Bangers and Mash with Caramelized Onion Gravy
Ispíní agus Brúitín·(ish-pee-nee ah-gus broo-teen)
The Evening Tea: Quick Potato Comforts
It isn’t pub food that requires a specialty butcher. Working-class survival happens in a standard cast-iron skillet where thick pork casings blister over high heat and cheap Russet potatoes boil, skipping the leprechaun-kitsch in favor of patience. Give the onions the forty-five minutes they need to turn into dark, savory jam, and never, ever put cold dairy into hot potatoes; instead, build a wide well, and pour the dark gravy heavy.
Before you start
Gather and prepare all ingredients before beginning.
The onions require significant passive cooking time, so having your potatoes peeled and sausages ready will make the workflow seamless.
Ingredients
- Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes2 lb
- European salted butter7 tbsp
- vegetable oil1 tbsp
- yellow onions2 large
- clove garlic2 small
- Irish-style bangers or mild pork bratwurst8 large
- whole milk1/2 cup
- all-purpose flour2 tbsp
- Irish stout beer1 cup
- high-quality beef stock1 1/2 cup
- Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp
- Dijon mustard1 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- white pepper1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Start the onions in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat.
Heat three tablespoons of the butter and the oil, add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt, and let them cook slowly for 30 to 40 minutes until they collapse into a deep, sticky mahogany. Do not rush this process.
- 02
Boil the potato chunks in generously salted water until fork-tender.
This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain them well in a colander when ready.
- 03
Return the drained potatoes immediately to the hot, empty pot off the heat.
Let them sit uncovered for two minutes so the residual steam evaporates entirely. This dry steam is the non-negotiable secret to fluffy, dry mash.
- 04
Brown the sausages in a separate skillet over medium heat while the onions finish.
Prick the casings once or twice with a fork to prevent them from bursting, then sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until golden on all sides. Remove them to a plate, and pour any rendered fat into the pan with your cooking onions.
- 05
Heat the remaining four tablespoons of butter and the milk before mashing.
Never add cold dairy to hot potatoes, as it shocks the starches into a gluey mess. Pour the heated milk mixture over the steamed-dry potatoes, mash thoroughly, and season generously with salt and white pepper.
- 06
Build the gravy by stirring the garlic and flour into the caramelized onions.
Cook for a minute to remove the raw flour taste, then slowly pour in the stout, scraping up the browned bits from the pan. Let the alcohol reduce by half, then stir in the beef stock, Worcestershire, and mustard.
- 07
Nestle the browned sausages back into the bubbling onion gravy to finish cooking.
Lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the gravy thickens and turns glossy. Serve the sausages and gravy ladled generously over hot mounds of mashed potatoes.
Notes
Sourcing the right sausage is critical to the authentic flavor profile.
True Irish bangers contain a bread binder called rusk and warm spices like mace. If you cannot find them, use the highest-quality mild pork bratwurst available, but strictly avoid Italian sausage as the fennel and garlic will ruin the gravy.
From Cook Irish-American Food.