As usual Pepé is not much help with our Bangers and Mash. He fears he has the Corona Virus (Covid 19) that’s spreading throughout the world. I’m sure he’s fine… At most he has termites. No worries because it’s a super easy meal to make without him. 

Bangers & Mash with Onion Gravy is a great meal to make for St. Patrick’s day Or any other day

Bangers & Mash is just a British and Irish slang term for sausages and mashed potatoes. Some say that they call sausages “bangers” because back in World War II, due to meat shortages, they were made with a high water content which made them “pop” or “bang” like a gun in the pan. I had never heard of “Bangers & Mash” until my husband and I went to England in 2007 to visit a friend. We were in a pub when we first saw it on the menu and had to ask what it was. It instantly became (and still is) one of my hubby’s favorite meals. I think he would eat Bangers & Mash every week if it were on the table. 

What’s the best way to mash potatoes? 

I personally prefer my hand mixer over my stand mixer. It creates a fluffier texture. Plus I like to keep the potatoes in the warm pan so they don’t cool off too quick. Hand mashing is good too.

Can I serve Bangers & Mash without Onion Gravy?

Uh… not if Pepé and I have any say in the matter. I think my hubby would divorce me if I didn’t make this Onion Gravy to go with his mashed potatoes. Ok, maybe not always, but with this dish… it just adds another drool factor and it’s easy. 

How can you cut onions without the tears? 

I don’t know. I wish I did know how to prevent the tears. I’ve tried many things, but none really seem to work. If you find a real solution, please let me know. I find that if I work fast, that helps a bit, but some onions are just plain determined to make me tear up. Sorry. 

What should you serve with your Bangers & Mash?

You could serve some nice bright green peas, or my husband’s recipe for Simple Fried Cabbage. If you think you’re not a fan of cooked cabbage, this may change your mind. My husband has some Polish heritage, so he grew up with a lot of Polish food. Now I know this is supposed be about Irish food, but if you can have Corned Beef & Cabbage, then well, you can have Simple Fried Cabbage. America is a melting pot and it shows in our food. I know a lot of people don’t like their food touching, but a little bit of everything on this plate in one bite will change your mind and rock your world.  The small amount of apple cider vinegar in the cabbage really brightens the dish and helps lighten the richness of the Bangers & Mash. 

Whole recipe serves: 4-6 people and takes 40 – 50 minutes

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Bangers

Ingredients

• 8 Pork Sausages
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Instructions

• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan on med/high heat. cook sausages (Bangers) on each side until browned and cooked through. Remove from pan, place on a plate and tent to keep warm. Placed in a 200°F oven will keep them warm longer.

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Mashed Potatoes

LIght, fluffy and buttery mashed potatoes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 200kcal

Ingredients

• 2 Large Russet Potatoes 2 - 2 1/2 pounds peeled and cubed
• 1/2 Cup Whole Milk
• 4-6 Tablespoons Butter
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt plus more for boiling
• 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder optional
• 1/2 Teaspoon White Pepper optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Peel and evenly cube potatoes into medium chunks (about 1 1/2” - 2” each.) Place cut up potatoes in large saucepan and cover with water by about 1/2” and season with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. I prefer to use a sauce pan that won’t be damaged by a hand mixer because I mix them right in the pan. If you don’t have one, then you’ll have mix them in a separate bowl. Boil for 5-7 minutes or until potatoes pierce easily with a fork. Drain the water from the pan Immediately! * see 2nd note below.
• Heat milk and butter in small sauce pan. This is optional, but will help keep your potatoes warm. Adding cold milk and butter, will cool your mashed potatoes down. You can also heat butter and milk in a large measuring cup in the microwave.
• Add all seasoning, and mix in pan with hand mixer until light, fluffy and well blended. Add more milk or butter if needed, but do it in small amounts so your potatoes don’t get runny. You can keep warm on the stove or in the oven at 200°F for quite a while.

Notes

Never let your potatoes sit in the water after they are boiled or they will not have the right texture later. They will start to soak up all that water and disintegrate. If you’re not ready to mix them, just drain, cover with a lid and set aside.  

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 277mg | Potassium: 657mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 266IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg

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Onion Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 Large Onion 1 1/2 - 2 Cups yellow or white
• 1 Tablespoons Olive Oil to cook onions
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 5 Cups Beef Stock
• 5 Tablespoons Flour
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

• Slice or chop onions (your preference - I’ve done both). If there is still about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan from cooking the sausages, then skip the next step and just add the onions to the pan
• Heat 1 tablespoons oil in the same pan on med/high. Sauté onions until translucent and starting to brown (10-15 minutes). You can also cook them longer for a more caramelized flavor, just don’t burn them. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes. Pour in the stock, and cook on med/high to high for another 5-10 minutes or until thickened. If it gets too thick, you can add a small amount of water or more stock. Gravy thickens a little as it cools. *See note below for general gravy rules.

Notes

A good rule of thumb for gravy is however many tablespoons of fat, or combination of  that you use (oil, butter, bacon grease, etc.) you use equal amounts of flour and that number in cups of liquid. IE: 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 cups stock.