Toad In The Hole
Sausages baked right into a crisp, golden Yorkshire pudding batter, served with a rich red wine onion gravy. A proper British classic, done properly.
The batter needs to be properly cold and the fat in the pan properly hot when they meet, that contrast is what makes the batter puff up dramatically instead of sitting flat. Once it’s in the oven, resist opening the door too, a temperature drop can collapse the whole thing before it’s set.
The toad in the hole keeps in the fridge for 2 days, though the batter doesn’t freeze well and loses its crisp, risen texture on thawing. The gravy’s the opposite, it freezes fine for up to 3 months, kept separately.
Toad In The Hole
PORK · DINNER · MEDIUM
A proper puffed-up Yorkshire pudding batter
Getting the batter properly cold and the fat properly hot before they meet is the whole trick, that temperature contrast is what makes it puff up dramatically instead of sitting flat in the pan.
The onions get a full 30 minutes over medium heat, stirring often rather than constantly. Rush it with higher heat and they'll brown instead of caramelising, which changes the flavour of the entire gravy.
A splash of red wine, a reduction, and a finish of cold butter whisked in at the end gives the gravy real depth, well beyond a basic stock-and-flour version.
Toad In The Hole
Ingredients
Toad In The Hole
- 160 g Plain (All Purpose) Flour
- 4 Large Eggs
- 220 ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
- 6 Large Pork Sausages
- 37.5 ml Vegetable Oil
- Seasoning To Taste
Onion Gravy
- 4 sprigs Thyme Bouquet Garni
- 1 sprig Rosemary Bouquet Garni
- 1 leaf Sage Bouquet Garni
- 45 g Unsalted Butter Cubed
- 2 Red Onions Sliced
- 6 g Granulated Sugar
- 125 ml Dry Red Wine
- 500 ml Beef Stock
- 10 ml Worcestershire Sauce
- 5 g Dijon Mustard
- 15 ml Balsamic Vinegar
- 10 g Cornflour Cornstarch
- 15 ml Cold Water
- 28 g Unsalted Butter Cold
Method
- In a bowl, add the flour and eggs and whisk to combine. Pour in the milk and whisk until smooth — some lumps are okay. Store in the fridge for 1 hour up to 24 hours; for best results, rest overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F).
- Add the vegetable oil and sausages to a large baking dish or roasting pan with high sides. Bake for 15 minutes, flipping once, until browned all over.
- Remove the batter from the fridge and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and place on a wire rack or heatproof surface. Pour over the cold batter, making sure the sausages are spread evenly. Immediately return to the oven and bake for 22–25 minutes, until fluffy, crispy, golden, and the sausages reach an internal temperature of 71–74°C (160–165°F). Serve with onion gravy and dig in.
- Tie the thyme, rosemary, and sage into a bouquet garni with kitchen string. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sugar, then cook, stirring often, for 30 minutes, until caramelised.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the wine and bouquet garni, then bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the wine. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard, and season to taste. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove and discard the bouquet garni.
- Whisking constantly, add the balsamic vinegar and cornflour slurry. Simmer, whisking constantly, for another minute until thickened. Add the cold butter and whisk to incorporate. Season to taste, adding more mustard if desired.
Why does the batter need to be cold when it hits the pan?⌄
The contrast between cold batter and hot fat is what makes it puff up so dramatically in the oven. Warm batter won't get the same rise.
Can I open the oven door to check on it while it's baking?⌄
Better not to, at least not until it's close to done. The batter is sensitive to temperature drops and can collapse if the oven's opened too early in the bake.
Can I use a different sausage instead of pork?⌄
Beef or a mixed sausage both work fine. If you swap to a chicken or turkey sausage, just cook it through to 74°C (165°F) rather than the lower end of the pork range.
Why cook the onions for so long?⌄
Real caramelisation takes time, the sugars need a slow, steady heat to develop properly. Rushing it with higher heat just browns the onions instead, which gives you a flatter-tasting gravy.
