The Yorkshire Pudding Takes Centre Stage

At Ray’s 3rd Generation Bistro Bakery in Alton, chef Jason Perkins strips Sunday dinner back to its Yorkshire pudding best.

March 20, 2017 | Tralee Pearce | Main Dishes

Chef Jason Perkins of Ray’s 3^rd Generation Bistro Bakery drew the inspiration for his Yorkshire Pudding stuffed with Braised Beef Short Ribs from a restaurant meal he enjoyed last year in Port Dover – a full prime rib dinner which, as often happens, left the Yorkshire pudding sidelined as too filling for an already big meal. “I thought it might be nice just on its own,” he recalls. “It might be all you need.”

He has made the light-as-air popovers the star. The rib meat (braised in the Black Oak nut brown ale, on tap there), mashed potatoes, sharp cheese, horseradish mayo and demi-glace are the supporting cast. The silver lining: all the steps can be done a day ahead.

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Fill each muffin cup with about 3 tbsp of batter or until it reaches the top. Put into oven for 10 minutes at 500ºF, then reduce to 350ºF for another 10–15 minutes. Photo by Pete Paterson. Styling Jane Fellowes.

Yorkshire Pudding

Serves

Ingredients

1½ cups vegetable oil
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 cup eggs (about 8–9 eggs)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Braised short ribs, shredded
Mashed potatoes (about 6 Yukon gold)
1 cup smoked cheddar, shredded
Horseradish mayonnaise (50-50 prepared horsradish and mayonnaise)
Reserved rib braising liquid or optional veal demi-glace

Instructions

Preheat oven to 500°F.
In a 12-muffin tray, fill each cup with 2 tbsp of vegetable oil.
Place in the oven for 10–15 minutes, until piping hot.
In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, milk and eggs together with salt and pepper.
Strain batter through a sieve to remove lumps.
Fill each muffin cup with about 3 tbsp of batter or until it reaches the top. Put into oven for 10 minutes at 500ºF, then reduce to 350ºF for another 10–15 minutes.
Puddings are done when they’ve puffed up to double (or more) their original volume. Set aside to cool.
Change oven setting to 400°F.
Make an opening in the top of each Yorkshire pudding.
Insert about 1 tbsp of meat and 1 tbsp of mashed potatoes into each one and top with 1 tbsp of cheese.
Put in the oven for 3–5 minutes, until  the cheese has melted. Serve with horseradish mayonnaise and the reserved braising liquid or veal demi-glace.