Toad In the Hole with Onion Gravy (English)

Toad in the hole is a traditional British dish that features sausages that are cooked in a batter made of flour, eggs, and milk. The sausages are laid in a baking dish, the batter is poured over them, and they are baked until the batter becomes a puffy and golden brown. It is essentially sausages baked in a huge Yorkshire pudding. It is a popular British comfort dish and is served as either a main course meal or as part of a traditional English breakfast.

The origin of its name is unclear and debated but it certainly is an interesting one. Some have suggested it’s because the sausages resemble a toad sticking its head out of a hole. What we do know is that it has been around since at least the mid 1700’s. It was noted that virtually anything could be baked up and disguised in this big Yorkshire pudding. The idea was clever and served as an ideal way to use up leftovers and tougher scraps of meat that would otherwise have been thrown away, though fine cuts of beef were also used and served in pubs and at home. Nevertheless, the upper crust of old English society snubbed and reviled the dish, considering it vulgar, uncivilized, and an affront to British cuisine.

It wasn’t until the advent of the industrial revolution of the 19th century, when such values as frugality and time-management dominated, that toad-in-the-hole garnered respect as a working man’s dish and would join the ranks of other traditional English dishes that we enjoy today.

Toad In the Hole:
4 large, fresh eggs, measured in a jug
⅔ cup milk (200 mL)
⅔ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached (200 mL)
pinch sea salt
1 Tbsp. lard, beef drippings or rapeseed oil
6 beef or pork sausages, partially fried

Onion Gravy:
2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. vegetable or cold-pressed rapeseed oil
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
3 cups beef stock (750 mL)
4 tsp. cornstarch
4 tsp. water, cold
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
1 tsp. butter, ice cold

Heat the oven to the highest temperature possible, 500°F (260°C/240°C fan, Gas Mark 10).

Pour the eggs, milk and flour into a large, mixing bowl with the salt. Using an electric or hand whisk beat together to form a thick, smooth, airy batter. Leave the batter to stand for a minimum of 30 minutes, longer if possible - up to several hours if you can.

About 10 minutes before the end of the resting time, place the lard, dripping or a Tbsp. of oil into a large, roasting tin. Add the sausages spacing evenly in the tin. Place the tray in the preheated oven and heat until the fat is slightly smoking but not burning approx 10 minutes.

Give the batter another good whisk then pour into the hot, roasting tin. Please be careful, the fat may splutter when the batter is added. The batter should cover the whole of the bottom of the tin and be approx. ¾" (2 cm) deep. If you have batter leftover, don't worry, you can always make extra Yorkshire puddings.

While the Toad in the Hole is cooking, make the gravy.

In a large saucepan, melt the oil together over a low heat. Add the onion and cover with the pan with a lid. Cook slowly for approximately 10 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent, taking care not to burn, the onions should not be browned.

Add the sugar plus the balsamic vinegar to the onions, stir well. Cover again with the lid and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, again making sure they don't catch.

Add the stock and boil gently uncovered for 5 minutes.

In a Pyrex jug or heatproof bowl, mix the corn starch/flour with the cold water to create a thin paste. Pour a little of the hot onion and stock into the starch mixture and mix thoroughly. Then pour the starch mixture back into the gravy, raise the heat to high and boil for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened, keep warm.

Once the Toad is cooked, whisk 1 tsp. of ice cold butter into the finished gravy, cut the Toad into quarters and serve covered with the onion gravy, mashed potatoes are great served with this dish, they soak up the gravy and some traditional peas.