Onion and Mustard Gravy

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 11/15/22
Sausage and mash

Elaine Lemm

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Bangers and Mash with onion gravy is a classic British dish and you can ring the changes by jazzing up the gravy with the addition of a little mustard. 

Wholegrain mustard is the preferred choice as it also adds some texture to the gravy. You can, however, also use English mustard as this will add a real punch of flavor. 

As well as sausages, thick onion and mustard gravy is also the perfect sauce for many meat dishes including roast meats or poured into a Yorkshire pudding. The gravy is straightforward and quick to make and as it freezes well make lots. 

Ingredients

  • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

  • 3 to 4 cups (750 milliliters) dark beef stock

  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch

  • 4 teaspoons cold water

  • 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

  • Salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Over a gentle heat, melt the oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add the finely sliced onion and cover the pan with a lid. Cook the onions slowly for approximately 10 minutes or until the onions are soft and translucent. Have a peek now and again to make sure the onions are not browning. 

  3. Add the sugar plus the balsamic vinegar to the onions and stir well. Cover again with the lid and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes, again taking care to make sure they do not burn. 

  4. Remove the lid from the pan, raise the heat slightly and pour in the dark beef stock. Gently boil uncovered for 5 minutes to reduce the gravy by roughly a third.

  5. In a heatproof jug or bowl mix the corn flour/starch with the cold water to create a  thin paste.

  6. Pour a little of the hot gravy into the cornflour mixture and mix thoroughly. A very thick paste will start to form so add more gravy to thin this down to create a thick pouring liquid. 

  7. Pour the thickened gravy mixture back into the gravy in the pan, add your chosen mustard, raise the heat to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes or until the gravy thickens slightly. 

  8. Taste the gravy to decide if you want more mustard, add if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for a further 3 minutes. The gravy is now ready to serve. If not serving immediately keep warm until needed. 

Tip

  • This recipe suggests using a whole grain mustard, but you can use any you prefer from a hot, fiery English mustard to a sweet "Senap" style Swedish. It is your choice. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
175 Calories
13g Fat
11g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 175
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 567mg 25%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 2mg 12%
Calcium 31mg 2%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 441mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)