Irish Bangers and Mash Recipe
Irish bangers and mash is a hearty recipe using Irish sausage (a.k.a. bangers) in a rich onion gravy served over mashed potatoes. It’s a delicious family meal; you’ll love it because it’s quick and easy, ready in just half an hour. The onion gravy is made in the skillet you cook the Irish bangers in, so there’s less clean-up.
Table of Contents
- 1 What are bangers sausages?
- 2 Why you’ll love this recipe:
- 3 Ingredients to make Irish bangers and gravy:
- 4 Instructions:
- 5 Cooking Tips:
- 6 Variations:
- 7 Leftovers and storage:
- 8 FAQ’s
- 9 What goes with Irish sausages and gravy:
- 10 Other side dish options:
- 11 More Irish recipes you’ll love:
- 12 Irish Bangers and Mash
What are bangers sausages?
Known as “bangers” in Ireland and England, these sausages got their name from the way the links would split or “bang” open when cooked, hence the term “bangers.”
During the First World War, sausages were augmented with fillers such as water, eggs and rusk (a dry crunchy toast or biscuit) reduced to crumbs to add volume and fill out the ingredients.
The fillers naturally expand in the sausage casing when heated, causing them to rupture and giving them their famously affectionate moniker.
You can usually find Irish sausages in the markets for St. Patrick’s Day, but to enjoy this dish year-round, look for a good butcher or sausage maker in your area who supplies Irish bangers.
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Why you’ll love this recipe:
Aside from being a warm, hearty dish, you’ll love this recipe because of its rustic simplicity. A stick-to-your-ribs meal that will remind you of your Mother or grandmother’s home cooking.
- It is made with everyday ingredients.
- It uses a single skillet to make the bangers sausages and onion gravy.
- It’s ready to eat in about 30 minutes.
- Leftovers (if there are any) are delicious the next day.
Ingredients to make Irish bangers and gravy:
- Irish Bangers Sausages – Depending on where you live and the time of year, you may have to hunt for these pork sausages. They’re usually available in grocery stores close to St. Patrick’s Day, or you can check with your butcher for availability. If all else fails, order some online {affiliate link}.
- Yellow Onion – Use one large or two smaller onions for the gravy.
- Garlic – Best when freshly minced.
- All Purpose Flour – Can also use Wondra flour or gravy flour.
- Kosher Salt (I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, which is flakier and less dense than Morton’s. It’s easy to over-salt with Morton’s, so if that’s what you have, cut the amount by half and taste as you go. You can always add more salt but can’t take it away.
- Black Pepper – I prefer fresh ground pepper as it has more flavor than the previously ground variety.
- Beef Stock – If you’ve got homemade, use it. If not, please look for a low-sodium store-bought broth. Most regular stocks are loaded with extra sodium, so I avoid them.
- Olive Oil – or you can substitute with vegetable or canola oil.
- Butter – I recommend unsalted to control the amount of sodium in the recipe.
Instructions:
- Cook the Irish sausages in the butter and olive oil over medium heat, turning regularly to ensure each side gets browned and nearly cooked through about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the bangers to a pan or dish with a rim or lip (to catch any juices that accumulate).
2. Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the skillet occasionally until they’re tender and browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more until fragrant.
3. Sprinkle the onion mixture with flour, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the flour is thoroughly combined with the fats in the skillet and no dry bits are left.
4. Add ½ cup of beef broth.
5. Cook and stir until the mixture becomes thick and pasty with no dry bits of flour left.
6. Add the remaining 1 ½ cups beef broth and boil while stirring constantly. The onion gravy will thicken as it cooks.
7. Return the bangers to the onion gravy, cover with a lid and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sausages are fully cooked.
Cooking Tips:
- Brown the bangers in the skillet, turning frequently so they don’t explode. They don’t need to cook completely through during the first browning, as they will continue to cook in the onion gravy.
- Garlic can burn and turn bitter if you add it too early. Wait until the onions are nearly done before adding the minced garlic to the pan.
- Make sure there’s enough fat for the banger gravy. If there isn’t enough fat in the skillet to blend thoroughly with the flour, add a teaspoon of butter and stir it into the onion roux until any dry bits of flour are incorporated.
