...I hardly know her!

November 4, 2008 8:56 AM

Please help me to utilize two frozen packages of "British-style" bangers.

For a few months, I did the Angel Food boxes given out by The Angel Food Ministries. Twice, the boxes contained bangers, though I don't know what they expected us here in southern Mississippi to make of these. I have no idea how to prepare these in a tasty way.

The ones I have are made by RJ Balson & Son, and are described on the package as honey pork, with "10 Percent Rusk." They are fully cooked. They are very pale, and forgive me, somewhat unappetizing in appearance. I refuse to waste the product, or the opportunity to try something new, however.

I am not looking for authentic British recipes, necessarily, just a way to make these delicious. I frequently cook, so I am not daunted by something complicated, but also keep in mind that that I live in an area where bangers are considered exotic, so I may not have all of the ingredients available that a more cosmopolitan area might.

I need help, or these will end up swimming in a pan of bottled barbecue sauce, and that can't be good.

posted by thebrokedown to Food & Drink (31 answers total)

According to Wikipedia:

Sausage and mash is an English/Irish dish made of potato and sausages, the latter of which may be one of a variety of flavoured sausage made of pork or beef with apple or tomato seasoning; or a Lincolnshire, or Cumberland sausage.
The dish is usually served with a rich onion gravy.

Not bad.
posted by dunkadunc at 9:07 AM on November 4, 2008

Best answer: They're always brownish gray, don't be scared by that.

The English Breakfast is one of the best things on earth. Fry the bangers whole with onions and use HP Sauce for dipping. Since they're already cooked, thaw them first and get the onions half-soft before you begin. Add a couple slices of tomato (fried, yes) near the end of the process. If you're authentic, you'll fry them in butter. Mmm arteries.

For non-authentic but still great, add green and/or red peppers and have some great dogs.
posted by rokusan at 9:08 AM on November 4, 2008

Oh, yes, you can use cubed/diced potato in the pan with everything I listed above, like pan-fries. They'll need to start first if you want the timing to work out. Nummy.
posted by rokusan at 9:09 AM on November 4, 2008

Best answer: Soak them in beer, then grill 'em up with some onion and peppers, and make some yummy garlic buttermilk mashers to go with. Add grainy mustard and sauerkraut if that's your thing. Top it off with some garlic bread.
posted by nitsuj at 9:11 AM on November 4, 2008

Response by poster: No HP Sauce here, but it looks like A-1 would do.
posted by thebrokedown at 9:13 AM on November 4, 2008

Beer-fried sausage with garlic in baked beans is also really good. Pour in one bottle of beer and drink a couple for yourself as it cooks off.
posted by dunkadunc at 9:17 AM on November 4, 2008 [1 favorite]

Sausage casserole. The classic cheaters' method in Britain is to grab the Colman's or Schwartz Sausage Casserole mix, but what you need, basically, is lots of onions, mushrooms, stock, herbs/spices, squeeze of tomato puree, splash of Worcester sauce, good glug of red wine. Serve with mashed potatoes. (Alternative recipe with Guinness.)

(HP Sauce is available in places like Cost Plus World Market. A-1 isn't quite the same, and the HP Steak Sauce in some US grocery stores isn't quite the same either.)
posted by holgate at 9:39 AM on November 4, 2008

Best answer: My favourite sausage casserole: Brown sausages either under grill or on hob. In a separate pan saute 1 med. red onion, 2-4 cloves garlic (chopped/squished), 1 stick celery (chopped), finally adding 1 diced med. carrot. Add half pint of stock, the sausages, either whole or chopped (3-4 chunks per sausage) and season to tatse with salt and pepper. Cover and bring to boil then simmer for 10 minutes, add 400g tin of cannelini beans (drained) simmer for 10 more mins, add 4 peeled tomatoes (I used to do this properly, now I just chuck in a tinful), simmer for further 10 mins. Check the beans are cooked through before serving, don't let it boil down to nothing but do let the stock thicken. Nice with fresh bread.

