Is it time to start the barbecue season in the UK? Best cuts for your first spring grill
As if this time of year isn’t special enough, with Easter and all the fun that comes along with it, this seasonal celebration also carries a very specific significance: the arrival of the first Bank Holiday weekend of the year!
For the eternal optimists among us, this milestone triggers a very specific itch – the urge to head to the shed, uncover the grill, and officially kick off the barbecue season. But is it truly time to break out the charcoal, or are we tempting fate with the unpredictable British Spring? A false Spring, even?
There is something undeniably special about the first outdoor cook of the year. After months of slow-cooked stews and heavy roasts, the scent of woodsmoke and the sizzle of a steak over an open flame feel like a celebration of the lighter evenings ahead. At Lakings, we believe that if the sun is shining, it is never too early to start. However, the secret to a successful early-season barbecue lies in the preparation and choosing the right cuts for the temperature.
If you aren’t quite ready to commit to an all-day slow smoke, look for cuts that cook quickly and pack a punch. Our handcrafted sausages, dry-aged burgers, and lamb chops are perfect for a Spring afternoon, even if it is still a little brisk. They offer that charred, smoky nostalgia without requiring you to stand outside in a coat for hours on end.
Of course, the potential of an “Easter barbecue” doesn’t have to mean burgers and buns. You can bridge the gap between winter comfort and summer fire by cooking your traditional Easter joints on the grill. A butterflied leg of lamb (just ask our expert team to butterfly it for you) takes beautifully to the smoky environment of a closed barbecue, resulting in a crust and flavour profile you simply cannot replicate in a standard kitchen oven.
Whether you are a rain or shine griller or someone who waits for a guaranteed heatwave, the UK’s first Bank Holiday is the perfect excuse to stock up. If the weather holds, you’re the hero of the neighbourhood; if the clouds roll in, those premium Lakings cuts will taste just as incredible seared in a cast-iron pan indoors. So, check the forecast, prep the coals, and let’s see if we can make this the earliest start to summer yet.
