Description
Traditional British comfort food featuring juicy pork sausages served atop creamy mashed potatoes and smothered in rich, homemade caramelized onion gravy. Perfect for a hearty and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Sausages and Mash
- 1 lb (450g) high-quality pork sausages (bangers)
- 1 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
- 2 lbs (900g) potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 4 oz (115g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (120ml) milk or cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Caramelized Onion Gravy
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (480ml) low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Crispy fried onions (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Boil Potatoes: Place the peeled and quartered potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Drain and Mash Potatoes: Drain potatoes thoroughly using a colander and return them to the pot. Use a potato masher or ricer to mash them until smooth.
- Add Butter and Milk: Stir in butter and start with half the milk or cream, adding more as needed to reach the desired creamy consistency. Mix until the butter is melted and potatoes are smooth.
- Season Mash: Generously season mashed potatoes with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Adjust to taste. Cover and keep warm over very low heat or in a warm oven around 200°F (95°C).
- Prepare Sausages: Prick the sausages a few times with a fork. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the sausages, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through (about 15-20 minutes). Internal temperature should reach 160°F (71°C).
- Rest Sausages: Remove sausages from skillet and set aside to rest, loosely covering with foil to keep warm.
- Caramelize Onions: In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes until softened and caramelized.
- Make Gravy: Sprinkle flour over caramelized onions and cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in beef broth, breaking up any lumps. Bring to a simmer while stirring.
- Flavor Gravy: Add Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar, stirring well. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Season and Finish Gravy: Season with salt and pepper to taste. Optionally, stir in balsamic vinegar for tanginess. For a smoother gravy, strain through a fine mesh sieve.
- Assemble and Serve: Spoon a generous portion of mashed potatoes onto plates. Arrange sausages on top, then ladle onion gravy over. Garnish with fresh parsley and crispy fried onions if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Pricking sausages helps prevent bursting and allows even cooking.
- Keep mashed potatoes warm by covering and placing over very low heat or in a warm oven.
- Caramelizing onions slowly is key to flavor and takes patience but enhances the gravy greatly.
- To make the gravy smoother, straining it after cooking is recommended but optional.
- Use low-sodium beef broth to control salt levels in the gravy.
- For a richer mash, cream can replace milk.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: Bangers and Mash, sausage recipe, mashed potatoes, caramelized onion gravy, British comfort food, traditional English meal
