Bangers and mash with onion gravy is traditional Irish pub fare, and is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. Bangers are sausages so named after World War I when sausages tended to have a high water content to compensate for meat shortages.
1 ½poundsRusset potatoes, peeled and cut into slices
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
7Tablespoonsunsalted butter, divided
¼cupmilk
2large onions, peeled and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 ½cups(12 ounces) low-sodium beef broth (See Tip 2)
1TablespoonWorcestershire sauce
1 ½TablespoonsBisto or Cornstarch
Instructions
Bangers
Brown bangers or bratwurst in 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add ¼ cup water. Cover, reduce heat and cook until done (160°F internal temperature0, around 12 minutes. Keep warm.
Mashed Potatoes
Cover potatoes in a large saucepan with water. Add ½ tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil; lower the heat to medium and cook until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Return potatoes to the saucepan. Add 4 tablespoons butter, ¼ cup milk, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Mash with a potato masher or an electric mixer. Keep warm.
Onion Gravy
Whisk together beef broth, Bisto, and Worcestershire sauce. Set aside.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onions, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine. Cover with a paper towel and the skillet lid. Cook for 20 minutes.
Remove the paper towel and lid. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until nicely caramelized, about 20 additional minutes.
Add beef broth mixture to caramelized onions. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Correct the seasonings if necessary.
Serve bangers on mashed potatoes, topped with onion gravy.
Yield: 3 to 4 servings.
Video
Tips/Notes
I've used both Irish bangers and store-bought bratwurst in the past in this recipe. Both work equally well.