really filling stuff!
NiceCunt91@reddit
You find yourself a tin of beans and then a spoon right....
Krzykat350@reddit
The family Yorkshire pudding recipe.
WatchingTellyNow@reddit
BBC good food is a great resource. Try making scones, serve with jam and clotted cream - lush! https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/classic-scones-jam-clotted-cream
TwistMeTwice@reddit
I'm British American (one parent from each country that is). My mum was boggled when it came to making dishes for a potluck, and would usually make trifle as it's quite simple and tends to be a hit with kids. Jello brand isn't quite the same as UK jelly, which is much firmer. Try this. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/very-berry-trifle
Puzzled_Record_3611@reddit
There aren't really traditional 'British' recipes as a whole. Different areas traditionally eat different things. Eg Shepherd's Pie or Cottage Pie is English. I'm Scottish so I wouldn't know how to make these without some practice - I never had it growing up.
I love a stew and make it to my granny's recipe, similar to this It's great for winter.
I also make ham & lentil soup like this So easy to make and tastes amazing.
PatchyWhiskers@reddit
I tend to bring cottage pie to American potlucks. I’m a British expat in the USA.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/15509/proper-english-cottage-pie/
zerogravitas365@reddit
If I'm asked to bring food I usually bake. Ironically one of the most well received things I've taken as a party favour is unashamedly American, a pecan tart flavoured with bourbon.
In my own kitchen/garden I'm best at meat. Probably my favourite British recipe is to tunnel bone and butterfly a leg of lamb, give it a marinade and cook on a dual zone charcoal grill. Sear on direct heat then transfer to the indirect with the lid on. You can vary seasoning depending on what you want to serve with it, rosemary and garlic and some sort of cheesy potato side dish would be the fully British option.
AggressiveEstate3757@reddit
To be honest, there is much much more British than a curry.
You could try chicken tikka masala, often referred to as our national dish, and invented in the UK by a... Not sure, Bangladesh, Pakistani or Indian immigrant.
davus_maximus@reddit
I mean the British national dish is chicken tikka masala. I'd recommend that. With garlic naan and pilau rice made with sela basmati.
DJ-Stu-C@reddit
It’s a complete nonsense that, it was on some silly TV program about 20yrs ago and it’s stuck ever since. The reality is it’s just not true.
davus_maximus@reddit
I cook anglicised curries of similar kinds every week. You can't deny BIR food is overwhelmingly popular, if not top choice!
DJ-Stu-C@reddit
Yes the British love Indian food, but not a single person I know cares about Tikka Marsala, in fact I’ve never met a single person in my 44yrs on the planet who cares about it. People order Jalfresi, Rogan Josh, Dopiaza, Madras etc.
Even then, Indian food is 100% not the most popular food. A 20yr old BBC documentary where they polled a few people in London doesn’t speak for a whole nation, it never did back then and certainly doesn’t now.
GoldiBlogs@reddit
As others have said, we don't really do 'pot lucks' here. If you were hosting lots of people, you'd probably do one of the following:
• A buffet of finger food (sandwiches, small sausage rolls, pork pies, salad, crudités and dips, cheese and crackers, etc)
• A roast dinner (a large roast joint of meat like lamb, beef, or pork, roast potatoes, roast veg, Yorkshire puddings, gravy. This is probably closest to your Thanksgiving dinner)
• A BBQ (probably with similar side dishes to the US - coleslaw, salad, potato salad, etc)
• If you're a bit fancy, you might do something with an international influence, like an Ottolenghi or Nigella recipe!
The only time where you might see multiple large hot dishes on offer (which is how I imagine a pot luck) would probably be if you're lucky enough to be invited to an event hosted by a family originally from another country, such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, West African countries, etc (or anyone who loves that style of cooking of course!)
YouSayWotNow@reddit
Potluck is far less common here than in the US though it does exist.
I tend to take dishes that aren't British, just because it's nice to have a mix of things on a buffet. If I can easily transport and heat it'll be something like a Thai chicken curry or an Indian chicken curry (of various kinds). If it needs to be something that can travel well without refrigeration and not need reheating, I'd probably do sausage rolls.
MyCatIsAFknIdiot@reddit
You will go down a storm if you can cook any of these.
2a. A bacon sandwich (with a hangover, without a hangover, in the morning, in the midday, for afternoon tea, etc)
2b. Adding a fried egg here is also a brownie point getter, if you can get the yolk right for the consumer.
2c. Do not debate the merits of brown vs tomato sauces, or if Heinz Ketchup is the best there is .. your mental health isnt worth the risk
A fruit crumble. Can be apple, apple and blackberry, rhubarb, etc, but the essence is a nice crispy crumble and oozing with fruit.
