Anyone that has spent any period of time in the United Kingdom will tell you that the British love their culinary classics. Marmite on buttered toast, sausage rolls, fish and chips…. the list goes on, but today I wanted to share my personal favorite British meal: Bangers and Mash.
For anyone that doesn’t know what that is, it’s essentially mashed potatoes and sausages served with a delicious gravy. Done well, it’s one of the best comfort meals you’ll ever enjoy. The meal actually dates back to the early 20th century, when sausages became popular in the United Kingdom after meat was scarce due to the First World War. At the time, these sausages were made with a lot of water, which caused them to ‘pop’ and hiss when they were cooked. This is where the term ‘bangers’ comes from.
The thing with this recipe is the quality of sausages you use. Typically, large fat sausages are used, but you truly can use any sausage you like or have in your fridge. I like to use Italian chipolata sausages because the fennel flavor in the sausages makes a really incredible gravy and pairs really well with mashed potatoes.
This recipe is so simple you truly need only a few kitchen staple ingredients for the entire meal: mashed potatoes, bangers/ sausages, and gravy. I live alone so I made the meal for just me and the three potatoes turned out to be enough for three servings.
I also used chestnut mushrooms for the gravy. The mushrooms and garlic add an umami deliciousness that just works with the Fennel in the Italian sausages I like to use. The thing is, you can actually have a lot of fun experimenting with different flavor profiles. If this sounds like fun, I’d suggest starting to build your flavors based on the type of sausage you choose. A more neutral sausage will allow you to really play with different spices and herbs in your gravy (or even in your mashed potatoes… though I will say this meal works best with the flavor of the mashed potatoes remains as clean as possible).
When making your sauce, remember to have your mise-en-place ready (in other words, make sure all the ingredients are prepped and ready enter the frying pan. Once your bangers are ready, just dump everything into the sauce and take advantage of all the intense flavor created by baking the sausages (see below).
Check out my personal bangers and mash recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much I do, and if you experiment and remix the recipe, please do share. I’d love to try your interpretation.
Orana’s Bangers and Mash with Onion and Mushroom Gravy
An easy and delicious interpretation of a beloved British classic meal.
- 1 Yellow onion (sliced)
- 3 cloves Fresh garlic (minced)
- 1.5 lbs Italian sausages (chopolatas)
- 6 Chestnut mushrooms (sliced)
- 1/2 tbsp Sea salt (to taste)
- 1 tbsp Fresh black pepper
- 3 Russet potatoes (diced into equal pieces)
- 3 tbsp AP flour
- 1 cup Chicken stock
- 4 tbsp Unsalted butter (1 tbsp for the sauce and 3 tbsp for the mashed potatoes)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1/3 cup Whole milk (or cream if you prefer)
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In your favorite baking dish, place your sausages in the oven with a little olive oil to ensure they don't stick and to help create a lovely stock which you'll be using for the gravy. Place in the oven and bake for 7-10 minutes (depending on the size of your sausages).
In the meanwhile, peel and boil your potatoes for 10 minutes.
Slice your onions and sautee with a little bit of olive oil. After 2 minutes, add your sliced mushrooms to the frying pan. Season with salt and fresh black pepper. Sauteed until the mushrooms are slightly browned.
When the mushrooms have browned, add a tablespoon of unsalted butter and once the butter melts, whisk in your flour. Keep stirring until the flour has lightly browned. Add your chicken stock and allow to simmer gently.
When your sausages are ready, pour the entire contents into your simmering sauce and allow the flavors to melt together. Cook until the sauce reaches your favorite consistency.
When your potatoes are ready, drain them and allow them to dry for about 2-3 minutes before adding your favorite cream and butter and mash away.
Once you're finished with mashing your potatoes, serve away. If you're wanting to go the extra mile, add steamed peas or carrots. Enjoy!
Orana Eats: Food | Wellbeing | Travel 