- Use low-sodium beef stock (or a homemade beef stock recipe) to better control the onion gravy’s flavor (and salt content).
Variations:
- Swap the first half cup of beef broth for an Irish stout (such as Guinness) to give the onion gravy a deeper, malty flavor.
- Add 2-3 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce to the gravy mixture for a deeper umami flavor.
- Add a tablespoon of brown sugar to the sauce for a sweeter flavor before adding the Irish bangers back into the saucepan.
- You can swap bratwurst, another mild pork sausage, or even chicken sausage (for a healthier option). The flavor will differ from traditional bangers, which have a profoundly porky taste that is less heavily spiced than other sausages.
Leftovers and storage:
Storage:
- Store the onion gravy and Irish pork sausages in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator.
- Keep mashed potatoes stored in a separate storage container. Reheat them separately in the microwave or on the stovetop to serve.
- Leftovers will keep for 3-5 days, refrigerated.
- I don’t recommend freezing leftovers.
FAQ’s
Bangers refer to the Irish sausages; “mash” is the vernacular for “mashed potatoes.”
It can be made from beef or lamb, but pork sausage is more traditional.
Yes. These meaty pork sausages are often a part of a traditional English breakfast along with Blood sausage (a.k.a. blood pudding) or Boudin Noir.
What goes with Irish sausages and gravy:
Traditionally, bangers and mash goes with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, but this classic colcannon recipe (mashed potatoes mixed with sauteed cabbage) is another way to go.
Other side dish options:
Mashed potatoes aren’t the only thing you can serve with sausage and gravy (though it’s really good). For a twist on the original, try it with soft polenta or grits, buttered orzo, or steamed potatoes.
- Serve it with potato cakes.
- A simple green salad is an excellent side dish for a hearty sausage dinner.
- A side of green peas is a good accompaniment, but you can also serve it with green beans or spinach.
- Roasted mushrooms pair perfectly with the meatiness of this recipe.
- Wash down this traditional British comfort food with a pint of Guinness beer or your favorite stout.
- Popovers pair well with bangers & mash.
More Irish recipes you’ll love:
- Tender Glazed Corned Beef
- Irish Banger Skillet Dinner
- One Pot Irish Stout Braised Chicken Thighs
- Corned Beef and Cabbage From Scratch (includes brining a beef brisket)
- Corned Beef Hash and Eggs
- Irish Stout Lamb Stew
- Reuben Sandwich
- Irish Soda Bread
- Creamy Irish Mocha Latte
- Soused Irish Whiskey Orange Bundt Cake
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Irish Bangers and Mash
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- Large Skillet with a lid
- tongs
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound Irish Bangers
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups beef stock
SERVE WITH:
- Mashed Potatoes
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat the skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter is melted and pan is hot, place the bangers into the skillet and cook, turning with the tongs every minute or so, until they brown on all sides and are cooked through (about 10-12 minutes). Transfer the bangers to another dish.
- Add the sliced onions to the skillet and cook, stirring regularly and scraping the bottom of the skillet, so the onions and fond don’t burn. Cook the onions until they’re tender, about 6 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more.
- Add the flour, kosher salt and black pepper and stir until the flour is absorbed into the onions and they look pasty. There should be no dry bits of flour left, and if there are, add another teaspoon of butter to the pan and continue to stir until it has formed a paste.
- Deglaze the pan with about 1/2 cup of beef broth, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any stuck on bits.
- Add the remainder of the beef stock, slowly, stirring constantly and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook the boiling gravy for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens.
- Transfer the bangers back to the onion gravy and simmer over medium heat with the lid on for 2-3 more minutes until it’s heated through.
- Taste for seasonings and adjust as necessary.
- Serve over mashed potatoes.
NUTRITION:
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Such an easy and delicious recipe. I’d never had authentic bangers, the flavor is very unique. Goes great with the mashed potatoes and the banger gravy is off the charts.
I had commented earlier that this recipe sounded wonderful. The update is that it was indeed wonderful! There was a tinge of doubt that the sauce would coalesce into the creamy deliciousness it was. But the end product proved otherwise! It was delicious. This dish satisfied on so many levels! (Wish I could go to 10 stars!)
Sounds wonderful!!