Toad in the hole is a British dish of sausages cooked in a Yorkshire Pudding batter, my recipe is optimised for two and is easy to cook in a cast iron skillet.
A What in a What?
When it comes to recipes with cool names Toad in the Hole is the Heavyweight champion of the world!
Don’t worry this is not some “hubble and bubble toil and trouble” Macbeth witch stuff.
It is a simple dish of sausages cooked in a Yorkshire pudding batter.
It is also probably the dish that I ate the most growing up and it remains one of my favourites today.
We probably ate it so often because it was cheap! It joined other dishes like cheese and potato pie, corned beef stew and spam fritters!
This recipe is easy and if you decide not to rest your batter, really quick.
What Pan To Use.
Cooking Yorkshire pudding mix relies on a few things, the first and most important is heat.
My best results always come from a searingly hot oven and pouring the batter into a hot pan containing hot “oil”.
When I say hot I am taking up at 240-250°C or 460-485°F
As a result of this, I use a cast-iron skillet, it makes the perfect toad in the hole for two greedy eaters.
My pan is 25cm or 10″ in diameter!
Ingredient Guide.
The sausages can be anything you want, I usually use my own homemade British breakfast sausage.
I have also used my Italian sausage and even make a veggie toad in the hole with roasted roots.
The ingredients for the batter are not as important as their measurement. This is the only recipe where the ratio of volume is important as far as I am concerned!
Pour the three ingredients into identical jars and you are good to go.
Although if you do take the time to rest the batter then you will get a better rise. I usually make mine the night before and store it in the fridge.
On a final note, let’s talk fat… Lard, duck fat, goose fat or beef tallow is where it is at!
All of the above result in crispier crispy bits and tastier soft bits. If you want to then swap for oil it will still work, but do not use your expensive olive oil!
Easy Toad in the Hole Recipe
Toad in the Hole is about as British as can be, sausages in a Yorkshire pudding batter and baked to perfection, forget Sunday Lunches this is quintessentially British and so easy too!
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) Sausages
- 30 g (2 Tbsp) Lard or Duck Fat
- 3 Eggs
- 75 g (1/2 Cup + 1 Tbsp) Flour (approx)
- 150 ml (1/2 Cup) Full Fat Milk (approx)
- 1/4 Tsp Coarse Sea Salt
- Good Grind Of Black Pepper
- 1/2 Tsp Dried Thyme
Instructions
- Place the lard in your skillet and then put it in the oven that is set as hot as it can be.
- Place the eggs in a jar and line up 2 identical jars next to them.
- fill the second and third jars to the same level, one with milk and the other with flour.
- Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the beaten egg and milk and mix to form a batter.
- As with all Yorkshire pudding mixes, they perform better if left to stand for at least 3 hours.
- Mix in the thyme, salt and pepper.
- Brown of the sausages in a pan with a splash of oil for a couple of minutes on each side.
- When the oven and skillet are searingly hot, add the sausages and then pour in the batter.
- Transfer to the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes.
Notes
This would traditionally be served with some vegetables and an onion gravy, however my glorious wife introduced me to her tradition of eating it with garden peas and tomato ketchup... Dirty yes, tasty, hell yeah!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1121Total Fat: 73gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 42gCholesterol: 1010mgSodium: 1117mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 55g
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts
Monday 12th of March 2018
Toad in the hole is just the best comfort food!!! I hope every child in the UK has fond memories of it?? I NEED to make my own sausages!!!! I bet it is out of the world good with home made bangers. p.s love the thyme! I always add a spoonful of grain mustard to my pudding mixture. (Because that is was my Mum did!)
Brian Jones
Monday 12th of March 2018
Making your own sausage is pure genius, my uncle is a butcher and taught me howto link them properly but other than that it is definitely not as difficult as they made it look on the Generation Game, more childhood memories.
I've done mustard in the past and it works really well I'm pretty sure I change the flavouring everytime I cook this based on the sausages. I also do one with roasted vegetables rather than sausages that is superb, it is all about good comforting stuff in batter that really matters :D
Julie @ Running in a Skirt
Wednesday 28th of February 2018
What a delicious recipe! I love this great, simple idea! Pretty photos too!
Brian Jones
Thursday 1st of March 2018
Thanks Julie.
Patty
Wednesday 28th of February 2018
Wow! Never had toad in a hole but I'm going to make it as soon as possible, I've just brought some sausages from Switzerland that will be wonderfully used with your recipe!
Brian Jones
Thursday 1st of March 2018
It is a properly old fashioned British dish dating back a couple of hundred years, I've seen the name utilised in all sorts of bizarre ways but it is essentially sausages in a batter. Enjoy, we love it as a lazy day dinner :)
Yvette Bixler
Monday 21st of March 2016
Love Toad in the hole! Grew up with it for Sunday dinner. I 'm American , my mum is English . We've had it with veg & gravy Or when we were kids Ketchup & Peas?Love your idea of the skillet for the health benefits. Any idea of oven Temp. ? And my local grocery has English Bangers maybe if people request them?
Brian Jones
Tuesday 29th of March 2016
Hi Yvette, glad to bring home memories, over temperature for me is as hot as it gets on my oven that is a shade over 240 celcius.
Jeff @ Make It Like a Man!
Saturday 5th of March 2016
I've got to try this. I love each of the ingredients. For me, this is a dish that I've only read about in books and never thought to investigate.Thanks for showing it to me!
Brian Jones
Monday 7th of March 2016
It is such a simple dish too cook and one I love... It aint the prettiest thing in the world but it is built for comfort and not competition ;)