A good Yorkshire pudding .. and by extension, Toad in the Hole. (Im not going to say how contentious these things are, but if you have to ask someone, ask more than 5 and you will get a sampling of their opinions)
All of those pale into insignificance to a proper roast dinner. There are so many choices here and so many pitfalls. This, I think, for the first time service of this king of all lunch-time meals, is the Black Belt of food prep.
But whatever you do, thank you for trying, it is nice to see some education being take back across the pond as to the food of the UK
Top 5 tips outside of cooking, but related to consumption.
1. Learn how to make builder's tea - well. I cannot, and I am an abject failure in British society.
When in the pub, with a group of friends, and you buy some crisps (chips for the US), buy more than one flavour and open them up on the table for others to share. (No need to do this with dry roasted nuts, as they are yours)
One must only drink Indian lager when eating Indian food. It tastes like horse piss any other time, but complements the food perfectly.
If you find yourself in the east end of London, one of the highlights is finding a stall outside of a pub, and impressing your friends by ordering jellied eels. Then consuming them. Totally "mind-blowing"
Then you will learn the greatest of all British traits, our sarcasm,
Good luck Mr Phelps .. anonymity is my friend here on Reddit .. and it will stay that way ;-)
MarvinArbit@reddit
Look up cakes such as Victoria Sponge Cake, Chocolate Sponge Cake, Butterfly cakes, and sweet desserts such as Eccles Cakes. We have a lot of desserts that are unique to the UK.
pineapplesaltwaffles@reddit
What kind of thing are you thinking, like a hot main? Dessert? Picnic food?
For a hot main that'll last a few hours, try something like a lamb hot pot or beef and ale stew with dumplings.
For a dessert you could go with a Bakewell tart, a trifle or a sticky toffee pudding with custard.
For picnic food, little sandwiches (egg and cress, coronation chicken, cheese and pickle), scotch eggs, pork pies, cheese straws, quiche.
Visible-Equal8544@reddit
Honestly, do a search on TikTok. There are some great cooks on there, they show you how to do it. One fella does “pub grub” and it’s the most sensual food site you’ve ever seen.
obbitz@reddit
Faggots
YchYFi@reddit
I tend to make Beef Goulash a lot or Cawl with gammon.
catpowers4life@reddit (OP)
I’ve never heard of Cawl with gammon! How do you make it?
My dad used to make a “goulash” but it was hamburger meat, noodles, and literally whatever canned things we had on hand. Usually diced tomato’s and olives. Maybe cream of mushroom soup? Is that what you make?
YchYFi@reddit
No this is different For goulash this is a recipe I follow.
Cawl with gammon is the way my gran used to make it. So get a piece of gammon (gammon is cheaper than lamb) put it on the stove to cook. Once cooked, dice the meat, then add leek, potatoes, carrots and parsnips and seasoning of course. Let it stew for a few hours. Don't thicken as potatoes will do that for you.
LiqdPT@reddit
And to be clear to the Canadians and Americans in the room, gammon is ham.
YchYFi@reddit
Yes. I specifically make it with smoked gammon though.
LiqdPT@reddit
Rigyt, but "gammon" isn't a word we use on this side of the pond. They are different styles of ham.
YchYFi@reddit
Which side of the pond are you on? I buy this one.
LiqdPT@reddit
The one where I'm having to clarify what gammon is. We don't use that term in the colonies, and I only know it after visiting and having to look it up.
YchYFi@reddit
Have no clue what you replied to me with. It's just blank on your profile.
YchYFi@reddit
Oh ok
LiqdPT@reddit
You want to know how to piss of a Canadian? Call them American...
HalfAgony-HalfHope@reddit
Goulash isn't British though. Hungarian, I think?
YchYFi@reddit
I know but it's like my favourite dish. I was trying to think of something I make from scratch a lot. But lasagne isn't British either.
YchYFi@reddit
I know but it's like my favourite dish. I was trying to think of something I make from scratch a lot. But lasagne isn't British either.
YchYFi@reddit
I tend to make Beef Goulash a lot or Cawl with gammon.
I know Goulash isn't British but neither is a lot of staples we have in our day to day meals.
hime-633@reddit
Do Americans eat lamb? (Pauses to consider whether the US has sheep).
Shepherd's pie but with Indian spices, so basically a keema topped with turmeric mash :)
DifferentWave@reddit
The “cowboys” in Brokeback Mountain were actually tending sheep so um, on that basis I I know the US has sheep.
hime-633@reddit
WERE THEY? I guess I missed that bit :)
I suppose I always think of rolling English fields when I think of lambs. And, like, bison or something when I think of the US.
DifferentWave@reddit
They seem a bit small for the States, I agree. They don’t have blackcurrants over there though.
hime-633@reddit
No blackcurrants means no Ribena! Okay now I understand why so many Americans seem so angry :)
Fingers_9@reddit
Do you cook the turmeric out before adding to the mash, or can it go straight in?
hime-633@reddit
No no cook out in butter or ghee
Fingers_9@reddit
Ok, you're about to be responsible for a potato shortage in the east midlands.
jinny7@reddit
You put turmeric in the mash?
