Easy Toad In The Hole and Onion Gravy

This traditional Toad In The Hole recipe is a meal for kings and queens. A huge crowd pleaser and as English as Fish and Chips....I think. It is a big favourite at my house and one of the ultimate comfort food dishes.

Sausage Toad or Toad In The Hole is something that I make midweek as well as for a casual Sunday Roast. I love the fact that I can still serve the same sides with it but have it on the table in under an hour with the wind behind me.

Sausages are such a family favourite too. Both of my children get so excited to see this billowing baby browning in the oven. Sausages always go down a storm in my house, never mind when they are drowned in eggy batter.

I have served it with an epic onion gravy. Enjoy.

 How To Make Easy Toad In The Hole From Scratch.

There are a few simple but important tips to observe here.

•  I always use a roasting tray to make Toad In The Hole. The metal keeps the temperature high more efficiently. Most important if you want this baby to rise.
•  I also make sure it is no smaller than 30 cm x 20 cm tin. Any smaller and the bottom of the yorkshire pudding is too thick.
• Make sure the oven is able to be 220 C/428F/Gas Mark 7 if it can't keep that temperature you wont get the rise.
• The ingredients I use are completely traditional, not a scattering of thyme or a teaspoonful of mustard anywhere.
• I like to keep it plain but well seasoned.
• This is a Toad In The Hole of much batter. I love the wodginess of it but don't under cook it.

• First of all turn on that oven to 220 C/ 428 F/ Gas Mark 7. It needs to be seriously hot.
• Put in your baking tray with the oil and let that get smoking hot too.
• Fry your sausages  in your frying pan at a high temperature just to get a little colour on them. About five minutes is sufficient.

• As the sausages are browning put the dry ingredients for the yorkshire pudding in a mixing bowl and the milk and beaten eggs in a jug. If you are using a food processor then just throw the lot in there. Wallop.

• Pour in the liquid ingredients on top of the dry and whisk them all together like a mad b.tch.
• Lumps are present at first but after 30 seconds of whisking they disappear. Simply blitz until smooth in the food processor if using.

 So blinkin simples.

• Take out the roasting tin and put it on the stove on a hot heat. Moving quickly carefully tip in the sausages and pour in the yorkshire pudding.
• Put it back in the hot oven and bake at 220 C for about 35 minutes. Do not be tempted to open the oven door. It needs to be left completely alone.
• Whilst the Toad in the Hole is cooking put the onions back into the frying pan you used to fry the sausages in. Let them cook over a low heat for about 15 minutes until they start to caramelise.

• Simply sprinkle over the onions 2 tbsp of flour and mix well until you can't see the flour anymore.
• Tip in the beef stock and bring to a simmer. Keep stirring as the gravy thickens.
• This will take about 2 minutes. Taste carefully for seasoning. Set aside until you are ready for it.

• When very golden brown remove the Toad In The Hole from the oven.

Now it will deflate sadly after about 30 seconds but I scream at everyone to come see before it loses it's poof.

The children must say "Wow" or they don't get any dessert....

Why Is My Toad In The Hole Soggy?

It is usually one of two things. Either your tin is too small making the batter lay too thick or it is undercooked.

Try to leave your Toad In The Hole in the oven as long as you can and check the middle to see if it is cooked when you remove it from the oven.

What to serve with Toad In The Hole?

If I am making this for a Sunday Lunch then I like to serve  roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese and vegetables. I feel it is a very worthy contender for the Sunday Lunch crown.

If I am making it for a midweek tea then I tend to just serve it with baked beans or frozen petit pois and sweetcorn. Maverick I know but it is a rather filling meal.

If I am serving it at lunch then I would add some wedges in there too.

Can I make this recipe ahead?

Yes you can and I often do simply putting it back into the oven at 180 C until piping hot.

It is not quite as nice or proud as freshly cooked but if it makes things easier in the week then I won't hesitate.

I do feel here that it is important to not skimp on the seasoning. I don't use pepper here but salt is King. I use sea salt by default and a packet or tube sits permanently next to my hob but table salt is fine.

It is obviously too late to season once the batter goes in the oven but I sometimes fry a little spoon of batter in a spare pan to taste the seasoning.

Can I Freeze Toad In The Hole?

Although best hot and fresh from the oven you can freeze this dish.

If you are freezing it as a whole then simply allow to fully cool before covering in double layers of clingfilm (plastic wrap) and then foil, still in it's dish.

If freezing portions then either freeze in a stout plastic container or double wrap as above.

Freeze for up to a month. Defrost still covered in the fridge before reheating through in the oven until piping hot.

Freeze the gravy in a plastic container before thawing in the fridge and reheating in a saucepan until piping hot.

Gluten Free Toad In The Hole

Substitute the flour for gluten free flour and the sausages for gluten free sausages.

If you like this recipe you may like these

Cheeseburger and Wedges

Slow Cooker Beef Casserole

Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole

Slow Cooker Roast Chicken

Roast Beef Brisket

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Do let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love a good old hairy chinwag.