T13-Yorkshire Pudding

My husband (whose parents are from England) grew up eating Yorkshire pudding, which, by the way, is an unsweetened, baked, side dish similar to a roll or a popover.  However, it's shaped like a cup so the pudding becomes a vessel for gravy and is traditionally served with roast beef.

Dinner was delicious, by the way.

 So when my husband asked me to make it a second time, I decided to consult the Internet for recipes, tips, and tricks, and boy did I find them!  (Number 10 and Number 13 are the most interesting things I read.  Don't skip them! I will never use Crisco or canola oil again!)

1. I looked at Gordon Ramsey's recipe.  He is British, after all.

2. I looked at a recipe on Serious Eats, as well as tips and tricks.  Mine came out looking very similar although I didn't use this recipe.

3.  I looked at Jamie Oliver's recipe (He is also British). Apparently he is known for Yorkshire pudding. The one I actually followed was very similar.

4. I read an article on Finedining Lovers comparing Ramsey's and Oliver's methods.

Just out of the oven!  A little weird looking at first.

5.  Then I chose a completely different recipe that came from The Spruce Eats.

6.  Here are ten tips to make sure your Yorkshire puddings rise.

7.I went down the Internet rabbit hole searching for how YP was made traditionally and what type of oils or fats to use.  Learned more than I ever needed to know!

8. I learned that traditionally, beef tallow was used as the "oil."  It is available for purchase on the Internet like everything else or you can make it at home with the right type of fat from your butcher.

The look better in the bowl.  See how the sides rise creating a little "cup?"

9. I learned not only HOW to render lard, but why you should use it.  You'd be surprised!

10.  I learned that canola oil is made from the rapeseed plant.  There is no such thing as a canola plant.  Canola stands for Canada Oil Low Acid and was made using a highly refined bleaching and deodorizing process to make it edible.  During WWII, rapeseed oil was used as a lubricant on naval ships. When the war ended, what were they going to do with all of the rapeseed crops?  That's right!  Chemically alter it to be used in the kitchen.

11. I learned whether you should use a large pan or a muffin tin to bake YP.

12.  And I learned why the oil should be scorching hot before adding the batter to the tin.

13.  I also learned that Crisco stands for crystallized cottonseed oil, and its invention by soap and candle makers Proctor and Gamble was all a marketing ploy to sell their new chemically created/highly processed "shortening."  Interesting story!

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