Barbecue may not be the first word you think of when you think of Scottish food, but we definitely think there’s a place for it!
When the weather is good in Scotland (yes, it does happen) then a barbecue is just the thing to do! You’ll see people out all over the green spaces in cities with portable barbecues, but many people have one in their garden too.
We’ve pulled together our ideas and favourite recipes for a Scottish barbecue, to give you something new to try this summer!
Mains – Scottish BBQ Food
The following don’t have to strictly be cooked on a barbecue, of course! But these are a few recipes that we enjoy making anyway, and can be easily adapted for the barbecue. Each of them has their own Scottish flair!
Haggis Burgers
Could there be anything more Scottish than haggis? We think probably not. The good thing is, haggis can be substituted for ground meat in almost any recipe (this post of 32 recipes for haggis proves it!) and burgers are no different.
While we’re often had haggis burgers at restaurants that involved a meat pattie with a liberal helping on haggis on the top, we wanted to actually build the haggis into the burger pattie itself.
And so here is our haggis burger recipe! It’s part haggis, part minced beef (ideally Aberdeen Angus, of course!) and a little cheese to stick it all together.
Perfect and easy to barbecue!
Irn Bru Glazed Chicken
We’ve used a version of this delicious glaze before, on our Slow-Cooked Irn Bru Ham, and we figured it was too good not to try on other things too! And so we have Irn Bru Glazed Chicken. The glaze, made from Scotland’s (second) most famous drink and a mixture of complimentary ingredients could also be used on pork or whatever you want really!
Smother the meat with it and then bake and barbecue.
Haggis Kofta
Much like the burger, this is another recipe from our ideas for haggis post, but this time you can cook it on the BBQ instead of in the oven or in a pan.
Mix haggis and minced lamb with 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp tumeric, 2 garlic gloves minced or grated, and 1 grated onion. Form into sausages and put on the end of skewers, then cook on the BBQ.
Best served in a flatbread with a mint yoghurt sauce!
Ribs in Whisky BBQ Sauce
We don’t mean to boast (well, maybe we do…) but our Whisky BBQ Sauce is pretty banging, and obviously perfect for a Scottish BBQ! You could add it to a burger, have it with chicken, or our favourite, on a rack of ribs.
Best baked in the oven slowly then finished off on the BBQ. Check out the sauce recipe here.
Aberdeen Angus Burgers
If a haggis burger isn’t really for you then a classic Aberdeen Angus Burger should do the trick. Aberdeen Angus is known for being especially flavoursome and tender so it makes for a deliciously juicy burger.
Add that to the smokiness and flavour that comes from cooking on the barbecue and we think you’re pretty set!
Lorne Sausage
This may sound a little weird since square sausages are usually considered to be Scottish breakfast food, but sausages are also basically made for barbecues, right?
So why not chuck a few on the barbie (that’s the Kiwi coming out!) and enjoy in a bun like a burger. Or with a burger too… you decide!
Find our Homemade Lorne Sausage Recipe here.
Sides – Scottish BBQ Food
While the above may be the stars of the show when it comes to Scottish BBQ, we definitely need some sides to complete the meal.
Smoked Salmon Salad
Salads aren’t the most exciting of side dishes but adding a bit of Scottish smoked salmon definitely increases the appeal!
One of our favourite things to do when travelling around Scotland is stop at local smokeries and pick up some of their salmon to try. Some of our favourites include Uig Lodge on the Isle of Lewis, and Falls of Dochart Smokehouse in Killin.
Make your usual lettuce or spinach salad and add a liberal helping on Scottish Salmon on top. We suggest serving with a lemon vingeriette dressing.
Charred Corn
Nothing Scottish about this one… we just love corn on the barbecue!
Whisky BBQ Sauce
As we mentioned above, our whisky bbq sauce can be added to anything! So make sure you have some extra on the side for serving with burgers and sausages.
Desserts – Scottish BBQ Food
Not to be cooked on the BBQ of course, but desserts often play a part in the perfect barbecue meal.
During summer in Scotland fruits like raspberries and strawberries can be found in abundance and are Scottish-grown varieties are particularly tasty!
The following light desserts are the perfect ending to a Scottish Barbecue meal.
Cranachan
This traditional Scottish dessert combines Scottish favourites like raspberries, oats, and whisky, alongside honey and cream. Super easy to make and serve for a large number of people and so good!
It’s one of our most popular recipes, and you can find it here. We also have a Cranachan Cheesecake recipe too!
Caledonian Cream
Caledonian Cream is a lesser known cream-based Scottish dessert than Cranachan, but we really think it ranks just as highly. It combines marmalade, another Scottish favourite, with whisky or whisky liqueur and can be served over fruit or even on its own.
Check out our Caledonian Cream Recipe here.
Drinks
Good drinks are a crucial addition to any barbecue. Aside from the usual, we have some extra ideas for what to serve.
Pink Gin Cocktails
A huge number of gins are made in Scotland, with all sorts of different flavour profiles available. Pink gin has become particularly popular in the last few years, and so we have put together a few of our favourite pink gin cocktails that are perfect for sipping in the sun (or shade, as it may be…).
Check them all out here. We highly recommend the Pink Gin Collins for a barbecue especially!
Whisky Cocktails
We know that some see mixing whisky with anything other than a drop of water as sacrilege, but on a warm day, a whisky cocktail can be just the thing. Here are 5 of our favourites!
And that’s our ideal Scottish Barbecue Menu. There are so many more things we could include, and we’ll likely add more recipes over time.
Let us know, do you have any particular favourites for the barbecue that we could give a Scottish flair to?