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Ingredients
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Sausages & cooking
Onion gravy
Method
Sausages & cooking
Brown and finish sausages
Bring sausages to room temperature for 15 minutes. Heat a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbs vegetable oil and 1 tbs unsalted butter. When the butter foams, add the 6 Cumberland sausages in a single layer. Brown on all sides for 6–8 minutes, turning frequently to avoid bursting skins. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan with a lid, and cook gently for a further 8–10 minutes until sausages are cooked through (internal temperature 70°C / 160°F). Remove sausages from the pan to a warm plate and cover loosely with foil; leave the cooking fat in the pan — it will be used for the gravy.
Onion gravy
Prepare onions and garlic
While the sausages rest or during the final few minutes of sausage cooking, peel and thinly slice 2 medium yellow onions into half-moons. Finely mince 2 garlic cloves.
Caramelize onions
With the pan still over medium heat (using the leftover fat from cooking the sausages), add the sliced onions. If the pan is very dry, add up to 1 tsp additional oil. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for 12–15 minutes until soft, deeply golden and beginning to caramelize. Lower the heat if they brown too quickly. Add the minced garlic for the last 1–2 minutes and cook until fragrant.
Deglaze and simmer
Gradually pour in 500 ml beef stock while stirring or whisking to avoid lumps, scraping any browned bits from the pan base. Add 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, and 1 tsp brown sugar. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower heat and simmer for 6–8 minutes until the gravy thickens and the flavors meld. If the gravy becomes too thick, stir in up to 100 ml water a little at a time to reach your desired consistency.
Season and finish
Taste and season the gravy with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves if using. Return the sausages and any accumulated juices to the pan, spooning gravy over them, and simmer together for 2–3 minutes to reheat sausages and meld flavors. If you prefer a smoother gravy, remove the sausages and pulse the gravy briefly with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender, then return to the pan and warm through.