Why_Teach@reddit
Yes, we eat lamb. What is pretty rare is mutton. We have sheep, but we also import lamb from New Zealand.
nonsequitur__@reddit
I make a dish like this :-) basically keema with garam masala mash on top
Dogsafe@reddit
Banoffee pie
Pure-Dead-Brilliant@reddit
Stovies
deanomatronix@reddit
No potlucks not really a thing here but my favourite British foods in no particular order:
-Fish Pie (try J Sheekey or hairy bikers recipe) -Beef Wellington (can be a bit of an ordeal though unless happy to cheat with pastry/pate) -Kedgeree (smoked fish in lightly spiced rice 😋) -Apple crumble/Eton mess for easy tasty desserts
Chemical-Sea-6997@reddit
Do you make curry? Everyone here can make curry to varying degrees of success. My current favourite is butter chicken.
DJ-Stu-C@reddit
Look up the Hairy Bikers, plenty of inspiration on there for good quality British food.
Sweet_Focus6377@reddit
The closest dish to potluck we had was beef stew and mum's secret was to add equal parts of minced beef and stewing steak. The mince turning into a rich luscious gravy.
Saliiim@reddit
A friend of my financee makes an amazing beef wellington.
catpowers4life@reddit (OP)
Do you have their recipe 😭
Dogsafe@reddit
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/venison-wellington
This is a really good version that uses venison which paired with the blackberry sauce in this recipe is just fantastic: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/pan-fried-venison-blackberry-sauce
n3m0sum@reddit
Gordon Ramsey has a good one . Straight forward and quite traditional. He doesn't get unnecessarily fancy with it.
Agile-Candle-626@reddit
Beef wellington, Shepard's/Cottage Pie, Steak and Ale Pie, Roast Dinner with Yorkshire pudding and Cornish pasties(any pasties really)
BG3restart@reddit
I'd look for one of the Hairy Bikers 'Mum Knows Best' recipes. The Hairy Bikers were two well known UK TV cooks who did one or more TV series called 'Mum Knows Best' where they travelled the length and breadth of the UK inviting mums known for their culinary skills to make a recipe to be included in a series of 'Mum Knows Best' cookbooks. I don't know if you can get the cookbooks where you are, or can access the TV shows, but a lot of the recipes will be online. They'll give you an idea of the kinds of foods enjoyed throughout the UK in regular households.
WackyAndCorny@reddit
Somewhere on Amazon or World of Book etc, you will find a copy of “Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course”. This will not be a waste of money.
All Hail Delia.
n3m0sum@reddit
The Hairy Bikers became a British cooking institution. They travelled all over the world sampling and cooking foods. But for one season, and an accompanying cook book. They stayed in Britain travelling around and sampling traditional regional and family recipes that had been passed down.
Look up The Hairy Bikers - Mum Knows Best cook book. Lots of good stuff there. And all British, it a British variation of something an ancestor brought to Britain.
mr-dirtybassist@reddit
Lancashire hot pot! Give it a go and you won't regret it.
GiovanniVanBroekhoes@reddit
Pies. Good for those kind of sharing events. Pies in the States generally refer to a sweet pie. In the UK it normally refers to a savoury one.
I am from the North West and meat and potato pie is one that’s popular here. Cheese and onion, steak, just meat and chicken are also popular, I am sure that different parts of the country have their own popular varieties.
London has its pie and mash shops also.
Some nice recipes can be found on BBC food website (not sure if it’s restricted by location).
GiovanniVanBroekhoes@reddit
Oh and semi related. Shepards pie and cottage pie. Not pies in the traditional sense. Rather ground meat mixed with other ingredients topped with mashed potatoes.
Also pasties. Related to pies. I think originated in the South West.
Dranask@reddit
I’ve read that the additives in USA food differ from those in ours (if any) can seriously change the flavour.
dogmadave1977@reddit
Shepherds pie( made with lamb) Cottage pie ( made with beef) Cornish pasties Haggis neeps( mashed turnip) and tattie(mashed potatoes) Bubble and squeak Steak and kidney pie And funnily enough, chicken tikka masala( invented in Glasgow by Indian chefs for the British palette
-_-0_0-_-0_0-_-0_0@reddit
Mother used to make some mean pork pies.
Purple-Hamster499@reddit
Cream of sumyunguy
monkeymidd@reddit
Cottage Pie / Shepherds pie Beef and ale Pie - very different to the above Toad in the Hole Bangers and Mash
qualityvote2@reddit
Hello u/catpowers4life! Welcome to r/AskABrit!
For other users, does this post fit the subreddit?
If so, upvote this comment!
Otherwise, downvote this comment!
And if it does break the rules, downvote this comment and report this post!