How is American cuisine influencing British menus?

From barbeques to brunch, how American cuisine is influencing British menus

For this month’s deep dive into food trends, we have been exploring American cuisine. Internationally the USA has been at the forefront of food trends for decades especially as fast and indulgent food can make consumers feel comforted and satisfied. Popular American cooking methods include barbequed, brined and deep fried and we are seeing more and more of these styles feeding into British cuisine.

Flaming good

Whilst cooking over flames is an old culinary technique, we are seeing a resurgence in this trend. But smoking food is also becoming more popular with chefs and consumers trying this technique at home.

Smoking involves cooking, browning, flavouring or preserving food over smoke. In fact, an article in the Morning Advertiser in April explored this trend and celebrated some of the brands driving this here in the UK. Chefs enjoy playing with flavours by using different types of wood when smoking. In America, hickory, maple, pecan and fruit tree woods are commonly used.

Whilst Texan-style food is known for its BBQ theme, different styles can be brought in from other US regions using sauces and marinades. In South Carolina, you might be tasting more of a mustard based barbeque flavour, whereas in Kansas City it’s more likely to be a thick, sweet and tangy sauce.

Bisto and Homepride BBQ Ribs are one of the recipes you will find on our website. You could choose to serve half a rack as a starter or a full rack for a main course. It also makes a perfect sharing dish.

Fully loaded

Classic American dishes such as burgers, hot dogs and fries are loaded with additional ingredients to make a more indulgent and filling dish. These are often attractive choices to customers with a big appetite or those looking to share a dish with friends and family.

These dishes look impressive so are often shared on social media, catching attention in newsfeeds around the world. TikTok is a key driver when it comes to sharing new ideas and as loaded dishes provide fun and comfort they are shared and re-created in new ways. You could serve up our recipe for Bisto Braised Brisket Loaded Fries. 

The big brunch

In America, it is common for a restaurant to have its own brunch menu, and this is becoming more and more popular in the UK. Bottomless brunches are also on the rise. It’s not uncommon to see diners struggling to choose between a combination of sweet and savoury options so chefs are fusing ingredients such as bacon and maple syrup. Our McDougalls Almond and Oat Blueberry Pancakes make a perfect brunch menu as they will appeal to diners looking for a filling but healthier option.

For more trends, keep a look out for our future articles and new recipe ideas on social media.