Toad in the hole

[Pepper Pig Profile]

I’m astonished. This set of grandchildren had never heard of toad in the hole and thought I was making it up! Given that they adore Yorkshire Pudding I’m amazed my daughter has never made it for them but by her own admission she doesn’t enjoy cooking. So I’m tasked to make it for 7 of us one day next week. Actually I don’t think I’ve made it for years. Any favourite recipes?

[Busybee Profile]

Nope, but can I come to tea?

BB

[Busybee Profile]

Actually Brian Turners recipe for Yorkshire puddings is excellent, that and good butchers sausages should see you right.

Hot oven, plenty of oil/fat and no peeking!

BB

[liketocook Profile]

I've made this Jamie Oliver one a few times and it's always been well received https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/sau ... -the-hole/ . I've used whatever beer or lager happens to be lurking in the fridge. It makes both a toad and a separate Yorkshire pud so you can halve the batter ingredients if you don't want that or do as I did and made two toads. It freezes well.
My boys used love individual toad in the holes made with cocktail sausages when they were kids and used to make them up to the ready to cook stage then freeze. They cooked well straight from the freezer.

[Linnet Profile]

All my grandchildren love it, and when younger, the French ones had great fun telling their friends 'on mange le crapaud ce soir' and waiting for the reaction!

I usually make individual ones in muffin tins, using half a sausage in each space, and used to take 'proper' saus with me to France for them, sadly no longer permitted. Always use Cookeen for fat, basic batter of 5oz flour, large pinch salt, 1 large egg and half pint semi-skimmed milk, makes about 12, scaled up as necessary. And as BB says, hot fat, hot oven!

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Our standard YP and Toad batter mix when I was growing up had 4oz flour, 1 egg and 1/2pt milk. That with 6 sausages served 3 people with some left over to eat cold . I have never tasted better Toad than my mum's. I know it is usual nowadays to add more eggs and I have increased it to 2 I still wonder if you really need 6 or 7 (as JL's pared down recipe would be and is similar, I think, to people like James Martin who is a Yorkshireman).

Yes, hot fat and don't as I once did, pour the cold batter into the hot fat in a Pyrex dish . I was always told it was important to let the batter stand too.

[Gruney2 Profile]

I know this is smaller than you are catering for, but it works like a charm for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4I048GQHc4

[Suffs Profile]

Our standard YP and Toad batter mix when I was growing up had 4oz flour, 1 egg and 1/2pt milk. That with 6 sausages served 3 people with some left over to eat cold . ...

That's how I do it ... sometimes I de-skin the sausages and shape them into sort of oval balls (if that makes sense) so they look more 'toad-like' ... that's how Ma did it ... but we must be much greedier than EM

[Pepper Pig Profile]

I've made this Jamie Oliver one a few times and it's always been well received https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/sau ... -the-hole/ . I've used whatever beer or lager happens to be lurking in the fridge. It makes both a toad and a separate Yorkshire pud so you can halve the batter ingredients if you don't want that or do as I did and made two toads. It freezes well.
My boys used love individual toad in the holes made with cocktail sausages when they were kids and used to make them up to the ready to cook stage then freeze. They cooked well straight from the freezer.

14 eggs???? I’m tempted though!

[Suelle Profile Website]

I'm with EM and Suffs - I don't like modern recipes for YPs with so many eggs.

But I don't like Toad in the Hole anyway, as the cooked batter is less risen and often greasy unless the sausages are really lean. I'd rather cook them separately if someone wants sausages and YPs.

[KeenCook2 Profile]

I'm ashamed to confess I've never eaten it

[Pepper Pig Profile]

I'm ashamed to confess I've never eaten it

OMG! It's wonderful. (And very fattening).

[liketocook Profile]

I've made this Jamie Oliver one a few times and it's always been well received https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/sau ... -the-hole/ . I've used whatever beer or lager happens to be lurking in the fridge. It makes both a toad and a separate Yorkshire pud so you can halve the batter ingredients if you don't want that or do as I did and made two toads. It freezes well.
My boys used love individual toad in the holes made with cocktail sausages when they were kids and used to make them up to the ready to cook stage then freeze. They cooked well straight from the freezer.

14 eggs???? I’m tempted though!

Yes it's a lot but it makes a lot.
I like the richer batter for toad in the hole, though usually use 4ozs flour, 1 egg and 1/2 pint of milk for Yorkshire puds. The beer does keep the richer mix from being too heavy and it's always puffed brilliantly when I've made Jamie's version.

[Seatallan Profile]

Nope, but can I come to tea?

BB

[jeral Profile]

If you like the idea of this, add a tablespoon or so of very finely diced onion into batter just before adding to the dish, so it still has zing, which I think is a good extra given onion gravy has that more tempered onion flavour.

Personally, I don't like the unwanted eggy taste of too many eggs having tried it that way. Also, although the extra egg gives amazing lift, it's also a lift that collapses very quickly, or if it doesn't for other folks, maybe the temperature is a factor in getting the rise to hold? (E.g. like ultra hot for a while, then turned down a bit, something I've never done).

[Badger's Mate Profile]

Mum used to make chop toad, with lamb chops instead of sausages. My Auntie Ivy made it with pork strips.

Neither of those would really fly with Mrs B, I only ever use sausages these days. Hertford Porkers.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

My mum used to make it with corned beef sometimes (thick sliced from a tin) and I've had it with just vegetables as a veggie dish. Sausages are still by far the best IMO!

I agree about 'egginess' and aeration jeral. Also, I don't know what others think, but I find I get a better result from just mixing the batter with a wooden spoon than if I beat it hard with a whisk. I'd have thought the incorporated air would be a good thing but maybe not.

[liketocook Profile]

I do usually whisk mine just for ease but I suppose after standing any extra air is lost.
My Mum used to do the corned beef version, a tinned chopped ham & pork one and also sometimes one that was Lorne sausage mixed with made up Paxo stuffing, presumably to stretch the meat. The last one was good but the first two I wasn't so keen on. Bangers are best though.
Jamie Oliver has a veggie version using Portobello mushrooms which I quite fancy trying https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/mus ... -the-hole/

[jeral Profile]

Paxo sage & onion stuffing plus a spot of Marmite makes a good stuffing for mushrooms.

Winter vegetables like cabbage, carrot or parsnips work well, unsurprisingly and adding tasty mushrooms gives that otherwise missing umami. I tray-roast the veg and boil the cabbage separately then put them in after the pud is cooked.

All served swimming in a soup plate brimming full of gravy, which is also welcome for spuds (howsoever cooked) to mop up

[Amyw Profile]

I make pig in the hole at work sometimes , which is pigs in blankets , but using full sized sausages in the YP mix . I agree regarding too eggy a mixture . I like a gravy made with caramelised red onions and a dash of balsamic