Bangers and Mash

Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy

A classic British pub plate: juicy pork sausages nestled on buttery mashed potatoes and smothered in a rich onion gravy.

Prep

15 min

Cook

40 min

Total

55 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •8 whole pork sausages, good-quality British-style bangers, about 600 g / 1¼ lb total
• •900 g (2 lb) potatoes, Maris Piper or other floury variety, peeled and chunked
• •100 ml (scant ½ cup) whole milk, warmed
• •50 g (3½ Tbsp) unsalted butter, divided: 40 g for mash, 10 g for gravy
• •1 tsp fine sea salt, for mash, plus more for cooking water
• •2 whole large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
• •1 Tbsp beef dripping or vegetable oil, for the onions
• •1 Tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
• •15 ml (1 Tbsp) Worcestershire sauce, the British original if possible
• •250 ml (1 cup) hot beef stock, from a cube is fine
• •250 ml (1 cup) hot chicken stock, or use all beef stock
• •1 tsp Dijon or English mustard, optional, for sharpness
• •salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• •2 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, to garnish

Steps

1. 1 Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water by 2 cm (about ¾ inch), add a generous pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer 15–18 minutes until a knife slides into a chunk with no resistance; drain well and return to the hot pan for 30 seconds to dry off.
2. 2 Meanwhile, score each sausage with a small nick (this lets the casing split cleanly rather than bursting) and cook in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-low heat with 1 Tbsp of the butter for 18–22 minutes, turning often, until deep golden brown all over and the juices run clear with no pink when a sausage is cut at the thickest point (internal temperature 74 °C / 165 °F on an instant-read thermometer). Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to rest.
3. 3 While the sausages cook, melt the dripping or oil in a separate heavy pan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt; cook gently, stirring often, for 12–15 minutes until deeply softened and golden brown. Do not rush on high heat or they will burn rather than sweeten.
4. 4 Sprinkle the 1 Tbsp flour over the onions and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce, then gradually add the combined hot stocks, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits. Simmer 4–5 minutes until the gravy coats the back of a spoon. Whisk in the remaining 10 g butter, the mustard if using, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. 5 Pass the drained potatoes through a ricer or mash well by hand. Beat in the 40 g butter, then pour in the warm milk in a slow stream, folding gently, until creamy and smooth. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper; do not overwork or the mash will go gluey.
6. 6 Spoon a bed of mash onto each warmed plate, lay two sausages alongside or on top, and ladle the onion gravy generously over. Scatter with chopped parsley and serve immediately, with HP or brown sauce on the table.