Exact temperature to cook Yorkshire puddings for 'perfect' result every time'

04 February 2024 , 08:00

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There's a 'secret' to cooking the perfect Yorkshire puddings (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

An expert has shared his tips for cooking the 'perfect’ Yorkshire puddings at home every time you make them - and it's all down to oven temperature.

Yorkshire puddings are traditionally an integral part of the British Sunday roast and are also a major ingredient in a toad-in-the-hole dish. Many people may opt to buy pre-made supermarket versions but if you want to make your own, an expert has shared his method for exactly how to whip up the ultimate version at home.

If anyone knows the secret to a Yorkshire pud, it's born and bred Yorkshire pub manager Chris Allen. He runs the Bulls Head in Turnford, Herts where they serve up foot-long versions of the dish on their specials menu served with Cumberland sausages or slow braised beef brisket, veg, mash and lashings of gravy.

The pub's huge yorkies have been quite the hit with punters and people travel from miles around to get their teeth round the whoppers. Chris appeared on Sky News to share the secret to their dish and he said it's all about the oven temperature.

He revealed: "The oven has got to be set at 210 degrees, that's the way we've tried and tested it." The Yorkshires should also be cooked in the hottest part of the oven, which is at the top, for 25 minutes in the case of the pub's humongous beauties.

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Of course the batter mix is also a vital part of the recipe to nail and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay says it has to be allowed to rest before cooking. At his restaurant staff prepare the batter the night before and leave it at room temperature until it's needed the next day.

You can also do this at home or if time is limited, just make sure you leave the mix to rest at room temperature for at least an hour before cooking.

The telly chef's other top tip is to ensure you put vegetable oil (two tablespoons for a four hole Yorkshire pudding tin) into the tin and heat for 12-15 minutes so it's really hot before pouring the batter in. This is crucial for ensuring your puddings rise and aren't massive flops. The Yorkshires should then be cooked for 15 minutes.

Gordon's fellow celeb chef Jamie Oliver backs this method and says it's really important the oil or beef dripping is bubbling before you add the batter. He also warns against opening the oven while they’re cooking as this could lead to the puds deflating and no one wants a flat Yorkie.

Do you have any top tips for making the perfect Yorkshire pudding? Let us know in the comments below.

Beth Hardie