Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 8 pork breakfast sausages (about 500 g / 1.1 lb)
- 8 rashers back bacon (about 300 g / 10.5 oz)
- 200 g (7 oz) black pudding, sliced into 8 rounds (1 cm / 3/8 in thick)
- 4 large eggs
- 4 medium tomatoes, halved
- 300 g (10 oz) button or cremini mushrooms
- 800 g (28 oz) baked beans (2 x 400–415 g tins)
- 4 slices thick-cut white bread (for toast or fried bread)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, plus 2 tbsp butter (eggs) and 2 tbsp butter (for toast or fried bread)
- Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper
Do This
- 1) Preheat grill/broiler to high (240°C/465°F). Warm plates and set oven to 100°C/210°F to keep food hot.
- 2) Grill sausages 12–15 min, turning every 4 min. At 5 min, add tomatoes (cut side up) and oiled, seasoned mushrooms; grill 8–10 min.
- 3) Warm beans in a covered saucepan over low heat, 6–8 min, stirring once or twice.
- 4) Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, 3–4 min per side; keep warm.
- 5) Fry black pudding in the same pan, 2 min per side; keep warm.
- 6) Toast bread and butter it, or fry bread in 2 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp butter until deep golden, 1–2 min per side.
- 7) Fry sunny eggs in 1 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp butter over medium-low, 2–3 min; season. Plate everything and serve hot.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A classic British fry-up with crispy, snappy sausages, sunny eggs, and all the trimmings.
- Smart timing so everything hits the plate hot without stress.
- Choose hot buttered toast or irresistibly crisp fried bread.
- Big flavors, straightforward technique, and familiar ingredients.
Grocery List
- Produce: 4 medium tomatoes, 300 g button or cremini mushrooms, optional parsley or chives
- Dairy: Butter (at least 4 tbsp), 4 large eggs
- Pantry: 8 pork sausages, 8 rashers back bacon, 200 g black pudding, 800 g baked beans, thick-cut white bread, neutral oil, salt, black pepper
Full Ingredients
Proteins
- 8 pork breakfast sausages (about 500 g / 1.1 lb)
- 8 rashers back bacon (about 300 g / 10.5 oz)
- 200 g (7 oz) black pudding, cut into 8 slices (1 cm / 3/8 in thick)
- 4 large eggs
Vegetables
- 4 medium tomatoes, halved (prefer vine-ripened)
- 300 g (10 oz) button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and left whole or halved if large
Beans
- 800 g baked beans (2 x 400–415 g tins), with sauce
Bread
- 4 slices thick-cut white bloomer or farmhouse loaf
- For toast: 2 tbsp softened butter
- For fried bread (option): 60 ml (1/4 cup) neutral oil plus 1 tbsp butter
For Cooking & Seasoning
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (plus more for fried bread, if using)
- 2 tbsp butter (for eggs) + 1 tbsp butter (for fried bread or toast)
- Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: brown sauce or ketchup; chopped parsley or chives for garnish
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat the grill and get organized
Set your grill/broiler to high (240°C/465°F). Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and another rack in the middle. Put four plates in the oven set to 100°C/210°F to keep warm. Line a rimmed baking tray with foil for easy cleanup. Gather two frying pans (one large, one medium), a small saucepan for beans, and paper towels.
Step 2: Grill sausages, tomatoes, and mushrooms
Arrange the sausages on the foil-lined tray and place under the grill on the upper rack. Grill for 12–15 minutes, turning every 4 minutes, until deeply browned with a snappy casing and an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F. After the first 5 minutes, add the tomatoes (cut side up) to the tray, season with salt and pepper, and toss the mushrooms with 1 tbsp oil, salt, and pepper; scatter them on the tray. Grill tomatoes and mushrooms for 8–10 minutes, until tomatoes blister and mushrooms are browned but still juicy. Move finished items to the warm oven as they’re ready.
Step 3: Warm the baked beans
Pour the baked beans into a small saucepan. Warm over low heat, covered, for 6–8 minutes, stirring once or twice so the sauce stays glossy and doesn’t catch. Keep warm on the lowest heat or transfer to a small oven-safe dish and move to the warm oven.
Step 4: Fry the bacon
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high. Add 1 tsp oil if your pan isn’t well-seasoned. Lay in the back bacon and fry 3–4 minutes per side until the fat renders and the edges caramelize. Transfer to the warm oven. Spoon off excess fat, leaving about 1 tsp in the pan for the next step.
Step 5: Crisp the black pudding
In the same pan over medium heat, fry the black pudding slices for 2 minutes per side until the exterior is crisp and blackened in spots while the centers stay tender. Move to the warm oven.
Step 6: Toast or fry the bread
Toast option: Toast the bread until golden and spread immediately with 2 tbsp softened butter. Fried bread option: In a clean pan, heat 60 ml (1/4 cup) neutral oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Fry bread slices 1–2 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp, adding a little more oil if needed. Drain briefly on paper towels and season lightly with salt.
Step 7: Fry sunny eggs and plate
In a medium nonstick pan over medium-low heat, melt 1 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp oil. Crack in the eggs. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook 2–3 minutes until whites are set with lacy edges and yolks still runny. For set whites, cover for the last 30–45 seconds. Plate everything hot: sausages, bacon, black pudding, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms, a generous spoon of beans (or in a small ramekin), and toast or fried bread. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives if you like, and serve immediately.
Pro Tips
- Warm plates make a big difference—this breakfast should be piping hot.
- Stagger the grill: sausages first, then add tomatoes and mushrooms so everything finishes together.
- Black pudding cooks fast; crisp the outside without drying the middle (2 minutes per side is plenty).
- For picture-perfect sunny eggs, cook low and slow; a brief cover sets the whites without clouding the yolks.
- Prefer less grease? Make toast instead of fried bread and grill the bacon instead of pan-frying.
Variations
- Vegetarian: Use plant-based sausages, skip the black pudding, and add extra mushrooms and a hash brown or potato farl.
- Lighter: Toast bread, grill bacon on a rack, and serve a half portion of beans.
- Pub-Style: Add hash browns or potato cakes and swap beans for grilled tinned tomatoes for a different vibe.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Baked beans keep 4 days in an airtight container; reheat gently until steaming. Cooked sausages and bacon keep 3 days; reheat in a 180°C/350°F oven for 8–10 minutes. Grilled tomatoes and mushrooms keep 2 days; rewarm in a skillet. Eggs and fried bread are best made fresh. If you need to get ahead, grill sausages 1 day in advance and finish under the grill for 3–4 minutes to re-crisp before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approx. 900–1,050 kcal; Protein 38–45 g; Carbohydrates 60–70 g; Fat 55–70 g; Fiber 10–12 g; Sodium varies by brand. Values assume fried bread; using toast will reduce fat and calories.
