You know you’re getting old when you get excited by a good Yorkshire pudding rise. But come on – how lovely does that look! It could probably serve 6, but I want a whole corner to myself, and so does everyone else in the family, so let’s stick to a calorific 4-person toad in the hole.
So, what is Toad in the Hole anyway?
It’s basically just a giant Yorkshire pudding with sausages cooked into it. The Yorkshire pudding batter is the same as a traditional Yorkshire pudding, the only difference is that we’re not cooking it in lard. Instead we par-cook the sausages in the oven in the baking tin in a little oil first. The sausages will release some fat, and that, along with the vegetable oil we added will act as the all important fat-base for the Yorkshire pudding part. Smokingly bubbly-hot fat (and enough of it) is hugely important for a Yorkshire pudding to rise well and to get the light, crispy outcome.
How to make toad in the hole:
We start by making the Yorkshire pudding batter. Place the flour in a jug, add the eggs and stir together, then stir in the milk using a whisk. Place in the refrigerator for an hour.Next cook the sausages with a drizzle of oil in a large baking tin in a very hot oven for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned.Take the Yorkshire pudding batter out of the fridge and stir in a good pinch of salt and pepper, then oven the oven door and pour the batter into the baking dish, around the sausages. Close the door immediately and cook for 25-35 minutes until risen and golden. For the gravy, we cook onions and a little sugar in butter for about 15-20 minutes, until starting to caramelize.Then we stir in flour and slowly pour in hot beef stock whilst stirring, until the gravy thickens. Season with Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. And of course, no toad in the hole would be complete without a big jug of tasty gravy. Tasty being the all important word! Since we haven’t got the meat juices from a roasting joint of meat, it can be difficult to get a really flavourful gravy. So we’re using caramelized red onions, Worcestershire sauce and good quality stock (water and really meaty, tasty stock cubes are fine) for the best flavour (check out my gravy know-how post for info on making different types of gravy and using bones for stock). Stay updated with new recipes!Subscribe to the newsletter to hear when I post a new recipe. I’m also on YouTube (new videos every week) and Instagram (behind-the-scenes stories & beautiful food photos).
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This post was first published in January 2020. Updated April 2024 with some general housekeeping. Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
