Bangers and mash with onion gravy is an all-time British favourite, this recipe is a timing plan to help get it all perfect at the same time.
It begins with my favourite port-laden onion gravy, perfect buttery mashed potatoes, stonkingly good sausages and even some greens!
Classic Sausage, Mash and Onion Gravy
Aside from a roast beef Sunday lunch it’s hard to think of a British dinner more evocative than bangers and mash with some onion gravy!
Just like my “recipe” for a full English breakfast, this is first and foremost a timing plan to help you get everything cooked perfectly and all ready at the same time.
Of course, it comes with my favourite recipe for buttery mashed potatoes, and a properly slow-cooked and port-laden onion gravy.
An onion gravy that features properly caramelised onions in beef dripping, which adds a lovely sweetness, which is mirrored by the port.
I’ve even got some greens on the side, cooked with butter of course!
If you follow my timing plan it is pretty much fool-proof and by baking the potatoes in the oven or the air fryer (my preference), you have far less to juggle on the hob/stovetop.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sausages do you use?
I have used some wonderful black pudding and pork sausages from my local butchers, but you could use anything you like.
My advice would be to head to your local butcher and get something you fancy. They will be hands down better than anything you can get from a supermarket and will make a corking bangers and mash!!
You could even use homemade sausages if you wanted to feel extra smug whilst you are washing up.
Do I have to bake or air fry the potatoes for the mash?
No, you can boil them if you prefer, I bake them because, from a timing point of view, it works better with this recipe.
If you boil potatoes they will have a little more moisture and you may need less butter/cream.
Do I have to use port in the gravy?
No, but it does add a beautiful sweetness, red wine is also a nice option or even beer. If you are using either wine or beer add a little brown sugar to add some sweetness.
Do I really need to cook the onions for that long?
If you want properly caramelised onions then yes! There are no shortcuts for this part, however, you can cook them in advance and pop them in the fridge for a day or two.
Serving Suggestions
Bangers, mash, onion gravy and some greens, as far as I am concerned that’s a complete meal right there.
However, as with everything there is always room for interpretation and variation.
Mashed potato is a stalwart in this dish, but there are many types of mash that work equally well.
Everything from swede and carrot mash which is beautifully sweet to, clapshot (swede and potato mash) or even celeriac mash would work well.
Greens offer loads of room for movement in this dish, a real simple substitution would be roasted tenderstem broccoli. I serve this stuff with an outrageous amount of recipes because it is so simple and delicious.
But everything from my garlic green beans to buttered cabbage would be perfect. You could even go with a controversial but delicious addition of mushy peas!
Equipment Used
I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have and questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
General Kit Used:
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring jug, cups and spoons.
- Hob/stovetop.
Mashed Potatoes Equipment:
- Air Fryer, oven, microwave or hob/stovetop. I strongly prefer an oven or an air fryer, if you are using the hob you will also need a saucepan.
- Potato ricer, you can use a masher, but I prefer a ricer.
- 15cm or 6″ Saucepan to heat the cream.
- Mixing bowl.
- Spatula to combine the dairy.
Onion Gravy Equipment:
- Stirring spoons.
- 28cm or 11″ frying pan, not nonstick!
Sausages Equipment:
- 30cm or 12″ frying pan, nonstick is fine for the bangers.
- Kitchen tongs.
Greens Equipment:
- 24cm or 10″ frying pan with a lid, again feel free to use nonstick if you like.
Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy Recipe
First and foremost my recipe for bangers and mash is a timing plan aimed at helping you get all of the elements of the dish to your plate piping hot all at the same time. It features perfect sausages, creamy buttery mashed potato, a stunning caramelised onion gravy and buttered peas and runner beans.
