Yorkshire Pudding (For Beef Roasts)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •8-inch (20 cm) square deep heavy-gauge metal baking pan
• •Small saucepan
• •Medium mixing bowl
• •Whisk
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Heatproof pouring jug
• •Long oven mitts

Instructions

1. 1

   Set oven and milk

   Set an oven rack in the upper-middle position. Once the beef joint comes out to rest, raise the oven to 450°F (230°C) and let it reach full heat. Bring the milk to a complete boil in a small saucepan, remove it from the heat, and cool it until lukewarm, about 15 minutes. The source calls for boiled milk, but cooling it before mixing prevents the eggs from setting on contact.

2. 2

   Mix the appareil

   Put the sifted flour in a bowl and make a well. Add the eggs one by one, working each fully into the flour before adding the next. Pour in the boiled, cooled milk little by little, whisking each addition smooth before continuing. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. The appareil should pour like thin cream. If it has lumps, don't thicken it with more flour. Ça se rattrape: pass it through a fine sieve into a pouring jug, pressing the last small lumps through with a spatula.

3. 3

   Heat the dripping

   Put the beef dripping in an 8-inch (20 cm) deep metal baking pan and heat it in the fully heated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fat shimmers and is just beginning to smoke. Using long oven mitts, set the pan on a heatproof surface and tilt it carefully so the dripping coats the bottom. Test it with one drop of appareil: it must hiss fiercely and set at once. If the drop sits quietly, stop and return the pan to the oven for another 3 to 5 minutes. Cold dripping and the pudding never rises.

   Use a deep metal pan, not glass. Metal takes the fierce heat quickly, while glass risks thermal shock when cool appareil meets the hot dish.
4. 4

   Bake without peeking

   Pour the appareil promptly into the hot dripping, keeping your hands clear of any splatter, and return the pan to the oven at once. Bake for 15 minutes at 450°F (230°C), then reduce the temperature to 400°F (200°C) without opening the door. Continue for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pudding stands high at the edges, the ridges are deep bronze, and the center is set rather than wet. Do not open the oven during the first 20 minutes. If the center remains pale after the edges have browned, lower the heat to 375°F (190°C) and give it another 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Feed with roast juices

   Once the pudding is risen, crisp, and fully set, draw the pan out and spoon the hot beef roasting juices over the tender center and into the lower folds, leaving the proud top ridges crisp. Return it to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes so the juices soak in. If liquid pools instead of absorbing, tip away the excess and bake for another 3 minutes. Ça se rattrape, but don't drown what the dripping worked so hard to raise.

6. 6

   Cut and serve

   Run a thin spatula around the edges, lift the Pouding du Yorkshire onto a warm board, and cut it into four squares or generous lozenges, exactly as the source directs. Set the pieces around the roast or serve them separately with more hot beef juices at the table. Bring them out immediately, while the ridges remain crisp and the centers are still tender. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Use rendered beef dripping, not butter, margarine, or a neutral oil. The source builds the pudding around the flavor and fierce cooking heat of beef fat; replacing it changes the intent as well as the taste.
• •The appareil is much thinner than many modern versions because the book uses abundant boiled milk. Don't correct it with extra flour. Its egg-rich fluidity gives a tender center beneath the crisp, bronzed ridges.
• •Time the pudding for the beef's resting period. Remove the joint, raise the oven heat, warm the dripping, and bake while the meat settles. A large roast can rest loosely covered for the full half hour without complaint.
• •Serve with the roast's own juices or jus and the same red wine poured for the beef. A firm Bordeaux or a savory northern Rhône has enough structure for the joint without bullying the pudding.

Advance Preparation

• •Rendered beef dripping can be strained and refrigerated well ahead. Measure it while cold, then let the oven bring it to near-smoking heat in the baking pan.
• •The flour can be sifted and the seasonings measured earlier in the day. The milk may also be boiled ahead, covered, and cooled, but let it lose its refrigerator chill before mixing the appareil.
• •Bake the pudding while the beef rests whenever possible. If it must wait, cool it uncovered so the crust doesn't soften, then reheat it for 6 to 8 minutes at 425°F (220°C) before adding the hot roasting juices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 115g)