Equipment
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 1000 g floury potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 75 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 100 ml whole milk, warmed
- 10 g kosher salt
Sausages
- 8 thick pork sausages, raw
- 15 ml vegetable oil
Onion Gravy
- 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 15 g all-purpose flour
- 500 ml beef stock, hot
- 15 ml worcestershire sauce
- 2 g fresh thyme, leaves picked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the peeled and quartered potatoes into the large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil at 100°C/212°F, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork.
While the potatoes are cooking, heat the vegetable oil in the large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork sausages and cook slowly for about 15 minutes, turning frequently, until they are deep golden brown all over and the internal temperature reaches 74°C/165°F.
Remove the cooked sausages from the skillet and set them aside on a warm plate. Leave the flavorful rendered sausage fat in the pan.
Lower the skillet heat to medium-low. Add the butter and thinly sliced onions to the remaining sausage fat. Cook gently for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are incredibly soft, reduced, and deeply caramelized.
Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the caramelized onions and stir continuously for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and form a thick paste.
Gradually whisk the hot beef stock into the onion mixture, pouring in a small splash at a time and stirring vigorously to prevent lumps. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and fresh thyme. Increase heat slightly and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until the gravy naturally thickens.
Drain the cooked potatoes thoroughly in a colander, then return them to the warm saucepan off the heat. Let them steam dry for 1 minute. Add the warm whole milk, cubed butter, and kosher salt. Mash vigorously until entirely smooth and creamy.
Divide the creamy mashed potatoes among four plates. Place two sausages atop each mound of mash, then generously ladle the rich onion gravy over the entire dish. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- For the absolute creamiest mash, warm your milk and butter together before adding them to the hot potatoes. Cold dairy will drop the temperature of the starches, making them harder to mash smoothly.
- Do not rush the onion gravy. Taking the time to properly caramelize the onions over medium-low heat builds the deep, complex, sweet-savory flavor profile that defines a true British pub gravy.
- Pricking high-quality sausages is generally unnecessary and simply lets the delicious juices escape. Cook them gently over medium heat to prevent the skins from bursting while rendering the fat perfectly.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store sausages, mash, and gravy in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 1 month — Mash and gravy freeze well; sausages may change texture slightly upon thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot, ensuring sausages reach an internal temperature of 74C/165F.