Ingredients
- 6 (450g Total) Good Quality Butchers Sausages
- 2 Tbsp Beef Dripping, Lard or Cooking Oil
For the Onion Gravy:
- 600g (3 Large) Onions
- 30g (2 Tbsp) Lard or Beef Dripping
- 1 Tbsp Flour
- 125ml (½ Cup) Ruby Port
- 375ml (1½ Cups) Beef Stock
- 1 Tsp Marmite
- ¼ Tsp Black Pepper
- Salt to Taste
For the Mashed Potato:
- 500g (3½ Cups) Floury Potatoes
- 75g (5 Tbsp) Butter at Room Temperature
- 50ml (3 Tbsp + 1 Tsp) Double Cream, Heavy Cream in the US
- Generous Pinch of White Pepper
- Salt to taste, this will depend on your cooking method
For the Peas and Runner Beans:
- 150g (1 Cup) Runner Beans
- 150g (1 Cup) Frozen Peas
- 25g (1 Tbsp + 2 Tsp) Butter
- Pinch of Salt
- Splash (2-3 Tbsp) Water
Instructions
2 Hours Before You Are Ready To Serve:
- Cut the onions in half, peel them and then cut them into half-moon shapes around 2-3mm (⅛") thick.
- Heat a 28cm or 11" frying pan (not nonstick if possible) over a low-medium heat and cook for 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes at the start.
- After the onions have been cooking for an hour they should start to cook a little quicker, stir them more frequently and if there is a residue on the bottom of the pan that can not be scraped free add a splash of water. You are aiming for some fairly dark (but not burnt) sweet caramelised onions. NB: You can complete this stage in advance and store the onions in the fridge covered in cling film for 2-3 days.
70 Minutes Before You Are Ready To Serve:
- Prick the potatoes with a fork, run them under some cold water and season them generously with salt. The salt will not season the mash, but it will make the potato skins better later, you can freeze them and serve them as stuffed skins.
- Place the potatoes in an air fryer and cook them for 60 minutes at 180° or 350°F, turning them over after 30 minutes.
30 Minutes Before You Are Ready To Serve:
- Top and tail the runner beans and cut them into bite-sized (25mm or 1") lengths.
- Place the frozen peas into a sieve or colander and run them under cold water to defrost them.
25 Minutes Before You Are Ready To Serve:
- Turn the heat under the onions up to medium-high, add the flour and stir for a minute or two.
- Pour in the port and stir until it thickens and reduces a little, this will take a minute or two.
- Pour in the beef stock, stir in the marmite and black pepper, then have a taste adding salt as required. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the sausages and mash are ready stirring occasionally.
20 Minutes Before You Are Ready To Serve:
- Heat a 30cm or 12" (Nonstick) frying pan over a medium heat and add the sausages, for the first 2-3 minutes roll them around and get the skin on all sides of the sausages through the cooking oil. This will help stop them from curling up and will help you get an even colour.
- Cook the sausages for 20 minutes in total moving them around regularly to get a nice even colour. If they are browning too quickly reduce the heat a little.
10 Minutes Before You Are Ready To Serve:
- Place the cream in a small 15cm or 6" saucepan and heat it gently over a low to medium heat. You do not want to boil the cream but just heat it to around 50-60°C or 125-140°C. Failing to do this will cause the mash to cool quickly and cease up when you are adding the cream.
- Place the butter in the base of a saucepan or mixing bowl, I prefer to use a pan because metal conducts heat easier and it helps to keep the mash hot.
- The potatoes should now be ready, cut them in half, scoop out the flesh and pass it through a potato ricer over the butter. You can mash by hand if you wish. NB: Keep the skins they are awesome filled and baked later, and they will freeze for up to 3 months.
- Mix the potatoes with the butter adding the warmed cream as required, do not overwork the potatoes to keep things nice and fluffy. Have a taste and add salt and white pepper as desired.
5 Minutes Before You Are Ready To Serve: (You will need to do this whilst preparing the mash)
- Heat a small 24cm or 10" frying pan over a medium heat and add the butter for the runner beans and peas.
- When the butter has melted and behind to foam toss in the runner beans and saute for a minute or two.
- Add the peas, pour in the water, season with salt, toss and add a lid, then cook for a minute or two.
Time To Serve:
- By now everything should be ready and perfectly cooked all at the same time.
- I start to serve with the mashed potatoes followed by a generous splash of the onion gravy. Then I add the peas, runner beans and extra gravy on the side, everyone loves to pour their own gravy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1694Total Fat: 114gSaturated Fat: 53gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 53gCholesterol: 301mgSodium: 3542mgCarbohydrates: 109gFiber: 16gSugar: 28gProtein: 54g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.