Bangers and Mash is a popular staple in Irish pubs. The dish is smothered with a caramelized onion gravy and traditionally served with a side of peas.
Bangers and Mash have deep seated roots in the United Kingdom. It gets it’s name from the “exploding” sausages that had a filler of water during WW2. When heated, the water would make the sausages “bang”.
What could be more comforting than golden brown sausages lying on top of pillowy mashed potatoes covered in a dark onion gravy? Traditionally sausages are pork with seasoned with pepper, thyme, sage, nutmeg and cayenne. Famous on a pub menu, it is easy to make at home.
The Method of Bangers and Mash
Bangers…just brown. Mash…my favorite, I could make mashed potatoes in my sleep. The gravy though I was not sure about. This recipe is adapted from Everyday Eileen.
Ingredients for the Bangors and gravy:
- pork sausages
- onions
- garlic
- butter
- Guinness
- beef stock
- flour
- Worcestershire sauce
- dry mustard
- parsley
- kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper
ingredients for the mash:
- potatoes
- kosher salt
- butter
- buttermilk
- fresh ground pepper
Brown sausages in cast iron skillet. Remove to a plate.
To the same skillet, add the butter and slowly caramelize the onions. Next, add in the garlic and after a minute of cooking, deglaze with the beer. Mix some of the warm beer with the flour and drizzle into the gravy to thicken. Add in the rest of the ingredients, return sausages, cover and simmer another 20-30 minutes until cooked through.
Boil potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Drain. Add butter to saucepan and put potatoes back. Mash with a potato masher. Add in buttermilk and keep mashing until desired consistency. Finish with fresh ground pepper.
Cook’s Notes:
I like a thick mashed potato with this dish. I feel it stands up to the sausages and gravy better. If you prefer a fine fluffy potato try using a ricer or food mill instead of hand mashing.
The buttermilk adds a nice tang to the potatoes that compliments the rest of the dish.
The Essentials:
If you make this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars!
Bangers and Mash
Bangers and Mash are a classic dish found in Irish pubs and homes!
- large cast iron skillet
- medium- large saucepan with lid
- tongs
- platter
- Cutting Board
- potato peeler
- Knife
- potato masher
- serving spoon
- prep dishes for spices, garlic and flour
- foil
- 8 pork sausages
- 2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 7 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 cup Guinness
- 1 1/2 cup beef stock
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp parsley
- kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
Brown sausages in skillet over medium high heat about 10 minutes. Remove to a platter.
Turn heat to medium low. Add 3 tbsp of butter to skillet with the onions. Caramelize slowly, about 20 minutes.
Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Deglaze with the beer.
Add some of the warm beer to the flour and whisk. Drizzle it back into the skillet to thicken the gravy.
Add the rest of the ingredients along with the sausages. Cover with foil and simmer another 20-30 minutes until sausages are cooked through.
Meanwhile, boil potatoes in salted water. Drain and add 4 tbsp butter to the saucepan. Return potatoes and mash. Add in buttermilk and stir to incorporate. Finish with fresh cracked pepper. Cover with lid until ready to use.
I served 2 sausages per person with a heavy dose of mashed potatoes and gravy.
This dish is traditionally served with a side of peas.
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