Traditional British Pub Food.

See that title, well, it’s not 100% correct.  When it comes to the word “traditional”, it’s geared towards the foods that are well known for that part of the United Kingdom.  Also, it has to be taken into account that other countries influenced each other.  Those, in England, did not stay put, as could be said for Scotland, Ireland and Wales, with a smattering of isles here and there.

Oh, and don’t forget all the invaders from Northern Europe (those Vikings were a randy bunch), and the Romans that marched through (the originators of the One World Order ideal).

When I write about British recipes, they are the typical ones I have seen depicted in television shows, movies, or written in one of my favorite genres, British mysteries.  I have already shared a few, San Juan Record, July 03, 2018 – The Cornish Pasty; June 26, 2024 – English Style Fish and Chips; and March 19, 2025 – The Ploughman’s Lunch.  When it comes to Shepherd’s Pie though, do a search on my food blog and you will find recipes that use the traditional ground lamb, and the not so traditional ground beef, elk, venison and alpaca.  Remember though, when I say “British”, it also refers to the influences from the surrounding countries of the United Kingdom.

So, if my kitchen was a typical pub kitchen, what would be on the menu?  Besides what I mentioned above, there would be: Bangers and Mash, Bubble and Squeak, Toad in the Hole, Yorkshire Pudding, and variations of Shepherd’s Pie, one featuring chicken.  Reading the first three recipe names, I bet you are wondering if I am cooking up food, or creating a weird new comic series. Yes, they are actual names of recipes which I will share with you.  By the way, the main meat ingredient for those three recipes is sausages; oh, those Brits just love their sausages.

 

Bangers and Mash

Bangers and mash is a traditional dish consisting of sausages and mashed potato. The dish is usually served with onion gravy, but may also include fried onions and peas.

 

 

 

 

Bubble and Squeak

Bubble and squeak is a dish made from cooked potatoes and cabbage, mixed together and fried.  Since cabbage contains a lot of water, it tends to make "bubbly" and squeaking noises as it wilts and cooks.

If, after making the first two recipes, you happen to have loads of mashed potatoes and chopped cabbage available, how about going Irish?  Colcannon, aka Irish Mashed Potatoes, is an Irish mashed potato recipe made with greens (cabbage, kale or mustard greens), scallions, and plenty of butter and cream.

 

 

 

Toad-in-the-Hole

 Toad in the hole is a traditional dish consisting of sausages in Yorkshire pudding batter, usually served with onion gravy and vegetables. Historically, the dish has also been prepared using other meats, such as rump steak and lamb's kidneys.

 

 

 

Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire pudding is a baked pudding (more a bread than a dessert pudding) made from a batter of eggs, flour, and milk, traditionally served with roast beef or as part of a roast dinner in British cuisine. It's known for its puffy, crispy exterior and soft, slightly doughy interior. The batter is similar to pancake batter but thicker, and it's often cooked in hot fat, traditionally beef drippings, which contributes to its savory flavor. 

 

Yes, I have a traditional Yorkshire Pudding baking tin which consists of 6 cups/compartments, that are not attached like a typical muffin tin pan.  Metal rods hold each cup separate from each other.  They are deeper than muffin tins, so the puddings can rise up higher, crispier on the outside, and fluffier, yet still doughy, on the inside.

 

 

 

Shepherd's Pie/Cottage Pie

Cottage pie is a meat pie, traditionally made with ground beef, vegetables, and gravy, topped with mashed potatoes. In the USA, cheddar cheese is often mixed into the mashed potatoes.  While the terms cottage pie and shepherd's pie are often used interchangeably, shepherd's pie is traditionally made with ground lamb or mutton, and parmesan cheese is mixed into the mashed potatoes.

 

Traditional Shepherd’s Pie/Cottage Pie

Ingredients:

The Filling:

2 ½ lbs. ground lamb or beef (depending on which pie is being made)

1 large onion, diced

1 (4 oz.) can mushrooms, diced

2 Tbsp. tomato sauce or ketchup

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 (16 oz.) bag frozen peas and carrots

1 Tbsp. each crushed dry thyme and marjoram

1 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. flour

1 cup beef stock

The Topping:

6 large potatoes, peeled and cut up

4 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup milk

6 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Paprika

Preparation:

In a large skillet, high heat, brown the meat and drain excess oil.  Add the onion and mushrooms, letting cook till the onion softens.  Add tomato and Worcester sauces, frozen vegetables, herbs, pepper, flour and beef stock; mix thoroughly and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 15 minutes.

