The Great British Picnic, Recipes, Tips & Ideas

If there is one thing us Brits know how to do it is a picnic. The tradition began back in the Victorian era, picnicking was an aspirational affair, and a byword for summer. Today the tradition lives on, although the menu has definitely adapted since then, the ‘Great British Picnic’ is still something to treasure.

As you’re reading this blog we assume you have already seen our recommended Picnic-gear, if you missed it, we have a specially dedicated ‘Picnic’ category which you can view here. How very British of us! As we love all things picnic and hope you do to, have a cheeky 5% off all picnicware on us, simply enter discount code ‘PICNIC5’ at the checkout to redeem.

Now the fun part, everybody knows that homemade always beats shop-bought (where possible) so put the oven on and make your self a cuppa. Our menu consists of Finger Sandwiches, Sausage Rolls, Scotch Eggs, Pork Pies, Hand-Cut Crisps, Scones with Jam & Cream and a lovely glass of Pimm’s & Lemonade.

Finger-Sandwiches

We recommend making these the day you plan to picnic, so they don’t dry out or get the dreaded soggy-bottom.

Cucumber Dill Sandwich:

Sausage Rolls Recipe

Making your very own sausage rolls is a sure-fire way to put a smile on everybody’s face, this super simple recipe will ensure you’re smiling too.

Ingredients:

• 320g/1 x packet of ready roll puff pastry
• 600g good quality Cumberland sausages
• 1 tbsp red onion marmalade
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp milk
• a handful of sesame seeds

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 22oC
2. Unroll the pastry and cut down the middle, length ways.
3. Remove the skin from the sausages and place in a bowl, add the marmalade and mix well.
4. Divide the sausage meat in half and place down the middle of each length of pastry.
5. Mix the yolk and milk in a small bowl and brush down one side of the pastry, roll the pastry around the sausage meat. Repeat on both sheets of pastry.
6. Chill for 20 minutes then cut each long roll into 6 sausage rolls and place on a lightly oiled baking tray. Brush the rest of the egg mixture on the tops and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden. Enjoy!

Scotch Eggs Recipe

Quite possibly the ultimate picnic snack, these hearty scotch eggs are slightly runny in the centre. This recipe doesn’t call for a deep fat fryer, these eggs are simply baked or a guilt free version.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium free-range eggs at room temperature
• 500g lean turkey thigh mince (2 per cent fat)
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• Handful fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 medium free-range eggs, beaten
• 80g fresh breadcrumbs
• Olive oil cooking spray

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. Hard boil the eggs by placing into a large pan of boiling water for 6 minutes. Drain, cool and shell.
3. Combine the turkey mince, allspice, coriander and spring onions in a bowl.
4. Divide the mince into 6 balls then flatten into discs. Place a cooled egg in the centre and mould the meat around it. Shape into a ball and set aside, repeat for all the eggs
5. Put the flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs into separate bowls. Dust each scotch egg with a little flour, dip into the beaten egg and roll into the bread crumbs.
6. Place the scotch eggs onto a baking tray and spray all over with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes until golden- enjoy!

Pork Pies Recipe

This is a great recipe to have under your belt, do you really know an English-blooded meat-eater that doesn’t like them? This recipe makes 6 hearty pies, bursting with flavour!

Ingredients:

• 500g pork mince
• 2 tbsp chopped sage
• salt & pepper
• 300g plain flour
• 1 medium egg yolk
• 90g white vegetable fat
• Beaten egg (to glaze)
• 4 leaves gelatine
• 1 pork stock cube

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. To make the filling mix together the pork, sage and plenty of seasoning.
3. To make the pastry place the flour into a bowl and add a pinch of salt. Drop the egg yolk into the centre and cover with a little flour.
4. Pour 150ml water into a saucepan and add the veg fat. Place the pan over a low heat and stir until the fat melts, bring the mixture to the boil. Working quickly, pour the boiling mixture into the flour, use a wooden spoon to beat the mixture until it’s smooth.
5. Lightly knead the pastry until it forms a ball, cut off 1/3 of the pastry and wrap in a freezer bag, this is for the lids later on. Divide the remaining pastry into 6 pieces, flatten each piece out, use to line the holes of a muffin tin, it should stretch to just above the top of the tins.
6. Divide the filling into 6 and place into each muffin hole. Divide the reserved pastry into 6 and flatten each out into a circle just larger than the top of each pie. Brush a little egg around the top edge of the pastry and then place the lids on top, flute the edges, pressing them together. Make a hole in the top of each pie and brush egg glaze over the top.
7. Bake the pies in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 180C and cook for a further 20 minutes. Remove pies from the tin and place them on a baking tray, once cooled chill over night.
8. To make the jelly, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until they are soft. In a large bowl, pour 450ml of boiling water over the stock cube and stir until dissolved. Lift out the ‘sponged’ gelatine and squeeze out any excess water, add to the stock and stir until it dissolves. Leave the stock to cool but not set, and pour into the pies. Return the pies to the fridge to set, once cooled completely they are ready to be devoured!

Crunchy Hand-Cut Crisps Recipe

Nothing beats munching on some salty crisps on a summer’s afternoon, apart from munching on your own homemade ones! This recipe is super simple and really great for adapting to your tastes.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced paper-thin
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 1 litre oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Place potato slices into a large bowl of cold water as you slice. Drain and rinse, then refill the bowl with water, and add the salt. Let the potatoes soak in the salty water for at least 30 minutes. Drain, then rinse and drain again.
2. Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 185 degrees C.
3. Fry potato slices in small batches. Once they start turning golden, remove and drain on kitchen roll. Continue until all of the slices are fried.
4. Season with additional salt if desired. Or add any seasonings of your choice, black pepper and rosemary are a favourite of ours.

Scone Recipe with Jam & Cream

The ultimate English dessert, best enjoyed in the sunshine.

Ingredients:

• 450g self-raising flour
• 4 tbsp butter, cut into cubes
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 250 ml milk
• 1 egg yolk
• clotted cream & jam to serve

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚F (220˚C).
2. In a large bowl, rub together the self-raising flour and cubed butter until you form fine crumbs.
3. Mix in the sugar, baking powder, and salt, and make a well in the middle. Pour in the milk and gently mix together until just combined.
4. Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about a minute. Be careful not to over-knead the dough.
5. Using a round cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut circles into the dough that are about 1-2 inches thick.
6. Place onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper and coat the tops of the scones with the egg yolk.
7. Bake for 12 minutes.
8. Serve with clotted cream and jam.

Pimm’s Cocktail Recipe

The perfect way to add finesse to your picnic. Pimms is a classic British drink, usually enjoyed in summer. This recipe is super simple and is sure to help you clean your palette after a truly British picnic feast!

Ingredients:

• 100ml Pimm’s
• 300ml Lemonade
• 2 slices of lemon
• 2 slices of cucumber
• 2 strawberries
• 2 springs of mint

Method:

1. Pour 50ml of Pimm’s into each glass, followed by 150ml of lemonade into each.
2. Garnish with lemon, cucumber, strawberry and fresh mint.
3. Enjoy!

We hope you enjoyed our Great British Picnic Menu, perfect for warm summer afternoons spent with loved ones. Let us know if you try any of these recipes, we’d love to hear how you get on.

Also, don’t forget to bag yourself 5% off all picnicware here, simply enter discount code ‘PICNIC5’ at the checkout to redeem.