There cannot possibly be a food more deserving of the title “pub grub” than bangers and mash. This hearty, stick-to-your-ribs dish is original to Ireland and other parts of the U.K., and a real treat on St. Patrick’s Day, but its history reflects hard times for the Irish people. During W.W. I meat shortages, sausage makers resorted to stuffing the links with lesser amounts of pork or lamb, substituting fillers and higher-than-usual water concentration. As they cooked, the sausages exploded from their casings with a banging sound. Thus, “bangers.”
Today, you don’t have to look very hard to find a more meat-centric version of the sausages, and I found this delicious variety made by Johnsonville. They are slightly sweet, but with plenty of garlic flavor that I think holds up nicely to the dark stout beer used in the thick onion gravy. If you can’t find sausage that is labeled specifically as “Irish,” I would recommend any bratwurst-type of sausage as a fine substitute.
The Irish, especially peasant populations, have always relied heavily on the nutrient-dense potato, for its fiber, antioxidants and minerals (especially potassium). Potatoes contain a resistant starch that is not absorbed by the body, but provides a vehicle to deliver nutrients to feed our gut bacteria, which is crucial for overall good health. Isn’t it nice to know that a favorite comfort food can actually be good for you? At our house, it’s a rare occasion to have any kind of potatoes other than my beloved’s fabulous garlic mashed, but their richness, and especially the parm-romano flavor, is not quite right for this meal. I’ve taken a different direction, using buttermilk and a moderate amount of butter to cream them up a bit, and a couple of spoons of horseradish, which gives them legs to stand under the intensely flavored Guinness onion gravy.
My version of the gravy begins with sautéed onions, and is finished with a very generous glug of Guinness stout, plus some broth. This gravy is big and bold, and if you wish, you can shift the ratio of stout or leave it out altogether in favor of beef broth—that’s up to you.
The preparation of these three components (bangers, mash and gravy) will happen concurrently; if you are working ahead, the whole meal heats up nicely as leftovers.
Ingredients
Package of Irish banger sausages (or similar substitute)
1/2 cup Guinness stout ale*
2 1/2 lbs. starchy potatoes (I used a combination of russet and golds)
4 Tbsp. salted butter
1/2 cup thick buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper
Guinness Onion Gravy
3 Tbsp. salted butter
1 large yellow onion, sliced (mine was about the size of a softball)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup Guinness stout ale
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp. beef bouillon base*
2 tsp. dark brown sugar
Salt and pepper
*Notes
The Guinness stout ale is very strong, and carries a somewhat bitter note. I believe the secret to making delicious gravy with the stout is cooking it slowly, so the malty flavors remain but the alcohol cooks out and mellows in flavor. If you are averse to the bitter flavor, or avoiding alcohol, substitute a hearty beef stock for similar results. This recipe calls for a 12 oz. bottle; you will use part of it to simmer the sausages and the rest to finish the onion gravy. I purchased the “Foreign Extra” stout, but for less intense flavor, use a Guinness draught stout.
I use vegetable broth regularly for the nutrients and flavors, and I have amped up the flavor with a hearty spoon of beef bouillon base. If you prefer, skip the base and use beef broth.
Instructions
Let’s run through it together in pictures, then scroll to find written instructions, and a downloadable version you can print for your recipe files.
Get the potatoes cooking. Simmer the sausages in about 1/2 cup of the Guinness, until they are plump and stout is nearly gone. I used an extra bold version of Guinness, but for less intense flavor, regular Guinness draught is good. 
Melt the butter with buttermilk while the potatoes are draining. 
I used a combination of starchy russet potatoes and creamy Yukon golds, and the result was a soft, fluffy mash. 
Set the sausages aside while you make the gravy in the same pot. Pour off any remaining stout into the broth mixture. 
Season as desired with salt and pepper. These potatoes are decidedly less rich and creamy than the recipe we usually make at our house, but they are right for this traditional recipe. 
On a whim, I decided to add horseradish to my mashed potatoes, and it was a great addition alongside the intense gravy. 
Melt the butter in the same pot used for plumping the sausages. 
Add the sliced onions and garlic and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and cook until they are soft and translucent. 
Do you notice how the Guinness residue is blackening my pot as this recipe progresses? It was a mess by the time I finished! 🙂 
When onions are soft and caramelized, sprinkle in the flour to create a roux for thickening the gravy. 
Cook the onions and flour until the mixture sticks to the bottom of the pot, then add half of the remaining Guinness right to the center of the pot. 
The Guinness will de-glaze the pan in a jiffy, and the roux will thicken. Add the rest of the Guinness and continue to cook. 
Add in the broth-beef base mixture and cook, stirring frequently, for at least 25 minutes. Do not rush this step, as the simmering helps to cook off the bitterness of the Guinness. 
A generous spoonful of dark brown sugar softens any remaining bitter flavors of the gravy. 
When the gravy is ready, brown the simmered sausages in a lightly oiled cast-iron skillet. 
Plate a heap of the mashed potatoes, then spoon on a bit of gravy. Top with the browned bangers and more Guinness gravy.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Cook in salted water over medium-low heat until fork tender.
- Drain potatoes in a colander (reserve the water, if you wish, to make a batch of my sourdough potato bread with onions and dill). While potatoes drain, add butter and buttermilk to the cooking pot over medium heat until butter is mostly melted.
- Return hot potatoes to the pot and mash, seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in horseradish and additional butter, if desired.
- While the potatoes are cooking, place a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and pour in 1/2 cup of the Guinness stout. Add sausages to the stout and simmer, turning sausages a few times, until sausage is plump and stout is reduced to a couple of tablespoons. This should be about 25 minutes. Transfer sausages to a separate dish and set aside to make the gravy.
- Pour any reduced stout into a glass measuring cup, along with vegetable broth and beef base.
- Add butter to the same pot used to simmer the sausages, and add onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and sauté over medium heat until onions are soft and translucent, at least 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour over onions in butter and stir until onions are coated and flour begins to cook. This is a roux that will be the thickener for your gravy. When the bottom of the pan begins to accumulate cooked, stuck-on flour, move the onions aside and pour in about half of the remaining Guinness stout. Stir, scraping up the cooked flour from the bottom.
- When the pan is de-glazed, pour in the remaining stout and the broth mixture, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and reduced. You should take about 25 minutes for this step; don’t rush it, as simmering is necessary to blend the flavors and reduce the bitterness of the stout. Give it a taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired. If the gravy is overly bitter, stir in the brown sugar and simmer a few more minutes.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Swirl in a small amount of olive oil and add the plump banger sausages. Cook and turn until sausages are fully reheated and nicely browned.
- Plate the mashed potatoes, spoon on a bit of Guinness gravy, then top with bangers and a generous ladle of the onion gravy.
Comfort du Jour 
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