Five quick meals using barbecue leftovers

Five quick meals using barbecue leftovers

‘Tis the season to be grilling. But what do you do with the mountain of sausages and burgers afterwards? Our resident foodie has some tips

By Evie Prosser

There are few British institutions so satisfying as the summer barbecue. If custom is to be adhered to, it involves a group of middle-aged men gathering around a slowly flickering flame and burning the outside of various meat products before their wives or girlfriends finish them off in the oven.

...what are you to do with Burger and Sausage Mountain in the days afterwards?  

Variations to this pattern are permissible, but that’s the general shape. And in the same way that no barbecue is complete without a bottle of cheap lager and a raincoat to hand, so does tradition dictate that you’ll cook far more meat than is needed.

Which leaves just one question: what are you to do with Burger and Sausage Mountain in the days afterwards? Somehow, simply rehashing the barbecue doesn’t quite cut it. You need to do something fresh, giving the charred ingredients a pick-me-up without spending hours in the kitchen. Here are five great recipe ideas to get you started.

1) Sausage frittata

Everyone loves a frittata. It’s the consummate comfort food and easily made in just 15 minutes.

Thinly chop your sausages at an angle so that each slice is nice and wide. Fry an onion and two cloves of garlic in a deep heavy-bottomed pan and chuck in the sausages to heat through. Choose whichever vegetables you fancy adding – leftover runner beans are fantastic, as are peas, red peppers, sliced boiled potatoes or roasted butternut squash.

Once it’s all cooking nicely, cover with up to half a dozen beaten eggs, depending on how many you’re feeding. Allow the bottom to cook thoroughly then place beneath a medium grill to finish the top.

Cut into thick slices and enjoy with a green salad and crusty bread. A glass of half-decent wine will help it slip down nicely.

(Tip: works just as well with leftover burgers, thinly sliced kebab meat or torn chicken).

2) Sliced Sausage pasta bake

Boil enough pasta for the size of your party, plus a bit extra because this dish is perfect for the next day’s lunchboxes.

Meanwhile, chop sausages on the angle and fry a brace of sliced courgettes in olive oil. With the courgettes nicely browned, throw in a decent passata and a handful of mixed herbs. Stir it all around as it heats, then mix with the drained pasta and sausage slices in a large ovenproof bowl.

Sprinkle over grated cheddar cheese and place in the oven at 180 degrees C for 25 – 30 minutes, or until the top is bubbling.

(Tip: to add extra crunch, bash up a packet of plain crisps and add the crumbs to the top with the cheese).

3) Burger Bolognese

A burger is just a minced beef patty, right? That makes it the perfect ingredient for a chunky Bolognese sauce.

Chop your burgers into eighths, treating each one as if it were a small cake and cutting in segments from the centre.

Boil some spaghetti in a pan, reducing the cooking time by two minutes for a pleasingly al dente effect.

Meanwhile, fry an onion and three clovers of garlic in a pan. Add the burgers and heat it all through. Pour over a good-quality passata and a handful of mixed herbs, as well as a dozen halved baby tomatoes. Add fresh basil if you have it and salt and pepper to taste.

Once the spaghetti is cooked and you’re happy the meat is thoroughly reheated, stir the sauce through and serve in generous pasta bowls with a sprinkling of parmesan and a bread stick.

(Tip: to get the flavour of Parmesan without the cost, try using a different hard cheese such as Grana Padano)

4) Super speedy chicken tikka chapattis

Strip any leftover plain chicken from the bones, trying to keep it in fairly large pieces. Add a teaspoon of tikka paste per person and stir so that every piece of chicken is coated.

Heat some oil in a pan and add the chicken, taking care to warm it thoroughly. Meanwhile, peel and slice a cucumber and add it to natural yoghurt, chopped fresh mint and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Heat two chapattis per person, then spoon on the yoghurt and cucumber mix, topping with a generous scoop of chicken and a sprinkle of fresh chopped coriander if you have it to hand. Fold the chapatti in half and serve with mango chutney for dipping. Wash down with a decent non-alcoholic beer.

5) Sausage and piccalilli doorstep sandwiches

Just about the only acceptable use of cold barbecue leftovers is in a chunky sandwich with a completely different flavour to the previous day’s offerings.