My SO loves bangers and mash, and was very inpressed when I used this recipe.
posted by biffa at 9:51 AM on November 4, 2008

That should say, peeled, chopped tomatoes .
posted by biffa at 9:52 AM on November 4, 2008

Best answer: 'Bangers' aren't exotic, they're just sausages. (or 'breakfast sausages')

Here are some recipes from RJ Balson & Son
posted by missmagenta at 9:53 AM on November 4, 2008

We steam sausages in a covered pan with beer or wine or cider with a dollop of good mustard and plenty of caramelized onions, served with mashed potatoes. Usually we're using uncooked sausage, so the sausage and onions cook together. If precooked, just start the onions earlier, then add the sausages to the pan later.
posted by desuetude at 9:56 AM on November 4, 2008

(HP Sauce is available in places like Cost Plus World Market. A-1 isn't quite the same, and the HP Steak Sauce in some US grocery stores isn't quite the same either.)

Understatement. US-made HP sauce is NOTHING like UK-made HP sauce. It's worth tracking down a UK food importer (specialty deli shops often carry this kind of thing) to get the real stuff for your breakfast fry.
posted by Aquaman at 10:04 AM on November 4, 2008

I'm glad you asked...

The Belfast Fry

Do up a whole mess of bacon and put some potatoes on to boil.
Fry the sausages in the bacon fat.
Mash the potatoes, then work in some flour and roll out into 6" pancakes and quarter them.
Fry them in the remaining oil on medium heat.
Keep it all warm in the oven while you add some butter to the pan and do you eggs.

..enjoy
posted by bonobothegreat at 10:33 AM on November 4, 2008

Toad in the hole. This is a traditional English dish which is sausages cooked in a roasting pan with Yorkshire Pudding batter. I've discovered from my American friends that popover batter is the same.

2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt


Sift the flour and salt into the liquid. Whisk until smooth and lump-free. Leave the batter to rest for 15 minutes.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. When the oven's hot, put a tablespoon of light vegetable oil (Canola or similar) into a small roasting pan in to heat up (or a ceramic dish, like a lasagne dish, but really a metal dish is best for heat conduction).

When the oil's smoking take the pan out, lay the sausages in and pour the batter round it.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the batter's risen and golden. It should look like this.

Delicious served with baked beans. (Preferably Heinz British beans.) Or onion gravy, made with Bisto.
posted by essexjan at 10:44 AM on November 4, 2008

Response by poster: To iterate how uncosmopolitan we are here--I asked for Worcestershire in a restaurant recently and the waitress didn't know what it was. The nearest Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or World Market is a multiple hours drive.

Thanks for all of the great answers so far.
posted by thebrokedown at 10:48 AM on November 4, 2008

Grill or "broil" them as you crazy Americans say ;) for a slightly healthier alternative to frying. No need for added cooking fat, remember to poke them with a fork so they don't burst. Serve with mashed potatoes and leeks fried in butter*. Mmmm!

*I know, I just nullified my healthy preparation suggestion for the sausages!
posted by Joh at 11:41 AM on November 4, 2008

If they're good sausages poach them first - 70C for 20 mins - before frying on a quite low heat so they don't burst. Poaching first makes them very juicy and tender. Serve with roast potato mash and veges for classic bangers n mash.
posted by goo at 11:43 AM on November 4, 2008

And on non-preview: don't prick them! That's how you lose all the juice. Cook them on lower heat instead.
posted by goo at 11:45 AM on November 4, 2008 [1 favorite]

If these really are pre-cooked, I think your best bet is Toad in the Hole, as essexjan says, or you can just slice them cold for excellent sandwiches (sausage butties if you value quaint terminology highly)(thick white bread and lots of margerine).

And don't try to make them into a healthy dish - sausages should be hearty and covered in fat. They are a good hangover cure, and useful at other times when comfort food is required.
posted by Acheman at 12:11 PM on November 4, 2008

Broiling sausages does not make them healthy, it just makes them less unhealthy, and I would argue, is equally delicious as frying them.

