English Barbecue - Is There Really Such a Thing?

For many years, England was thought to have thefajitas are popping up.
worst food on the planet. Food was either tastelessGrilled items including blood sausage, hamburgers, long
or unimaginative. The term "gourmet food" wascoiled links of various other farm-produced sausage,
never in the British vocabulary. And there was nokebabs, and vegetables can all be on the streets of
such thing as grilled, barbecued, or even outdoormany English cities. In London, you will actually find
cooking of any kind. It rained too much for outdoormany outdoor barbecue grills, where all an
cooking.assortment of great barbecue and grilled foods are
Today, after many troubled decades offound every day.
poorly-cooked food, there are many surprises to beEnglish barbecue and grilling is becoming more and
found in English barbecue. Cooking in England hasmore popular in homes, as well. There are many local
been rejuvenated. Grilled and barbecued food isbarbecue contests held regularly. A barbecue team
coming on strong.from London recently won the prestigious Jack
In England's restaurants, a great grilled eight-ounceDaniel's World Championship recently. More British
Kobe beef steak can be found for about $100 US.households have kettle grills in their backyards than
Filets of beef in England are called "fil-its", notever. Homemade brick barbecues are becoming very
"fill-ays", or rump steaks. They are usually grilled overpopular in England.
gas flames, but British chefs are starting to moveWhile hamburgers, chicken, sausage beef, lamb and
outside, and using charcoal or wood more often, andfish are still the most popular barbecue items in
for all of their offerings.England, households are mixing in prawns, sea bass,
Pub food in England has also shifted toward barbecueand pancetta, and Portuguese chorrizo into their
and grilled foods, offering many "typically American"barbecue fare.
items such as buffalo wings, bbq ribs, steak bites,Fish and chips are still the favorites for Brits
foccacia, and grilled mozzarella cheese. Non-traditionalthroughout the country, but the gradual
barbecue can be found as well. Ostrich filets, babytransformation to a more "open", outdoor feel is the
back ribs, grilled curry lobster, lamb cutlets, sashiminew English wave. This style of cooking is in its youth
tuna, seared marinated beef carpaccio, and charredin this country, so the shift to barbecue grilling should
salmon can all be readily found in England. Manycontinue to occur, and become more and more
varieties of grilled fish, scallops, and shrimp arepopular over time.
available everywhere in England. Even beef and pork