My favourite is sausage and piccalilli sandwiches. Take a decent white loaf, sourdough if possible, and carve into thick slices. Spread with high-quality salted butter (Longman Salted Butter is a personal favourite) and a chunky piccalilli from your local farm shop or delicatessen.

Add sausages thinly sliced on an angle and cut the sandwich into triangular halves. Arrange on a plate with a green salad, plus sliced radish, and a handful of chunky crisps. Eat with a pint of real ale, preferably while mulling over the Telegraph crossword and watching a game of cricket.

Et voila! The perfect post-barbecue scoffing, and all of it ready in no more than 15 minutes.

 

If you enjoyed this article, you may like:
Just gardening: why gardening is good for you
Smokin' Tom's BBQ tips

 

Published: 7 July 2025
© Copyright Just Recruitment Group Ltd 2025

Jobs currently available

New job
Accounts Administrator
Sector: Accountancy, Banking and Finance
Salary: £32,000 - £35,000 per annum
Location: Colchester
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: JC27
About the role

Just Recruitment is working with a well-regarded and long-standing family business based on the outskirts of Colchester — looking to add an Accounts Administrator to their team.

Working hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm.

Please note that due to the company’s location, you will need to drive.

You will need to have a minimum of 3 years’ experience working with Sage 50 accounts and Sage payroll, with the ability to work on your own initiative.

The role is focused within the remit of bookkeeping up to trial balance using Sage software.

Duties include:

  • Ensuring timely and accurate recording of financial transactions.
  • Daily financial operations, including posting of supplier invoices, reconciliation of supplier accounts, accounts payable management, creation of customer invoices, accounts receivable management, etc.
  • Performing bank/credit-card reconciliations, including a factoring banking account and petty cash accounts.
  • Quarterly VAT returns and analysis. (including RTI submission to HMRC).
  • Preparing weekly aged creditors reports and processing the weekly supplier payment run accordingly.
  • Preparing monthly aged debtors reports and providing credit control where required.
  • Maintaining the cashflow forecast for the Finance director to review.
  • Processing monthly payroll, payments, journal entries, and year-end procedures (including RTI submission to HMRC).
  • Managing auto-enrolment pension contributions, submissions, and legal returns to the pensions regulator.

Skills required include:

  • Significant experience in finance or accounting.
  • Proficiency with accounting software Sage 50 and payroll.
  • Advanced knowledge of spreadsheet software such as Excel.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Experience in data entry.
  • Effective decision-making and problem-solving techniques within a finance environment.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. The actual salary paid will be dependent on your level of experience, qualifications and skill set.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
General Workshop Engineer
Sector: Engineering and Manufacturing
Salary: £27,000 per annum
Location: Colchester, Essex
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: TB18
About the role

Just Recruitment is seeking a General Workshop Engineer for a Colchester-based company. Ideally, you will have general engineering workshop experience and be looking for opportunities for professional growth and development within a specialist field.

If you are a skilled individual with a passion for precision and a desire to create exceptional tooling, we want to hear from you!

Please note that you need to have your own transport due to the company’s rural location.

Working hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.30pm (40 hour week).

Key responsibilities include:

  • Operating Specialised Machinery, which may include:
    • CNC engraving machines.
    • Chemical etching equipment.
    • Grinding and polishing equipment.
    • Operating a Band Saw.
  • Precision Finishing: Perform detailed manual finishing, deburring, and hand-tooling to achieve the highest standards of accuracy and sharpness.
  • Some physical lifting will be involved.
  • Quality Control: Conduct stringent quality checks at every stage of the production process, ensuring dies meet exact specifications and the company’s high-quality benchmarks.
  • Maintenance: Assist with routine maintenance and calibration of machinery to ensure optimal performance.
  • Collaboration: Work closely with the design and production team to ensure seamless workflow and project delivery.
  • Problem Solving: Identify and resolve any issues arising during the die-making process to maintain production schedules and quality.

Company benefits include:

  • A supportive, collaborative, and friendly team environment.
  • The chance to work with cutting-edge technology and contribute to exciting projects.
  • 28 days paid annual leave, including bank holidays, plus a day off on your birthday.
  • Uniform provided after successful probation.
  • Employee assistance programme.
  • Health cash plan.
  • DIS insurance after 2 years.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. 
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Design Technician
Sector: Engineering & Technical
Location: Ipswich
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: JC26
About the role

Just Recruitment seeks a Design Technician to produce, check and process technical drawings for a company based in Ipswich, Suffolk, as part of its wider technical department.

