Admittedly, the food we sell is not exactly summer food. Our specialties revolve around pastry filled with savory items that require baking. We know the summer heat doesn't lend itself to baking, so we're here to offer some backround and ideas on some of our more summer friendly items.
Sausages were introduced to the British Isles by the Romans around 4th century. If you've ever purchased a link of sausage from an Italian butcher, you might notice they can purchased in one long continuous link. British sausages were made this way up until the 17th century when Charles I requested the sausages be portioned into links. Our bangers and cumberland sausages are somewhere inbetween a continuous link and portioned. Every batch of sausage we produce is hand stuffed by us, so we stuff each casing, hand tie each sausage link, and portion the links into approximately 1 pound packages.
Our bangers are akin to a breakfast sausage in flavor, though there is no sage. They are perfect for breakfast, of course, but historically they're good for supper as well. The classic dish Bangers & Mash pairs sausage and mashed root vegetables of your choosing, traditionally mashed potatoes. The bangers are often cooked in gravy or gravy is ladled on top of the dish before serving. We're excited to give you our grilled bangers & mash recipe below, but first let's talk about some history.
Where did the term banger originate? During World War 1, meat was not easy to obtain in Europe. Sausages had to be made with cheaper, more plentiful ingredients and more water. This caused the sausages to bang while being cooked in a pan. Hence, the banger was born. While our bangers contain no fillers, the USDA definition of a banger is a "A sausage-like product prepared with meat and varying amounts of rusk or other cereals. The label must show percentage of rusk (or other cereal) adjacent to product name in prominent lettering. May be labeled British, Scottish or Irish Style," (https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/impo...
GRILLED BANGERS AND MASH RECIPE
If you want to watch Joe make this recipe, follow this link to our TikTok!
History aside, we're not making these bangers in a pan. Instead, we suggest grilling them for this recipe. Grilling is ideal for summer. This recipe is quite simple, too! All you'll need is (Items can be purchased here by clicking the links):
- One Pound of Bangers - thawed
- One Pound of Neeps & Tatties (preferably thawed)
- Bisto (or your favorite gravy powder or gravy)
- Your Favorite Beer
Start by heating your grill. Remove the bangers from the bag and carefully separate them with a knife. Once they're separated, they're ready to be grilled, but first, place the tray of neeps & tatties on the grill over indirect heat and close the cover. They'll need about 20-30 minutes depending on the heat of your grill. While the neeps are cooking, start your gravy on the stovetop. Cook the gravy according to the directions on the package substituting your liquid of choice. With about 10 minutes left on the neeps & tatties, place the bangers on the grill. Once cooked, you're ready to plate! Start by scooping a generous amount of neeps & tatties on the plate then top with 3 bangers and finish with gravy. Serves 3 to 4.