BBQ's and Picnics in Reading

When it comes to planning the perfect picnic or BBQ in Reading, there's lots to know. Whether you're looking for where to enjoy your summer BBQ or picnic or safety tips surrounding using a BBQ, it can all be found right here!

BBQ's in Reading

In the age of gas barbecues and those handy disposable ones, cooking outdoors has never been easier!

Fire Safety

First things first, make sure your barbecue is on a steady flat surface, and that it’s away from any trees or plants. It’s always good to make sure you’re barbecuing in an open space, with plenty of ventilation. To make sure you and the family stay safe this summer click here to find out all of local fire fighter Mark Altree's fire safety tips.

Cooking meat on a barbecue

When you’re cooking any sort of meat on a barbecue you have to make sure the coals are glowing amber with a powdery grey surface before you can even start cooking, otherwise the coals won’t be hot enough. You also have to make sure frozen meat is properly defrosted before you throw it on the grill and that you turn the meat frequently, moving it around so it cooks evenly. After all you don’t want to catch food poisoning!

It’s good to remember that meat is only safe to eat only when:

• Clear juices run.
• The centre is piping hot.
• There is no visible pink meat.

Food

If you’ve got a barbecue with a lid, perfect. Use it as much as possible! It actually helps to cook your meat better; you end up with a succulent barbecue taste and ensure its nice and moist inside.

If you don’t want to cook the conventional hot dogs and burgers on the barbie this summer then why not try to out kebabs. Customize them exactly how you want them. Chicken, pork or even marinated vegetables, the possibilities are endless! We especially like serving them up with a variety of tasty dipping sauces.

If you’re planning on serving up fish, make sure to wrap it up in some greaseproof paper and then wrap it up again in aluminium foil and then leave it to steam for a little while. This way you get the best colour and reduce the chances of it drying out.

The Location

Reading has some of the best parks and gardens around, so you really are spoilt for choice when it comes to discovering your perfect barbecue location!

Preparation

We always get ourselves a mini table to sit alongside our barbecue. It’s a great place to prep meat, hold the skewers and store the buns. Your barbecue might even have one of its own, but if you’re like us you’ll want to be away from the heat in between burger flips.

Another great idea is to have some hot soapy water and a towel close by to avoid getting your greasy hands everywhere!

From our experiences we’ve learnt cooking the biggest piece of steak possible isn’t the most practical. If you try and use smaller cuts of meat they’ll actually cook more evenly and are less prone to burn especially if you place them at the edge of the grill.

Picnics in Reading

Whether you're basking in glorious sunshine or sheltering from the rain in the back of a steamed up car, we've compiled a guide to ensure you have the perfect summer picnic...

Coming up with a Plan

Whether you’re planning your picnic a week ahead (good luck with this weather) or spur of the moment, every good picnic needs a little bit of thought.

In all the excitement chances are you might forget something, we know we usually do! So a quick picnic check list is essential. You don’t want to be forgetting the sandwiches after all! There’s nothing worse than getting to your picnic spot and realising you’ve forgotten the frisbee or even worse the picnic blanket. If you’re going to make a day of it and meet up with friends, share the responsibilities - just make sure to double check exactly what you’re bringing!

Finding a Location

Reading has some of the best parks and gardens around, so you really are spoilt for choice when it comes to discovering your perfect picnic location. Prospect Park, Forbury Gardens and Cintra Park are some of our particular favourites. Plus when you’ve done with your lunch there’s plenty of parkland to explore. 

We’ve thought up a few things to bear in mind when picking your picnic spot. Firstly, never stray too far from civilisation, if you’ve got young kids it’s definitely an advantage to be closer to a toilet. Whether they’ve drunk too much lemonade or have sticky hands from all those treats, there are only so many times you can go on the hunt for a loo!

Secondly if you’re planning on bringing a game of boules or even a football make sure there’s enough room for the kids (or big kids) to play. You want to be enjoying yourself… not ducking for cover!

Lastly, check the rules of your picnic area. Chances are you’ll be eating al fresco in a family friendly Park, so if you intend to pack Pimms in your hamper, make sure to drink responsibly and be considerate to other Park users! Some parks even have rules against loud music or big sports games, so make sure the location you have chosen fits with what you want to do.

Picking your Food

This is probably the most exciting and important part of your picnicking experience. THE FOOD! Making sure you pack something for everyone, and enough of it, is crucial for happy picnicking.

Make sure you pack plenty to drink. We recommend two bottles of water for every bottle of wine. Especially if you’re taking the kids along! If you’re still worried about dehydrating, we say take twice as much drink as you think you need, this way you’ll never run out.

Easy finger foods go down well with the family. Sausage rolls, pork pies, scotch eggs and mini cocktail sausages are an absolute must! Fresh seasonal fruit like strawberries, pomegranates and melon always go down a treat too.

Choosing Your Wine

How many times have you left the house, got to the park and realised you've forgotten your corkscrew? It's pretty annoying! That's why you can't beat a screwcap wine for a picnic trip and we've partnered with Novel Wines to select a few high quality options for the perfect picnic tipple.

When you're after a fruity, easy-going red wine Austria is a place to look out for. The indigenous 'Zweigelt' grape variety is soft and supple and few do it better than the Eschenhof Holzer Wagram Zweigelt. While the Zweigelt has some tannins, if you're looking for a real crowd-pleaser or something to enjoy with your food, Pinot Noir is always a safe bet. Romania offers better value than anywhere right now and, for under £10, you can grab a bottle of Aurelia Visinescu's Domeniile Sahetini Nomad from Dealu Mare. 

If you have more expensive taste then give the unbelievably yummy Haywire Gamay Noir a try. It's a Canadian red modelled on Beaujolais and would suit summer grazing better than most.

Prefer white wine? Hungary's Furmint grape variety is like a zippier, zestier White Burgundy and the playful St. Donat Tropusi Laguna Furmint is one of the best we've tried. Few wines have that sweet smell you get just before Summer rain and one of them is Riesling. Riesling is also a top picnic partner and we reckon the Rheingau offers the best dry styles (forget Blue Nun!). Try a bottle of the Bibo Runge Riesling for a treat.

Fun & Games

If you’re picnicking with the kids make sure you have enough activities to keep them busy all day. Let’s face it, how long’s it going to be before they say they’re bored!  All the best picnic games for kids are simple and easy to set up.

It’s a fantastic idea to bring a football, frisbee and bat and ball. Who doesn’t love a ‘friendly’ family game! There are also plenty of playgrounds for kids to explore. You could even chill out in the sunshine and play a couple games of cards. There are endless tricks and games to play with family of all ages.

Picnic Essentials

Make sure you’re always prepared for whatever the weather throws at you!

You’re probably going to need some high factor sun cream, the spray on kind means that it’s easier to apply and older kids can do it themselves whilst you're plating up. You may also want to keep some sting relief cream handy as well as antiseptic wipes and plasters!

Bring hats for everyone. Long sleeved tee’s are also a good idea especially if you're planning to spend all day basking in the sunshine.

Another essential is rubbish bags! Take two or three large rubbish bags. You can use one for clearing up and one to store plates and cutlery that need to be washed up. Or if the ground's a bit damp, you can put the extra one under your picnic blanket.