Ideally, you will have a construction or architectural background, strong CAD skills, and excellent overall computer literacy.

Duties include:

  • Produce, check and process incoming design drawing requests, technical documentation and technical calculations.
  • Liaise with clients and Area Technical Managers.
  • Deal with telephone and email enquiries.
  • Keep up to date with Part L and Thermal Calculations.
  • Keep up to date with industry Codes of Practice and Building Regulations.

Essential key experience & skills required are:

  • Basic level CAD experience.
  • Ability to read and understand architectural drawings.
  • Advanced level of grammar and spelling.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Includes an end-of-year bonus and an excellent benefits package.
Hybrid working is available after successful completion of the probationary period, with a minimum of three days in the office and up to two days working from home.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Warehouse Operative
Sector: Warehouse
Location: Sudbury
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913735
About the role

Just Recruitment is partnering with an expanding manufacturing company on the outskirts of Sudbury to recruit a dedicated and reliable Warehouse Operative on a permanent basis.

The key purpose of this role is to support the business with the movement of raw materials and finished products as required.

In order to be considered for this role, you must possess a valid counterbalance forklift licence.

Key duties include:

  • Carrying out warehousing tasks, including order picking, storage allocation and record keeping.
  • Carrying out dispatch duties, including consolidating finished goods for daily loads.
  • Taking responsibility for ensuring goods are checked in and out using the stock management system.
  • Replenishing stock throughout the day and assisting with stock checks.

Role requirements include:

  • Counterbalance forklift driving licence and experience in driving forklift trucks.
  • The ability to follow written instructions, quality and safety standards.
  • The ability to communicate with colleagues at all levels and the confidence to escalate any issues to ensure quality and safety.
  • Computer literate - able to input data into the systems and maintain accurate records.
  • Conscientious with strong attention to detail.

This role operates on a three-week rotating shift pattern, Monday to Friday:

  • Weeks 1 & 2: 8:00am – 5:00pm
  • Week 3: 4:30pm – 1:30am

This role offers a competitive basic salary, shift allowance, and benefits package — an excellent opportunity to join a growing business.

Free parking is available on-site, and due to the company’s location, you must have access to your own transport.

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Design Engineer
Sector: Engineering and Manufacturing
Salary: Discussed on application
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: TB17
About the role

Just Recruitment is recruiting for a Design Engineer to join a manufacturer based in Sudbury, Suffolk.

Due to expansion and an increased order book, an experienced Design Engineer is required to join the design team. The Design Engineer will work with other Design Engineers, Project Managers, and other internal company personnel to create final design solutions working to detailed project and technical specifications and sales layout drawings, in line with the project and production plan. They shall also provide design and technical support to the sales team for the production of functional design specifications for inclusion within sales documentation and presentations.
Previous project management experience would be advantageous as the role will sometimes require taking projects from initial concept, through design and manufacturing, and project managing the installation. This will involve liaising with external suppliers, sub-contractors and customers where required.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Mechanical engineering design using AutoCAD, Inventor, and Vault, working to project and technical specifications.
  • Provide design calculations for frame structures, airflow, and energy requirements.
  • Produce designs to the conforming standards and certification requirements.
  • Preparation of production drawings for parts, fabrications, and assemblies.
  • Creation of bills of materials.
  • Carry out drawing modifications as and when required to existing drawings using revision control, change processes and procedures.
  • Liaise with purchasing and manufacturing departments for the distribution of information and assist with technical queries.
  • Participate in project design reviews and provide technical solutions to design problems.

Experience/skills requirements include:

  • A skilled and experienced Mechanical Design Engineer using AutoCAD & Inventor/Vault/Solidworks.
  • Experienced in understanding 2D sales layout approval drawings.
  • Experience with working to standards and certifications.
  • Experience with manufacturing techniques, including sheet metal fabrication and welding.
  • Experience in M&E design for manufacturing.
  • Knowledge of building services and construction management is desirable.
  • HNC Mechanical Engineering qualified or equivalent qualification minimum.
  • Minimum 3 years of previous experience in a similar design role with transferable skills.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Technical Sales / Applications Engineer
Sector: Engineering and Manufacturing
Salary: £26,000 - £34,000 per annum
Location: Tiverton, Devon
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: TB13
About the role

Just Recruitment is seeking a Technical Sales / Applications Engineer for a leading client in Tiverton, Devon — an excellent opportunity for a graduate, higher apprentice, or experienced engineer to develop their career within a technical engineering environment.