While meat mixture is simmering, boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.  Drain and mash the potatoes, add butter, milk, grated cheese and pepper to the potatoes.

Preheat oven to 375F.  In a 3-quart rectangular baking dish, spread 1/2 potatoes on bottom of baking dish; spread out the meat mixture; top with the other 1/2 of potatoes; sprinkle paprika over top.  Bake for 30-40minutes; potatoes should be lightly browned, and the pie heated throughout.

Makes 8 – 10 servings.  

When it comes to pure comfort food, this mixture of baked potatoes, meat and vegetables is definitely a must have. 

Creating the chicken cottage pie, cooked and chopped chicken breasts were used, instead of beef.  Whole kernel corn was added to the vegetables, instead of mushrooms.  Instead of tomato sauce or ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, I used 1 (10.5 oz.) can of cream of chicken soup, plus ½ cup milk for an extra creamy sauce.  When it comes to shepherd’s pie/cottage pie, not everyone eats a red meat of some type, so chicken is a great substitute.

There are so many cookbooks geared towards English pub foods, and if you’re wanting to purchase one, I say go for the older editions.  They have the more traditional recipes listed, instead of being updated to more modern trends and fads.  "Pip pip, cheerio, and all that rot!"

Mary Cokenour 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Enclosed Sandwich.

Now while the Earl of Sandwich gets the credit for giving this one handed meal of bread, cheese and/or meat its official name; the concept was around for centuries before his birth. What's Cooking America.net gives a history going back to the 1st century, and the Earl certainly wasn't a spark in anybody's eye at that time.

While the sandwich is an "open ended" meal, there are many cultures which have the "enclosed" sandwich, or meat pie. The Italian Calzone, the Cornish Pasty, the Mexican Empanada, Chinese Roast Pork Buns, and dare I say it...the American "Hot Pocket" are just a few.  A crusty pocket of dough containing a filling of meat and perhaps cheese and vegetables, depending on the culture's tastes. A one handed meal, like the sandwich, but very unlikely the filling will fall, or be squashed, out from between the bread. The versatility of the meat pie is that it can be made with any type of dough, including pie or phyllo doughs which make a flakier pastry shell.

In my family's culture, Croatian, there is a meat pie called Burek containing beef, lamb, vegetables and seasonings. Sold in bakeries, this is their version of "fast food"; an on-the-go meal that can be eaten with one hand and quickly. I like to make mine with phyllo dough which I can find in the frozen food section of most supermarkets; otherwise I use pie dough, as I enjoy the flakier crust more.

Recently, via Facebook, I found relatives in Croatia that I never knew about, but we're all finally getting to know each other. So, I'm dedicating this blog post to them, and hope I've got the recipe correct and am doing them proud.

Burek(Won Second Place for Better Homes and Magazines Recipe Contest – Appeared in January 1998 issue.)

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground lamb
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped pickled beets
1 Tbsp snipped fresh parsley
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 ½ cups beef broth
9 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
½ cup butter, melted

Preparation:
In a large skillet, cook beef, lamb and onion over medium-high heat until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain excess grease; stir in beets, parsley, paprika, black and red pepper, and egg; set aside in large bowl.

In small saucepan, melt the ¼ cup of butter, stir in the flour to make a paste; gradually add in the beef broth, stirring constantly; mixture will thicken. Add this to the meat mixture, stir, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or until completely cooled.

Preheat oven to 400F; spray a 15” x 10” x 1” jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray.

To assemble: stack 3 of the phyllo sheets, brushing each one with the melted butter; cut stack in half, crosswise Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets to get 6 large rectangular stacks. Spread ¾ cup of meat mixture at one end, leaving a one inch margin; begin rolling the phyllo towards the other end, tuck in the ends to seal and place seam side down on the pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 180F.

Makes 6 servings.

Mary Cokenour
August 1997