Full English Breakfast
Sausages, bacon, eggs, black pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans and toast, all arriving hot at the same moment. The entire skill is timing.
Method
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Heat the oven to 120°C / 250°F and put a plate in to warm. Everything cooked goes here to hold.
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Start the sausages in a cold pan with a teaspoon of oil over medium-low heat. They need 15 to 18 minutes, turning every few minutes, and rushing them splits the skins.
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After 5 minutes, add the tomato halves cut-side down to a second pan with a little oil. Season and cook 4 minutes, then turn and cook 6 minutes more until collapsing.
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Add the mushrooms to the tomato pan with a knob of butter and the thyme and cook 6 to 8 minutes until golden.
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Warm the beans in a small pan over low heat.
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When the sausages are nearly done, move them to the warm plate and cook the bacon in their fat for 2 to 3 minutes a side until the edges crisp. Move to the oven.
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Fry the black pudding in the same fat for 2 minutes a side until crisp at the edges.
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Toast the bread and butter it generously.
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Last of all, fry the eggs in the remaining fat over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, spooning the hot fat over the whites until set with a runny yolk.
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Plate everything at once, with the beans in a corner so they do not run into the rest.
Chef’s Tips
- Cold pan, slow start for the sausages. High heat splits them and leaves the centre raw.
- Use two pans. Trying to fit a full English into one is how everything ends up lukewarm.
- Keep the beans separate on the plate. This is a matter of some national feeling.
Pairing Suggestions
- A large mug of strong tea
- Serve with brown sauce or ketchup, and more toast
- Follow with a walk
Storage & Reheating
Not a make-ahead dish. Leftover components make an excellent breakfast hash the next day.
Nutritional Highlights
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.