This post for the classic English dish -Toad in the Hole- is sponsored by Johnsonville Sausages. Please show some love to Johnsonville for supporting the development for this recipe by visiting them on facebook or Pinterest.
There are few dishes that fly faster from my table than Toad in the Hole. Why it isn’t crazy popular in the United States is beyond me.
We’re talking about the ultimate in comfort food, and my version gets a little uprade as a savoury, flavourful, thyme dotted, crisp-edged puff pancake cooked with roasted sausages and their drippings with onion gravy spooned over. It’s hard to find something more comforting and substantial.
If you’ve ever had a Dutch Baby, German pancake, or Pannukakku, Toad in the Hole will be familiar to you; it is very much the savoury equivalent of those sweet dishes and it is utterly irresistible.
While the classic British version employs larger sausages, my family prefers them made with American style breakfast sausages like Johnsonville Breakfast Sausages which are conveniently available at many moderately stocked grocery stores. The size of the Johnsonville Sausages is perfect to get a roasty-toasty, mahogany exterior but still stay mostly enveloped in the Yorkshire pudding-like batter that makes the puff pancake, keeping them juicy throughout.
Cook’s Notes
- I prefer to use a good, prepared English mustard like Colman’s in the batter. If you opt to use the Colman’s English mustard powder, reduce the amount to 1/2 teaspoon. If you can’t find it, use an equal amount of a strong Dijon or spicy brown mustard or 1/2 teaspoon of mustard powder in its place.
- I advise using Johnsonville Original Breakfast Sausages. While the maple ones are delicious, I think the flavours in the Original work better in the Toad in the Hole.
- I love the crispy edges that come from baking Toad in the Hole in a cast-iron skillet, but if you don’t have one, you can definitely bake it in a cake pan or baking dish.
- If you’d like to make a larger amount for a brunch crowd, this recipe doubles nicely and fits perfectly into a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish.
- Onion gravy is an optional but a traditional and delicious accompaniment to Toad in the Hole, so I’ve included it in the recipe.
Use these to make Toad in the Hole:
- 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet
- Blendtec Blender or Vitamix Blender
- Whisk
- Heavy bottomed saucepan
- Browning Sauce
For some more fabulous brunch fare, check out these fantastic recipes: Black Russian Bagels, Pain au Chocolate {chocolate croissants}, Slow Cooker Breakfast Baked Beans, Carrot Cake Coffee Cake, Chocolate Peanut Butter Biscotti, Rainbow Chard and Mushroom Quiche, 2-Ingredient Cream Cheese Pancakes, and Mother’s Day Herb and Goat Cheese Waffles.
Toad In The Hole
Rate RecipeIngredients
For the Toad in the Hole:
- 2 tablespoons sunflower or vegetable oil
- 12 ounces fresh Johnsonville Original Breakfast Sausages (one package)
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon prepared Colman's English Mustard
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour or 2 1/8 ounces by weight
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only or 1/2 teaspoon dried whole thyme leaves
For the Onion Gravy:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (4 tablespoons)
- 2 onions, peeled, halved, and sliced thinly
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon browning sauce optional
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef or vegetable broth or stock
Instructions
To Make the Toad in the Hole:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
Drizzle the oil over the bottom of a cast-iron skillet or 8-inch by 8-inch square baking dish. Roll the sausages around in the oil and arrange over the bottom of the pan. Roast for 10 minutes while preparing the batter.Add the milk, egg, English mustard, flour, and salt to the work carafe of a blender. Fix the lid in place and blend on low until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the fresh thyme leaves.
When the sausages have roasted for 10 minutes, pull the pan from the oven and pour the batter in around the sausages. Return the pan to the oven and bake for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until the edges are crisp, the batter is completely set, and the top is deep golden brown with mahogany brown sausages. If you insert the tip of a sharp knife in the center of the Toad in the Hole, it should come out clean without any batter sticking to it.
Allow to cool for 3 to 5 minutes before slicing into wedges.
To Make the Onion Gravy:
- Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Toss in the onions with the kosher salt and soften the onions for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top and cook for 5 minutes more.
Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir until the flour is fully coating the onions and there are no lumps yet. Cook until it smells slightly nutty, then whisk in the browning sauce, followed by slowly drizzling in the broth or stock, whisking constantly until smooth. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until thick and smooth.
Serve spooned over hot wedges of Toad in the Hole.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Johnsonville. The opinions and text are all mine.
Reader's Thoughts...
Nancy Long says
about how many servings would you say this is? Thanks
Aleena says
Rebecca, I would love to know the brand of the blue floral plate shown here. I have something similar from my grandmother and would love to add on with something similar! Thanks!
Rebecca says
Hi Aleena- I can get the brand name for you as soon as I get home from this business trip!
!
jude says
ohhh, this looks so good………….
what size skillet do you recommend using?
Jane M. says
jude, at the bottom of the description of this dish (before the recipe), a 10-inch skillet is indicated.
Rebecca says
Thanks, Jane!
Jane M. says
You’re welcome. I always read your posts from beginning to end. I copy and paste your recipes into a Word Doc. for my recipes file and include portions of your detailed explanations so I am properly following your instructions.
Rebecca says
You’re the best! Thank you!
Rebecca says
Jane got it right. I find a 10-inch cast-iron skillet ideal for the job!