Dinner Tonight: Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy Recipe

Emphasis on the onion gravy.

Updated January 29, 2024

Bangers and mash is a funny name for a relatively simple dish. It's just sausage and mashed potatoes on this side of the pond, and thus should have been a really easy dish to recreate. I even managed to score some pretty authentic English bangers.

But I realized after doing a little research that a third component is equally important, though it doesn't get main billing: onion gravy, the glue that holds this meal together.

You'd think there would be dozens of recipes for this ubiquitous dish, but damn if every single one was either a cop-out (we're talking bouillon cubes and prepared gravy mixes) or just way too hard for a weeknight meal (Heston Blumenthal's admittedly delicious-looking version takes over 12 hours). I'd have to do this for myself.

I broke it down into parts.

For the sausages, I actually followed Blumenthal's advice and slowly poached the sausages in water, then fried them in a pan. This will require you to measure the temperature of the water with a thermometer, which may sound kind of finicky, but it works really well. If you don't have a thermometer, then you'll have to slowly sauté the sausage over medium-low heat, being careful the whole time to keep them from bursting (they are called bangers for a reason!).

Plus, it will take a while. The poaching allows a uniformly cooked sausage that still has some nice color. For the onion gravy I followed this recipe from the Telegraph, which is fairly easy and straightforward. And the mash, well, at least that part was easy.

March 2010

Recipe Details

Dinner Tonight: Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy Recipe

Cook 55 mins

Total 55 mins

Serves 2 servings

Ingredients

2 pork sausages (preferably British bangers, though a good pork sausage would do)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, sliced in half and thinly sliced
1/2 tablespoon flour
3/4 cup chicken or beef stock
Splash of red wine
Salt and pepper
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup milk, warmed
5 tablespoons butter

Directions

Pour a tablespoon of oil into a skillet and add a tablespoon of butter. Turn the heat to medium and add the onions. Cook those, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes minutes, or until caramelized and golden brown. Meanwhile, bring one pot of water to about 149°F, using a meat thermometer to check. Gently drop the sausages in and cook for 20 minutes, checking the temperature often to make sure it cooks properly. Also at the beginning, bring second pot of water to a boil and add the potatoes. Cook those for 20 minutes as well.
After the onions are well caramelized, sprinkle the flour on top and cook for another minute. Then add a splash of red wine. When that has evaporated, add the chicken or beef stock. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
When the sausages are done, remove them from the water and dry with some paper towels. Pour about 1 tablespoon of canola oil into a large skillet and cook them over medium heat until they are browned all over.
When the potatoes are done, drain in a colander. Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer into the empty pot, or mash them with a potato masher. Add the rest of the butter and warmed milk. Stir well and season with salt and pepper.
Add some potatoes to a plate, top with some sausage and the onion gravy. Serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1054	Calories
66g	Fat
88g	Carbs
29g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories	1054
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 66g	84%
Saturated Fat 28g	142%
Cholesterol 127mg	42%
Sodium 2230mg	97%
Total Carbohydrate 88g	32%
Dietary Fiber 9g	32%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 29g
Vitamin C 32mg	162%
Calcium 224mg	17%
Iron 5mg	27%
Potassium 2277mg	48%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.