English Breakfast Recipe

Prepare ingredients

Remove sausages from the fridge 10–15 minutes before cooking so they come closer to room temperature. Halve the tomatoes, wipe and slice mushrooms if needed, slice black pudding into 8 even slices, and bring eggs to room temperature if possible. Open the can of baked beans and set aside.

Preheat pans and oven

Preheat the oven to 120°C / 250°F (keep cooked items warm). Heat a large heavy frying pan or skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Also place a second smaller nonstick pan over medium-low heat for eggs or for mushrooms if you prefer separate pans.

Cook sausages

Place the sausages in the large frying pan. Brown them gently over medium heat, turning every 3–4 minutes so they color evenly. After about 12–15 minutes (depending on size), reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until cooked through (internal temperature ~70°C/160°F) and nicely browned, about 18–20 minutes total. Transfer cooked sausages to a baking tray and keep warm in the oven.

Cook bacon

In the same pan used for sausages (drain excess fat if an excessive amount remains but leave a little for flavor), add the bacon slices in a single layer. Fry over medium heat 2–4 minutes per side until crisped to your liking. Transfer to the oven tray to keep warm.

Pan-fry black pudding

Add a little of the remaining fat or 1 tsp oil to the pan, place the black pudding slices in, and fry 1.5–2 minutes per side until the outside is crisp and warmed through. Transfer to the oven tray to keep warm.

Cook mushrooms and tomatoes

Wipe out the pan if burnt bits remain and add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon oil. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring too often so they brown, about 5–7 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove mushrooms to a plate and keep warm. In the same pan, add the halved tomatoes cut-side down and cook 2–3 minutes until slightly caramelized. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then transfer to the plate with mushrooms.

Heat baked beans

Pour the baked beans into a small saucepan and gently heat over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 5–8 minutes. Keep covered on low heat until ready to serve.

Toast bread

While beans heat, toast the bread slices until golden. Butter each slice lightly with the remaining butter and keep warm in the oven for 1–2 minutes if desired.

Fry or poach eggs

Option A — Fried eggs: Heat the smaller nonstick pan over medium with 1 tsp butter. Crack 4 eggs (2 per person) into the pan, season with salt and pepper, and cook sunny-side-up 3–4 minutes or until whites are set and yolks at desired doneness. For over-easy, flip carefully and cook 20–45 seconds more. Option B — Poached eggs: Bring a wide saucepan of water to a gentle simmer with a splash of vinegar. Crack each egg into a small cup and slip into the water. Poach 3–4 minutes for runny yolks, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Assemble and serve

Arrange 2 sausages, 2 bacon slices, 2 black pudding slices, mushrooms, a tomato half, a spoonful of baked beans, and 1–2 slices of buttered toast on each plate. Top with a fried or poached egg. Sprinkle chopped parsley and a grind of black pepper over mushrooms and eggs. Serve immediately while hot.