Do they deserve their own course? (Picture: Getty)
For many, a Yorkshire pudding is a crucial – and beloved – component of a roast dinner.
But at dinner tables up and down the country, people are quietly rebelling, and eating their Yorkshire puddings as a starter.
And before you drop your gravy boat in horror, the truth is, this is when they were traditionally supposed to be eaten.
The original purpose of the pud was that you filled up on the stodgy batter to start with, meaning you didn’t need so much of the meat and vegetables that followed – which was perfect for big families with tight budgets.
So, Yorkshire puddings aren’t meant to be hidden away on a dinner plate; they deserve their own, dedicated course.
And Callum Leslie, head chef (and Yorkshireman) at The Black Swan, York, agrees that a Yorkshire works perfectly on its own.
Callum’s recipe for the perfect Yorkshire pudding
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
5 eggs
260ml semi skimmed milk
200g plain flour
4g garlic salt
Method:
Preheat your oven to the highest temperature it will go to.
Oil your tin and put it in the over.
Whisk the eggs until they’re light and frothy.
Whisk in the milk.
Slowly add 200g of plain flour, whisking to make sure there are no lumps.
Don’t put your batter through a sieve, as that will take the air out of the mixture and stop your Yorkshires from rising.
Add 4g of garlic salt.
Put the Yorkshires in the oven for 15 mins.
Then, put the temperature down to 180C and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Once they’re ready – and only then – open the oven door and take out your perfectly cooked Yorkshire puddings.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk, he says: ‘Yorkshires are definitely worthy of being a standalone dish, served with rich onion gravy. It’s pretty common to see it as a starter these days.’
And Callum’s top tips when it comes to making the ultimate Yorkshire pudding?
‘I like to use different flavour salts like garlic or onion and put it in the batter,’ he says.
‘I also never rest the batter – but if you do, don’t add the salt in until the last minute. Otherwise, it will affect the eggs and stop your Yorkshires from rising.
‘If you’re having your Yorkshires with beef, you can render the fat down and use that instead of oil.’
There are also those that choose to save the best until last and have their Yorkshire as a dessert.
Ice cream, golden syrup and raspberries can all be added to make a delicious treat after dinner.
And considering the batter is exactly the same as a pancake, it’s not a totally left field choice – it’s called a Yorkshire ‘pudding’ after all.
Still reeling? Let us know how you eat yours.
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Yorkshire puddings aren’t meant to be hidden away on a dinner plate; they deserve their own, dedicated course.
