Semi-Final for England
The second semi-final of the 2018 World Cup sees the World Cup of BBQ move back to England for the 3rd time, to cook Toad in the Hole which I served with and Mash with Onion Gravy.
I didn’t expect to be cooking for England this far into the tournament and I am hoping that i will be cooking for them again on Sunday for the World Cup Final.
The Cook
This was the first time I have cooked Toad in the Hole, either on the BBQ or using a conventional oven. It’s definitely one I will do again.
Bring the BBQ up to the required temperature. You are looking for a fairly high heat of around 220-230°C – not so much for the first stage when you start cooking the sausages but definitely once you add the batter. I used Australian Heat Beads, as I wanted to have a consistent temperature for the duration of the cook.
Once your BBQ is ready to go and set up for indirect cooking, add some rapeseed oil to a 20cmx30cm pan and add your sausages. Add a couple of wood chunks to the coals and cook for around 15 minutes turning a couple of time. I also added the onions to an iron sizzle dish, with a little oil and cooked for around 15 minutes.
I had made my batter in advance so after 15 minutes I added the batter to the pan and closed the lid. At this stage, I also removed the onions. The Toad in the Hole took around 35 minutes to cook.
As I added the batter, I also peeled the potatoes and added to a pan with water, with a little salt and bought it up to the boil. I cook until I could easily slide a fork easily into the potatoes (about 15-20 minutes).
I drained the potatoes and then placed on a baking tray (with holes in). I removed the onions and started to make the gravy on the hob, replacing the potatoes on the bbq. At this stage, I added a couple more wood chunks.
The potatoes got cooked for 5-7 minutes, before being removed and then mashed.
The Verdict
This ended up being a lovely cook on the BBQ. Next time I do this I will not do the sausages in the pan but just cook them indirectly. I think that way they take on much more of the smoke.
The onions took on some smoke, which gave a lovely taste to the gravy. Although the potatoes only got 7 minutes they also took on some of the smoke. I think the thing here is to go heavy with the wood chunks. I also think using smoked sea salt or smoked butter could also help further smokiness into this dish.
Really pleased with this cook!!
Toad in the Hole
- Prep Time15 min
- Cook Time55 min
- Total Time1 hr 10 min
- Serving Size2
Ingredients
For the Toad in the Hole
- 6 to 8 Pork Sausages
- 125g Plain Flour
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 2 Eggs
- 300ml Milk
- 2 Tbsp Rapeseed Oil
For the Onion Gravy
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 large Onion, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 Tsp Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Plain Flour
- 400ml Hot Beef Stock
- 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
Method
Light your BBQ and set it up for an indirect cook. You are looking for a fairly high temperature of 220-230°C. Once up to temperature, add your sausages to the pan with the rapeseed oil. Add to the BBQ and cook for 15 minutes. At the same time you add your sausages, add the griddle and let it heat up for a couple of minutes, then add the butter and onions. Cook for a couple of minutes and then stir in the sugar. Move the onions to the indirect area of the pan. Put the lid on your BBQ and allow the smoke to penetrate your onions. Check back every 4-5 minutes to make sure your onions are not burning. Cook for around 15 minutes.
While the sausages are cooking (or if you want to beforehand), prepare the batter. Put the flour into a bowl with the salt. Make a well in the center then crack the eggs into it. Add a little of the milk and start to whisk the egg/milk into the flour, slowly adding in all the milk and continuously stirring. Whisk until there are no lumps.
After 10-15 mins take the dish off the BBQ and pour in the batter evenly over the sausages. Do this as quickly as you can and put it straight back on the BBQ. Cook for around 35 minutes. Try to resist the temptation of peeking at how the batter is rising. When done the Yorkshire will be risen and deep golden all over.
Peel your potatoes, add them to the pan with a little salt and cook for 15-20 minutes until soft.
When your potatoes are ready (you can slide a fork easily into them) – usually around 15-20 minutes, drain the potatoes and then add to a baking tray. I have one with holes in but you don’t need one like this. Add them to the indirect area, with the potatoes as far away from the heat as you can get them. You are not trying to cook them here, just get some smoke infused. At this stage add 2 more wood chunks.
You may need to remove your Toad in the Hole to fit on the potatoes so either move it to a warming drawer or put the oven on a low heat and put in the oven to keep warm.
Transfer the onions to a pan on the hob, on a medium to high temperature, and stir in the flour. Next gradually add the stock, continually stirring until the mixture starts to thicken. At this stage add the balsamic vinegar and mix in well. Turn the heat down to a medium heat.
After around 7 minutes, remove the potatoes from the BBQ. Add back to the pan you cooked them in and add a knob of butter and splash of milk and mash well. Once you have a smooth mash, spoon onto a plate and add the sausages then pour the onion gravy over both the sausage and potatoes. You could choose to serve with peas or other veg on the side.
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