Goo, interesting about the lower heat thing, I will have to try that!
posted by Joh at 12:17 PM on November 4, 2008

Grill or "broil" them as you crazy Americans say ;)

Grilling heat comes from beneath. Broiling heat comes from above.

At least in my crazy American kitchen!
posted by rokusan at 12:19 PM on November 4, 2008

I've used British Delights for various home-country delicacies. They have HP Sauce. And casserole mix. Or you could always go with Amazon for sauce-by-mail.

Another deeply unhealthy breakfast option: the sausage sandwich, ideally with fried bread, fried/grilled bangers sliced down the middle, squirt of HP, oh, and maybe a few steak-cut chips (fries). Or adapt that: wholemeal buns (torpedo rolls are a good option), bangers sliced down the middle, a teaspoon of chutney or pickle.

One other option: the sausage roll. Defrost, remove skin, wrap in puff pastry (the grocery-store frozen kind is fine) and bake in oven.
posted by holgate at 12:31 PM on November 4, 2008

Oh for the love of God....Throw them out. Please. A greater culinary abomination does not exist.
posted by Pennyblack at 12:43 PM on November 4, 2008

sausages, are sausages aren't they?! I'm trying to remember whether I had trouble getting them when I lived over there!

Anyway, you do need HP sauce - yum! Although I don't know why someone said US HP sauce is horrible, it's exactly the same. At least the stuff I used to get from Krogers or Harris Teeter (in Virginia) was the same as the british stuff. I know this because I am british and can't live without the stuff.

I recommend the english breakfast mentioned by Rokusan, or even a good old fashioned sausage sandwich - heaps of HP. Or yep, sausage and mash, with onion gravy. Yum...
posted by nunoidia at 12:59 PM on November 4, 2008

Oooh, you are so lucky. I love British-style sausages and can't find them here in the US. Here's a recipe from Nigella Lawson that I've had good luck with - One-Pan Sage-and-Onion Chicken and Sausage
posted by peacheater at 1:38 PM on November 4, 2008

My husband makes GREAT bangers & mash -- he puts juniper berries, marsala, dijon mustard, and other goodies in the onion gravy. I was doubtful when he first announced he was making such a thing, but it is WONDERFUL.

He does insist on high-quality snausages, though.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 2:54 PM on November 4, 2008

Fry them.

When they are half cooked add chopped mushrooms and onions.

When they seem cooked add half a pint of instant gravy. Cook for a further 5-10mins.

Serve with lots of mashed potato. I like to add 2 tablespoons of English mustard to my mash along with far toio much butter and cream.

I am English. YMMV.
posted by gergtreble at 5:41 PM on November 4, 2008

Have a breakfast - fry the sausages, eggs, some bacon, some tomatoes and mushrooms, and cook some baked beans.

Then sit back stupefied for the next two hours.
posted by djgh at 4:36 AM on November 5, 2008

djgh: you need black pudding and a fried slice with that.
posted by ninebelow at 5:53 AM on November 5, 2008

Grilling heat comes from beneath. Broiling heat comes from above.

At least in my crazy American kitchen!

Here, grilling heat comes from above... barbecue heat comes from under. It's same word, different meaning.
posted by methylsalicylate at 4:11 AM on November 6, 2008

Anyway, you do need HP sauce - yum! Although I don't know why someone said US HP sauce is horrible, it's exactly the same. At least the stuff I used to get from Krogers or Harris Teeter (in Virginia) was the same as the british stuff. I know this because I am british and can't live without the stuff.

You may have been lucky and found a cache of the imported stuff. If you look on the bottle, you will see the place of manufacture. If that place is the US you'll find that the sauce is sweet and fruity and ketchupy. If you find a UK-made bottle, it will say "Made in Birmingham", and it is far less sweet and more brown-saucey with richer flavors. Totally different products.
posted by Aquaman at 8:54 AM on November 9, 2008