Side Dish
Giant Yorkshire Pudding: The Sunday Roast Centrepiece
Original name: Yorkshire Pudding (Large)
About this dish
A proper large Yorkshire pudding is the undisputed star of a British Sunday roast: a single, towering batter pudding with a crisp, golden rim and a tender, hollow centre that's built to hold a flood of gravy. The batter itself is humble, just eggs, flour, milk, and a pinch of salt, but the magic happens in a blistering hot oven where beef dripping or oil sends it climbing the sides of the tin.
This version makes one magnificent large pudding, generous enough to carve at the table and share, though you'll secretly want it all to yourself. Serve it with roast beef, onion gravy, and a good slug of horseradish.
Ingredients
UK and US measurements are both included for every recipe.
Plain flour
grain140 g
Imperial measurement: 1 cup
Fine sea salt
seasoning1/2 tsp
Large eggs
protein4
Whole milk
dairy200 ml
Imperial measurement: 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp
Beef dripping (or vegetable oil)
fat4 tbsp
Method
Make the batter
PT10MIn a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour and salt together. Make a well in the centre, crack in the eggs, and pour in about half the milk. Whisk gently, drawing the flour in from the edges, until you have a thick, smooth paste. Gradually whisk in the remaining milk until the batter is lump-free and has the consistency of double cream. Cover and rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven and tin
PT10MSet a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 220°C (200°C fan / 425°F / gas mark 7). Add the beef dripping (or oil) to a large, sturdy roasting tin, about 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 inches). Place the tin in the oven for 10 minutes, until the fat is shimmering and almost smoking.
Pour the batter into the hot fat
PT1MWorking quickly and carefully, remove the hot tin from the oven. Give the batter a final whisk, then pour it all in at once in a steady stream. It should sizzle loudly as it hits the fat. Immediately return the tin to the oven and close the door.
Bake until towering
PT25MBake undisturbed for 20–25 minutes, until the pudding has risen dramatically up the sides of the tin and is deep golden brown and crisp. Resist opening the oven door for at least the first 15 minutes, as a draft can cause it to collapse.
Serve immediately
PT2MRemove the pudding from the oven and take it straight to the table in its tin. Cut into wedges and serve at once, with plenty of gravy poured into the hollow centre. It will start to deflate as it cools, so timing is everything.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring jug
- Large roasting tin (about 20 x 30 cm / 8 x 12 inches)
- Oven
Nutrition facts
Tips
- Resting the batter gives the flour time to hydrate, which helps the pudding rise higher and taste more tender.
- If.
- If you're short on time, even 15 minutes makes a difference.
- The fat must be genuinely hot, almost smoking, before the batter goes in. That instant sizzle is what creates the crisp, puffed edges.
- For a vegetarian version, use a neutral vegetable oil or a plant-based dripping substitute. The rise will be slightly less dramatic but still delicious.
- Don't open the oven door during the first 15 minutes of baking. Yorkshire puddings are notoriously sensitive to drafts and will collapse if the temperature drops suddenly.
Serving suggestions
- Serve alongside roast beef, roast potatoes, and seasonal greens for a classic Sunday roast.
- Fill the hollow centre with rich onion gravy and a spoonful of horseradish cream.
- Cut into wedges and pass around as a starter with a jug of gravy for dipping.
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Recipe by
Imogen Hawthorne
Specialises in British cuisineImogen makes bangers and mash with onion gravy that she reduces for hours. She is a patient masher.
Describe yourself in three words: Mashy, oniony, banger queen.