British Expatriate Network

Not the hardware, but the food...

We had an American family over last night for a barbecue. It's their first year in the UK and I think the first BBQ they've been invited to. Anyways, they were very polite and I think they enjoyed the food, but they did comment that it was very different to what they expected. Of course it is different, I replied, because it's a different country, but I didn't fully understand what they found different as we always did our own thing in the US or make our own cotnribution to pot-lucks.

So, it transpired that they expected hamburgers and hotdogs, where we offered chicken breasts, lamb chops and salmon steaks - we didn't on this occasion, but would only ever offer hamburgers and hot dogs to the kids. For salads, along with a green salad, they expected a potato salad and a pasta (specifically macaroni) salad, both made with mayonnaise, whereas we offered a fruity cous cous salad, a greek salad and a simple pasta salad (with oil & vinegar dressing rather than mayonnaise), as well as roasted vegatables.

So, what's your experience of BBQ in the US - is it different to what you'd do in the UK? Do you get a lot of variety when you go to other people's houses?

Personally, I love BBQ. I tend to make everything in the morning - make the salads and marinade the meats - and then it's all ready to go at the time. I always prepare (but not cook or serve) about twice as much food as we will need and then be ready to repeat the whole thing the next day.

Everyone here seems to serve the same things - burgers, hotdogs, potato/macaroni salad etc. etc. I don't mind. You get used to it. If we have a bbq we end up doing the same too just so that everyone eats it. I have tried adding 'british' stuff, but unless there are british people there, it generally doesn't get eaten.

One thing I have noticed is the general lack of vegetarian alternatives offered. And we never get asked either. Something I would have always done in the UK.

I think if it was my in-laws here in the states then they would expect burgers, dogs, possibly chicken and salads like egg & maccaroni, potato salad and maybe even coleslaw. I dont like the salad stuff they have over here myself, but apart from that I think it depends on who and what they have . I love barbecue, I wish I had a better chance to make it more regulary!! wink

That's been my experience too. When we BBQ for ourselves we cook a wide variety of food. When we BBQ for a party we usually do homemade burgers, sausages (not hotdogs), chicken and ribs. I always make a big bowl of  mixed salad (with a selection of dressings), french bread and the usual potato/macaroni & coleslaw salads. Everyone always tucks in and all the food is eaten.  :grin: Apart from macaroni salad, these are the same foods I ate back home.

Edited to add....and chips/crisps. :mrgreen:

I don't know if it's only here in Texas, but if they say they're having a BBQ it usually means they're going to have ribs, brisket, maybe chicken with beans, potato salad and things like that to go with it. If they're only doing burgers and hotdogs they say they're "grilling". I've been to loads of both and they have always said beforehand if they were BBQing or grilling and what it would be.

Ben- I agree with you about them not asking if anyone is vegetarian or serving much of anything that could make up a vegetarian meal. Then again I haven't come across many vegetarians where we live.

We serve chicken breasts, lamb kabobs on huge full length swords, maybe salmon burgers.
For salads i make tabouleh, green, and maybe a tomato salad with different kinds of toms in it.
We also serve baba ghanoush(sp), hummus and hot pittas and stuffed vine leaves.

i have this thing where sometimes I want meat but others I can't stand it. So veggie stuff is always on offer here.

I still rue the day mad cow disease appeared i was happy once upon a time to reduce a good uncooked steak to ground beef, make a volcano, crack an egg in it and add Worcestershire sauce and cracked black pepper. Those days are long gone. Sigh!

Most of the families I know over here offer burgers in lettuce leaves for the ladies, and hot dogs for the kids. Ribs and steaks are abundant too but I usually don't go overboard on the sauces or rubs.

When we left UK BBQ's were few and far between, and mainly made up of frozen burgers and hot dogs. Hated 'em

Ameriscot, can i come to a BBQ at your house should I ever make it back. Sounds yummy. smile

Vegetarian bbqs all they seem to do here, tofu in the style of hamburgers etc, I don't see the point. If you bring a steak or even fish, they recoil in horror.

I haven't been invited to too many lately, I usually get a bit pissed up and try and snog the hostess in the kitchen. A surprising number repsond back though. shock

Anyway I'd much rather a nice pub lunch.

Though Ameriscott's do does sound nice I've expected more haggis on the menu.

Annie, your barbecues sound very similar to mine.  razz

I feel that those mayonnaisey potato and macaroni salads just too heavy alongside the BBQ meats.  I don't think I would ever have an appetite for something like that - much prefer a light selection of tasty veggies.  If I am having a big barbecue - 8 -10 adults would probably be the limit - then I'd offer a wider selection of salads.

For non-meat dishes, I would almost always serve fish (salmon, tuna or prawns - everything else is a bit pricey), and then something like stuffed mushrooms or stuffed peppers.

So would that be the Hostess with the Mostess?? :wink:

Hmmmpublunchhmmmm :razz:

If anyone has barbecued haggis its this fella..... :wink:
http://www.bbqu.net/

That is the stupid part about it. There are a lot of vegetarians here. There are restaurants/deli places (although only a few) that are purely for the vegetarian. I have met quite a few people who declare themselves as vegetarian (not as many as I knew in the UK though). Yet, not once has anyone mentioned/suggested/automatically prepared a vegetarian alternative.

I'm not surprised places like Texas do bbq's different to up here.

You know, one of my most favorite additions with bbq food is couscous. Love the stuff. :)

You don't have to be vegetarian to enjoy vegetarian food, so I think a vegetarian main course is a great addition to a BBQ. It can help with the expense too, as it is usually a lot cheaper than sirloin steaks or lamb steaks.

Cous cous is great for the convenience, isn't it? There aren't many things you can knock up in 5 minutes ('cept where Moo is concerned wink ).

Barbecued haggis indeed! And how would you do with the chappit tatties and neeps? mrgreen

I haven't been to a bbq either side of the Atlantic where it's been only burgers or hotdogs for everyone. Here in the NE we've had at least steak or chicken and salad on offer for the grown-ups....

Usually the food is more 'low-key' over here, though, the hosts typically spend less time preparing. It amuses me when we're eating burgers, etc that the host will present expensive wines from the wine cellar to enjoy alongside  smile No complaints here, though wink

You're right, thats how it usually is. I dont like ribs very much, always have a hard time eating them...too messy :roll:

The big thing out here in the sticks is the the catfish boils people have and also those awful crawfish things , yuuuuuuk :mrgreen:

I was always baffled when we did corporate BBQs at the presence of potato/pasta salads with all that mayo... Surely there are tastier and safer foods to leave out in the beating sun for 2 hours???

I always have veggie burgers in my freezer so the one time we had someone over who didn't eat red meat, he and I ate Quorn.

I usually try and mix things up a bit, we had a big BBQ last year and I made garlic bread baguettes, garlic and herb couscous and a tomato salad. People were wary at first but it soon went. We also served a piece of beef that had been marinated and then grilled.

Our BBQs in England were always 80% salad/veggies thinking back. They were delicious.