Sausages and Mash

Ingredients

• For the sausages:
  • 8 sausages
• For the mashed potatoes:
  • 900g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward (about 5 to 6 medium potatoes)
  • 30g butter
  • 100ml milk
  • salt
  • black pepper
• For the onion gravy:
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 300ml beef or vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, optional
  • gravy granules sufficient to make 300ml gravy, optional shortcut
  • salt

Method

Mashed Potatoes

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into evenly sized 4 to 5cm chunks.
2. Put them in a saucepan of cold salted water, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes. They are ready when a knife passes through the centre without resistance.
3. Drain the potatoes well and leave them in the colander to steam-dry for 1 minute.
4. Return them to the saucepan and mash until smooth. Mix in the butter, then gradually add the milk until the mash has the consistency you like. Season with salt and black pepper, and avoid overworking it.

Sausages

1. Follow the cooking instructions on the packet when they differ from this guidance.
2. As an oven fallback, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the sausages on a baking tray and cook for approximately 25 to 30 minutes, turning them halfway through. Alternatively, cook them in a frying pan over medium-low heat for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, turning frequently so they brown evenly.
3. Check the centre of the thickest sausage with a clean food thermometer: it should remain at 75C for at least 30 seconds. Without a thermometer, cut into the thickest sausage and check that it is piping hot throughout, with no pink meat and clear juices. Cook for longer if necessary.

Onion Gravy

1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
3. Gradually pour in the stock while stirring so the gravy remains smooth. Add the Worcestershire sauce, if using, and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, until the gravy lightly coats the back of a spoon. Add a splash of water if it becomes too thick, or simmer it for a little longer if it is too thin.
4. For a quicker alternative, omit the flour and stock, make 300ml gravy with granules according to the packet instructions, stir it into the cooked onions, and simmer for 2 minutes.

Notes

Starting the potato chunks in cold salted water allows their centres and outsides to heat and cook evenly. Adding them to already-boiling water can soften and break down the outsides before the centres are tender, producing unevenly cooked potatoes and inconsistent mash.

Bicarbonate of soda is not recommended here. Its alkalinity accelerates the breakdown of the potato surface, which is useful when creating rough, crisp edges on roast potatoes but can make potatoes for mash disintegrate, become waterlogged, or acquire a slightly alkaline taste. A floury potato and a gentle simmer provide a fluffy mash without it.

Avoid overworking the mash because vigorous or prolonged mixing ruptures more of the cooked potato cells and releases excess starch. This can turn fluffy mash sticky, elastic, or gluey. Use a hand masher or potato ricer while the potatoes are still hot, stop once the large lumps have gone, and fold in the butter and milk gently. Do not use a blender or food processor.