Feb 4th is Yorkshire Pudding Day and a perfect excuse to indulge in some comfort food. Toad in the hole with onion gravy.
What’s not to love, Yorkshire puddings, sausages and onion gravy, made with pork neckbone broth.
I always cook my Yorkies in cast iron. and like them risen at the edges and dipped in the middle - otherwise, they are a popover. I have a cast iron muffin pan for the small yorkies or I use my cast iron skillets.
There are tons of recipes out there, some use water, some beer, and some use a lot of eggs.
I have been making my recipe for over 30 years. I use more milk than flour because when I was trying to be self-sufficient, many years ago, I had a house cow and lots of milk, but I had to buy flour and eggs were sometimes in short supply so you can make it with 1 egg if you like..
Toad in the hole
Toads
1 lb our breakfast or Cumberland sausages
Yorkshire pudding batter
2 eggs
1 cup full-fat milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
good pinch of salt
1 - 2 tbsp lard
Onion gravy
2 onions sliced
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp butter
500 ml pork or chicken stock
Soy sauce
Directions
Make Yorkshire Pudding batter. I mix mine in a jug, it’s easier to pour and saves washing up. Start with the eggs then add flour, salt and milk. I always use a stick blender but you can hand whisk, or an electric beater, however, you like to mix your batter.
Rest the batter for at least 30 mins, but the longer the better, overnight if possible
Put the oven on 425 ℉
Cook sausages until browned, don’t overcook because they will cook more in the oven. I use a cast iron skillet.
When sausages are browned take them from the pan and add 2 tbsp lard to the pan and put it in the oven and get it sizzling hot.
Once it’s sizzling add the sausages back in and then pour the batter over them and put in the oven for about 40 mins. I usually take a quick peak at 30 mins.
While the toad in the hole is cooking melt 2 tbsp butter in a pan and fry the sliced onions.
Once they are soft sprinkle the flour over and stir to mix, then add a quarter cup of stock. stir over the heat and as it gets thicker keep adding more stock a little at a time, bringing it to a boil each time to cook the flour. Add as much or as little stock as you like to your desired thickness.
I always use soy sauce to season my gravy, Thai mushroom soy sauce is my current favourite, and sometimes I add a drop of oyster sauce too, yes I know it’s not traditional - that would be to use bisto or oxo.
When toad in the hole is cooked serve with onion gravy and your favourite veg. We like cabbage seasoned with salt and pepper and fried in butter or bacon fat.
The Yorkshire pudding recipe makes 6 muffin tin yorkies or 1 large - frying pan size
Enjoy! Let me know if you have a gluten-free version
