The Easiest Toad in the Hole Recipe You Can Make Right Now 2021

If you are after a comfort food specialty, then this easy toad in the hole recipe is likely to become one of your favourites.

Now, don’t be deceived by the name itself. There are no actual toads involved in this dish! In fact, browned sausages and Yorkshire pudding lead the way with this recipe.

So why the toad reference? Well, some say it has gotten its name from the 18th century, where poor families used this recipe as a way to help extend the life of the meat they had and ensure everyone in their family could get fed.

The whole ode to the toad is likely to have come from the sausages resembling toads waiting for their prey. Others suggest that the name came from a humorous moment when a golfer was scared during a round when a toad poked its head up from the hole itself. The chef at the hotel is then said to have created this dish in honour of this humorous moment.

Regardless of how this dish got its name, you can be confident that there are no actual toads included in the ingredient list.

This is great news for us, as it means that this recipe is also a kid-friendly meal for an easy school night dinner and one that the little ones in the household are likely to devour quite quickly. This recipe is tried and tested with enabling a quick, tasty, and well-rounded dinner to be served up without needing hours of preparation in advance.

In general, this dish is straightforward and a great one to try as you learn to be a Masterchef in the kitchen. The key components of this dish are sausages, batter, and fat. Now the little details are likely to change depending on the recipe you follow. 

But at the end of the day, you are going to end up with smoked sausages that are wrapped into a delicious crisp Yorkshire pudding. All that’s left is a side of gravy!

While Banquist offers exclusive menus for you to have access to, our easy recipe is one that we believe any British citizen will likely know already. We have put our own little twist on making it extra delicious and simplified it down for all skill levels to succeed at.

Before we dive into the easiest way to make this dish, let’s review a few tips and tricks that will help you out with preparing this meal.

Tips and Tricks To Help You

1. Gravy Goes Best

As we alluded to earlier, the best accompaniment with this dish is onion gravy. This gravy will give your toad in a hole that insane flavour burst, which is possible through the caramelized red onions, sugar, and beef stock that you include. And because it goes so well with everything, a little bit of Worcestershire sauce really seals the deal on your gravy.

2. Let the Batter Rest

While this dish is easy, a big trick is to not rush it. We suggest that once you have made the batter that you let it sit for around half an hour so that the flour has time to rise. This extra bit of time will ensure that your Yorkshire pudding comes out nice and crisp, light and scrumptious.

3. The Type of Baking Dish Matters

While ceramic dishes do have their time and place in your kitchen, this recipe much prefers a metal baking dish. This is because the heat will absorb better and ensure that the Yorkshire pudding rises fast enough. 

You will know that your dish is hot enough if the vegetable oil bubbles when you place it in the oven. Also, avoid olive oil on this dish as it won’t get you the same result.

4. Any Type of Sausage Works

This recipe was first created to ensure that any leftover sausages from the week would not go to waste. So while other recipes require a specific type and cut of meat, you can select any sausage your heart desires. Plus, if you don’t have any sausage in the fridge, feel free to use another type of meat.

5. Resist Opening the Oven

We know it is exciting to see the results of your labour in real-time and you will be curious to see how the dish is cooking. Avoid opening the oven at all possible costs during the cooking process. 

This is because any slight change in heat will prevent the batter of the Yorkshire pudding from rising and you may end up with a much sadder looking toad in the hole as a result.

The Easiest Recipe To Follow

As with any recipe, you will first want to make sure you have all your ingredients on hand. You can find everything you need for this dish at your local grocery store or arrange to have the ingredients delivered to your door. Here are the items that you’ll want to ensure you have.

Ingredients To Have

1. One dozen sausage links—we suggest chipolatas if they are available to you

2. One tablespoon of sunflower or canola oil

3. 140 grams of plain flour

4. Two eggs

5. 175 milliliters of semi-skim milk

The Easiest Method for the Easiest Recipe

Once you have all the ingredients lined up on the kitchen counter, which as you can see above, is not a lot, you are ready to start the simple process of creating this epic dish in just a few easy steps.

Follow These 5 Steps

1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Remember, the temperature is key for this dish so it is important to ensure the temperature is spot on for this one. You will then put your sausages in a metal tin and slather them in oil. Once the temperature hits the mark, put the tray into the oven and let them bake for 15 minutes. The true secrets to this dish are ensuring there is a crisp batter and browned sausage, so this step is definitely important.

2. While the sausages are baking go ahead and whip up the batter. To do this, all you need to do is put the flour into the bowl and flick a dash of salt on top. Then create a well with your hands or spatula into the middle of the flour mound. This will be where you crack your two eggs into. Now mix it all together with a slow and steady beat as you pour in the milk. By this time you should have removed the sausages from the oven and set them to cool.

3. As mentioned in our tips, let the mixture stand for at least 30 minutes. This will give it the best chance to rise perfectly in the oven. When you have waited the right amount of time, pour the batter over the cooked sausages.

4. Now you will put the tray back into the oven for another half an hour, or until the batter has risen and has turned golden. Remember our other tip of not opening the oven up during this process. You want the temperature in the oven to be as consistent as possible so the Yorkshire pudding can turn out just right.

5. Once the batter has risen and is cooked to golden perfection, remove it from the oven and let cool. Then pour over your favourite kind of gravy and serve with an additional side of roast vegetables. The toad in the hole recipe really is as simple as that! While we don’t think there will be any leftovers, you can also store away this meal for a day or two in the fridge before putting it in the freezer.

Final Thoughts on the Recipe

The toad in the hole dish is a classic amongst Britts. For many, it brings back happy childhood memories of our mother’s cooking. Nowadays, this dish is not just for the families that are struggling; it is comfort food that people of all ages enjoy.

Each family likely has their own little secret additions to make this recipe their own. So we definitely recommend playing around in the kitchen to come up with your own unique addition to this classic and easy dish.

Chances are, once you master this dish, your own children will continue to pass this recipe down for years to come.

Who knew that such a weird name would result in a delicious dish that could become a household staple on your weekly menu? So ignore the name, defrost your sausage, and get cooking away!

Sources:

How to Cook the Perfect Toad in the Hole | The Guardian

Toad-in-the-Hole: Don’t Judge a Dish by its Nae | The Spectator

How Toad in the Hole Got its Name: Culture Trip