Gone are the days when picnic food just comprised of a few hard-boiled eggs, soggy sausage rolls and a selection of simple ham sandwiches. As our tastes have matured over the years, then so has our choice of outdoor eating foods, including recipes using different cuts of meat.
Of course, if the meat is of good quality and cooked or cured properly, then your picnic sandwiches or salads will still taste great. But if you’re looking for some meat picnic recipes that will wow your family or make you the envy of your friends then read on.
BLT Pasta Salad
If you don’t want to spend loads of money on your picnic feast, try this recipe for A BLT pasta salad. It ticks all the boxes when it comes to taste and is filling too due to the carbs in the past.
All you need is 200 grams of pasta (we particularly like the pasta shells called Conchiglie), 150 grams of cherry tomatoes (cut into quarters), 125 grams of Hugh Philipps Gower Butchers short back smoked bacon (diced), the head of one lettuce (iceberg or Cos work well), 2 tablespoons of mayo, ½ tablespoon of tabasco (or harissa if you prefer), salt and pepper.
Cook the pasta until it is al dente. Fry the diced bacon and then add all the ingredients together with seasoning to taste – delicious!
Beef Tortilla Wraps with Chutney
Another easy to prepare and very tasty picnic classic is our recipe for beef tortilla wraps served with chutney. You only need six ingredients for this picnic recipe for four people including 4 tablespoons of cream cheese, 4 tortilla wraps, 2 handfuls of rocket leaves and four slices of roast beef (you can either cook your own from the many joints we have available in our Swansea Market shop or our online store, www.bestonlinebutcher.co.uk. Alternatively, you can buy the slices ready cooked from our brand new Deli Cymreig in Swansea Market (where all the cold meats are prepared by our experienced butchers team). Simply fill the wraps with all of the ingredients including a tablespoon of chutney to your choice (we find that the onion chutney we sell at our deli goes perfectly with this simple tortilla recipe).
Spicy Sweet and Sour Chicken
For chicken lovers looking for something a bit more spicy and satisfying, try our highly recommended spicy sweet and sour chicken recipe. To make the marinade, simply mix ½ cup of mango chutney with two tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oil (sesame seed or olive), 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar (or ½ tablespoon of balsamic vinegar which is stronger in taste) and one tablespoon of honey. You will also need eight chicken pieces, legs or thighs are best. Coat the chicken pieces in the marinade, bake in the oven until cooked through and then leave to cool in time for your picnic. (This recipe also works well on a BBQ though we do recommend poaching the chicken first to ensure it’s cooked through).
Best Online Butcher
If you’re ready to try any of these tasty recipes, you don’t even have to leave the house to get your picnic started. You can order all of these products and more form our online shop, www.bestonlinebutcher.co.uk.
Alternatively, if you prefer to hand pick your picnic feast, then pop down to our shops in Swansea Market. Deli Cymreig is just around the corner from our Hugh Phillips Gower Butcher’s stall and has many delicious delights to make your outdoor eating experience the best ever.
