These towering James Martin Yorkshire Puddings are made with plain flour, 8 fresh eggs, full-fat milk, and savory beef dripping. This recipe creates huge, crispy golden shells with soft, airy centers, served with a rich, glossy homemade onion gravy. They are the perfect side dish for a traditional Sunday roast beef dinner or a comforting winter meal.
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Why You Will Love This Yorkshire Puds Recipe:
- The “Sky-High” Rise: The secret to those massive, skyscraper puddings you see in gastropubs is the egg count. This recipe uses 8 eggs, which creates a structural network strong enough to trap huge amounts of steam, making them rise taller than you thought possible.
- The “Steam Vent” Trick: James Martin uses a professional bakery technique: opening the oven door briefly at the end of cooking. This releases trapped moisture, ensuring your puddings don’t collapse or get soggy the moment they hit the plate.
- Complex Gravy: This isn’t just thickened stock. The combination of Madeira, Sherry, and Red Wine creates a sweet, complex, and sticky glaze that clings to the pudding. It turns a side dish into a gourmet experience.
- Texture Perfection: Because the batter rests overnight, the gluten relaxes. This results in a pudding that is incredibly crisp on the outside but tender and custardy—never chewy—on the inside.
- A Meal on its Own: These puddings are so substantial and flavorful that they don’t actually need meat. Served with just the onion gravy, they make a fantastic budget-friendly starter or light supper.
James Martin Yorkshire Puddings Ingredients
For the Yorkshire Puddings:
- 200g (8oz) plain flour
- 8 free-range eggs
- 1 pint (568ml) full-fat milk
- 8 tsp dripping, duck fat, or goose fat
For the Onion Gravy:
- 3 onions, peeled and finely sliced
- 25g butter
- 100ml Madeira wine
- 25ml sherry
- 50ml red wine
- 500ml veal jus (or rich beef stock)
How To Make James Martin Yorkshire Puddings
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, eggs, and milk together until you have a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Rest the batter: Cover the bowl with cling film and place it in the fridge to rest overnight. This step is crucial for a good rise.
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 430°F (220°C).
- Heat the fat: Place 1 teaspoon of dripping (or duck/goose fat) into each hole of a pudding tin (or 8 separate moulds). Place the tins in the oven until the fat is smoking hot.
- Bake the puddings: Carefully remove the tins. Pour or ladle the cold batter into the hot fat. Return to the oven immediately and cook for 30 minutes. Do not open the door.
- Vent and crisp: After 30 minutes, open the oven door for a few seconds to let the steam escape. Reduce the temperature to 400°F (200°C) and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until they are crisp and golden.
- Start the gravy: While the puddings cook, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the sliced onions and cook slowly until they are soft and deeply colored (caramelized).
- Finish the sauce: Add the Madeira, sherry, red wine, and veal jus to the onions. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the liquid has reduced by half and thickened. Serve the hot gravy over the puddings.
Recipe Tips
- The 8-Egg Rule: This recipe uses a very high egg content (8 eggs). This creates a structure similar to a soufflé, ensuring the puddings rise incredibly high and stay tall.
- Resting is Essential: Letting the batter rest overnight allows the gluten in the flour to relax. This removes any “chewiness” and helps the puddings rise evenly without shrinking.
- Releasing the Steam: The step of opening the oven door after 30 minutes is a professional trick. It releases trapped moisture (steam), allowing the heat to dry out the shell so the pudding becomes crisp rather than soggy.
- Veal Jus: The gravy calls for veal jus, which is a very concentrated, gelatinous stock used by chefs. If you cannot find it, use the highest quality beef stock you can find, perhaps reduced down a little before using.
What To Serve With Yorkshire Puddings?
While traditionally served with Roast Beef, these giant puddings are good enough to be a course on their own. Serve them as a “starter” with the rich onion gravy for a full meal, pair them with creamy mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, and braised red cabbage.
How To Store Leftovers Yorkshire Puddings?
- Refrigerate: Store leftover puddings in an airtight bag or container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Store the gravy separately.
- Freeze: Yorkshire puddings freeze perfectly. Once cool, freeze them in a bag for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in a hot oven for 5-8 minutes to crisp them up.
How To Reheat Leftovers Yorkshire Puddings?
Important Rule: Never reheat a Yorkshire pudding that has already been covered in gravy. It will turn into mush. Reheat the puddings and the gravy separately.
1. The Oven Method (The Best Result)
This method makes them taste almost exactly like they were freshly baked.
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Check Price: £12.50 »- Preheat: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place: Put the puddings directly on the oven rack or on a baking sheet. Do not cover them.
- Bake: Heat for 4 to 6 minutes.
- Result: The outside will be crispy and brittle, while the inside remains soft.
2. The Air Fryer Method (The Quickest)
If you are just reheating one or two puddings, this is the fastest way.
- Temperature: Set the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
- Heat: Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Check: Shake the basket halfway through to ensure the hot air hits all sides.
FAQs:
This usually happens if you open the oven door too early (before the structure is set) or if the fat wasn’t smoking hot when you added the batter.
Yes, vegetable oil works fine and gets very hot. However, beef dripping or duck fat adds a savory, meaty flavor that complements the gravy perfectly.
You can substitute these with a splash of balsamic vinegar or just use a little more red wine. The alcohol adds sweetness and depth, but the onions provide the main flavor.
You can, but they won’t rise as high. If you are in a rush, try to let the batter rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
Try More Recipes:
- James Martin Toad In The Hole
- James Martin shepherd’s pie
- James Martin Saturday Morning Lasagne Recipe
Yorkshire Puddings Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 pudding with gravy (serves 8)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Total Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Cholesterol: 215mg
- Sodium: 180mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 28g
- Dietary Fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 4g
- Protein: 12g
James Martin Yorkshire Puds
Course: Dinner, Lunch, SidesCuisine: American, BritishDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes40
minutes320
kcalPrep time : 15 (+overnight rest )
Ingredients
- Puddings:
200g flour
8 eggs
1 pint full-fat milk
8 tsp dripping or duck fat
- Gravy:
3 onions, sliced
25g butter
100ml Madeira & 25ml Sherry
50ml red wine
500ml veal jus
Directions
- Batter: Whisk flour, eggs, and milk. Rest in fridge overnight.
- Heat: Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F). Heat dripping in moulds until smoking.
- Bake: Pour batter into moulds. Bake 30 mins.
- Crisp: Vent oven steam briefly. Reduce heat to 200°C (400°F). Bake 5-10 mins more.
- Gravy: Caramelize onions in butter. Add alcohol and jus. Boil and reduce by half.
- Serve: Serve puddings topped with gravy.
