The full English breakfast with all the trimmings — sausages, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, black pudding, fried bread, eggs and baked beans. The ultimate weekend fry-up.
The full English breakfast is a glorious weekend institution — sausages, bacon, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, black pudding and baked beans all crowded onto one generous plate. The secret is staggering the cooking so everything arrives hot together. It's hearty, indulgent and the perfect leisurely start to a lazy morning.
Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min
Total 40 min
Medium
- 4 Sausages
- 4 Bacon
- 4 Mushrooms
- 3 Tomatoes
- 2 sliced Black Pudding
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Slice Bread
- 100g Baked Beans
Tags:
Greasy UnHealthy HangoverFood Calorific Breakfast BBQVideo
Preparation
- Heat a flat grill plate over low heat (over two rings if it fits) and brush sparingly with light olive oil.
- Cook the sausages first: add them to the hot plate (the coolest part if there is one) and cook slowly for 15–20 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden. After the first 10 minutes, increase the heat to medium before starting the other ingredients (or fully cook them and keep warm in the oven if space is tight).
- Snip a few cuts into the fatty edge of the bacon, then fry on the plate for 2–4 minutes each side to your preferred crispiness, keeping it warm in the oven if needed.
- For the mushrooms, brush off any dirt and trim the stalks level. Season and drizzle with oil, then cook stalk-side up for 1–2 minutes before turning and cooking for 3–4 minutes more, without moving them too much so they don't go soggy.
- For the tomatoes, halve them, remove the green 'eye', season and drizzle with oil. Cook cut-side down without moving for 2 minutes, then turn, season again, and cook for 2–3 minutes until tender but holding their shape.
- For the black pudding, cut into 3–4 slices, remove the skin, and cook on the plate for 1½–2 minutes each side until slightly crispy.
- For proper fried bread, use bread a couple of days old. Heat a frying pan to medium, cover the base with oil, and fry for 2–3 minutes each side until crisp and golden, adding a knob of butter after turning for richer flavour.
- For the eggs, crack straight into the pan with the fried bread, leave for 30 seconds, add a knob of butter and baste as it melts. Cook to your liking, season, and remove gently.
- Warm the baked beans in a small pan. Serve everything on warm plates straight away, with ketchup or brown sauce.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Start with the sausages, as they take longest, then work through the rest in order of cooking time.
- Keep cooked components warm in a low oven so nothing goes cold while you finish the eggs.
- Use day-old bread for fried bread so it crisps rather than turning greasy.
- Warm the baked beans gently in a small pan and add a knob of butter to the eggs for richness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cook in order of time needed — sausages first, eggs and fried bread last — and hold finished items in a warm oven until plating up.
Sausages, bacon, eggs, grilled tomato, mushrooms, baked beans, black pudding and toast or fried bread. Regional versions add hash browns or bubble and squeak.
Grill the meats instead of frying, swap fried bread for toast, and load up on grilled tomatoes, mushrooms and beans.
Fried with the yolk soft is classic, basted in a little butter for crisp edges. Scrambled or poached are popular alternatives.
