Toad in the Hole

Toad in the Hole with Onion Gravy

A beloved British classic: pork sausages baked into a dramatic, crisp-yet-pillowy Yorkshire pudding batter, served alongside a rich, deeply caramelised onion gravy. Best eaten promptly while the pudding is at its puffiest.

Prep

15 min

Cook

40 min

Total

55 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •8 whole good pork sausages, British-style pork bangers preferred; ~480 g / 1 lb total
• •30 g (¼ cup) beef dripping or sunflower oil, beef dripping is most traditional; for a home shortcut use sunflower oil
• •140 g (1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• •4 whole large eggs, UK large / US large
• •175 ml (¾ cup) whole milk
• •175 ml (¾ cup) cold water, half milk, half water gives a crisper rise
• •1 tsp fine sea salt
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) onions, about 2 large, sliced thinly
• •25 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
• •1 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour, for the gravy
• •1 tsp English mustard powder
• •400 ml (1¾ cups) hot beef stock, low-sodium so you can control seasoning
• •1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• •1 tsp malt vinegar or red wine vinegar, optional, for brightness
• •salt and black pepper, to taste

Steps

1. 1 Make the batter first so it can rest: whisk the eggs, then beat in the flour, salt, milk and cold water until smooth and the consistency of double cream. Cover and rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours in the fridge). Cold batter hitting hot fat is what makes the rise.
2. 2 Heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan). Place a 30 × 23 cm / 12 × 9 in metal roasting tin (or a 25 cm / 10 in square tin) with the dripping or oil inside on the middle rack and heat for 10–15 minutes until the fat is smoking hot.
3. 3 Prick the sausages only if your particular brand requires it (most British pork sausages do not). Lay them in the hot fat and return to the oven for 8 minutes to partly brown and release some fat.
4. 4 Working quickly, whisk the rested batter once more and pour it straight into the tin around the sausages. Do not open the oven for at least 25 minutes. Cook for 30–35 minutes total, until the pudding is deeply golden, well risen above the rim and crisp on the edges.
5. 5 Meanwhile, start the onion gravy: melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt, then cook gently for 20–25 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden brown. Do not rush this step - slow caramelisation is the flavour.
6. 6 Stir the 1 tbsp flour and mustard powder into the onions and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the hot stock while whisking, then add the Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 5–8 minutes until thickened to a gravy that coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt, pepper and the vinegar if using.
7. 7 Check the sausages are cooked through: the batter should be dry and set in the centre, and the sausages should reach 71°C / 160°F internal temperature with no pink meat at the ends.
8. 8 Bring the whole tin to the table and serve immediately, cutting into squares. Spoon the hot onion gravy over the top or serve it alongside in a jug.