Easy Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire pudding has nothing to do with pudding in the American sense. It’s a savory popover, born in northern England as a clever way to stretch a Sunday joint of beef. The drippings from the roast become the cooking fat. The pan version here is the home-cook shortcut, which lets you skip the muffin tin and bake the whole batch in one shot.

The pan and the fat must be screaming hot before the batter hits it. That’s the rule. A cold pan means a flat, dense pudding instead of the dramatic puff and crisp edges you’re after. Setting the drippings in the oven while you mix the batter handles this without fuss.

The batter itself is simple: four eggs, two cups milk, two cups flour, salt. Beat it smooth. Optional herbs (basil, rosemary, thyme) lift it from plain side dish to something with a little more presence on the plate.

Cut into squares the moment it comes out of the oven. The puddings deflate fast, and that’s normal.

Pro Tips

• Save drippings from a roast beef and refrigerate. They keep for weeks and beat any substitute.
• If you don’t have drippings, neutral oil works but loses the beefy flavor. Bacon fat is a respectable substitute.
• Do not open the oven door during baking. The puddings collapse instantly from a temperature drop.
• A pan with high sides matters. Shallow pans let the batter spread and you lose the rise.

Variations

• Bake in a muffin tin for individual puddings, about 15 minutes at the same temperature.
• Add a teaspoon of horseradish to the batter for a sharp British roast-beef pairing.
• Make smaller portions in a popover pan and serve with roast beef gravy ladled into the center.