Reporting to the Technical Sales Manager, this role will focus on the promotion and sales of company products to prospective, new and existing customers.

Scope:

  • Providing a Technical Sales Service to Customers
  • Dealing first-hand with customer enquiries, by telephone and digital meetings where required
  • Solving Design Problems and providing new design solutions
  • Checking and validating applications, preparing costings and quotations
  • Preparation of drawings
  • Assisting the manufacturing team with design builds

Required qualifications/experience include:

  • Ideally qualified to HNC minimum in mechanical engineering
  • Consideration given to applicants with a Mechanical Design background and good CAD skills
  • Knowledge of Machine and Production processes is advantageous
  • Working knowledge of 3D design tools such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Procurement Manager
Sector: Purchasing and Merchandising
Salary: Discussed on application
Location: Sudbury, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: TB11
About the role

Just Recruitment is working with a growing manufacturing business based on the outskirts of Sudbury, in the search for a talented Procurement Manager to join their expanding team.

Required skills and qualifications:

  • CIPS Qualified - min level 5.
  • Substantial experience in a procurement leadership role within the food, ingredients, manufacturing, or FMCG sectors.
  • Experience in leading and developing high-performance teams.
  • Strong Negotiation and Supplier Management skills.

The key purpose of this role is to lead the delivery of greater strategic and operational value of the procurement function and help to deliver business-critical goals.

This is a hands-on, strategic, and operational role that requires a confident leader with deep procurement expertise and the ability to inspire and develop a team.

You will work closely with the Supply Chain Manager to shape and implement a fit-for-purpose procurement strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals across quality, cost, sustainability, and risk management. This role is pivotal in maintaining robust and value-driven supplier relationships while enabling continuous improvement in all procurement activities.

You will also oversee raw material planning and call-offs, ensuring that the business maintains the right balance between availability and inventory control — essential for production continuity and working capital efficiency.

This role includes direct line management of a Procurement Specialist, supporting their development and day-to-day activity management.

Key duties include:

  • Develop and implement a comprehensive procurement strategy aligned with business objectives, operational needs, and sustainability goals.
  • Identify, evaluate, and manage suppliers across raw materials, packaging, and indirect categories to ensure quality, continuity and cost-effectiveness.
  • Collaborate with the Supply Chain Manager and other departments to align procurement with broader supply chain goals and business plans.
  • Contribute to the company’s sustainability, traceability and ethical sourcing commitments through strategic supplier partnerships.
  • Oversee the procurement of raw materials, packaging, indirect goods and services, and CAPEX items, ensuring optimal quality, cost and delivery performance.
  • Manage tendering processes, contract negotiation and supplier onboarding activities.
  • Ensure the ERP system is updated and used effectively for procurement activities and reporting.
  • Monitor and report on procurement KPIs, savings and supplier performance metrics.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and service providers, driving continuous improvement and innovation.
  • Lead supplier performance reviews, audits and corrective action processes.
  • Identify and assess risks within the supply base and implement mitigation strategies to ensure business continuity.
  • Lead, mentor and develop the procurement team to achieve high levels of engagement, performance and professional growth.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous learning within the team.
  • Support the wider Supply Chain team by contributing to cross-functional initiatives and projects.
  • Ensure adherence to company procurement policies, financial controls and ethical standards.
  • Support internal and external audits with relevant documentation and compliance reporting.
  • Drive process improvement initiatives and embed best practices across the procurement function.

Build and nurture key working relationships with Production, Quality Assurance, Finance, Warehousing, Sales and Commercial Teams, Suppliers, Logistics Providers and Regulatory Bodies.

This is an excellent opportunity to drive change within a business — offering a great working environment.

Working hours for this role are Monday to Friday, 8am - 5pm, although some flexibility is required.

Please note that due to the location of the business, you must have access to your own transport.

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more