Bear Bangers and Duck Fat Mash with Peated Scotch Onion Gravy

Name: Bear Bangers and Duck Fat Mash with Peated Scotch Onion Gravy
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 500 g Ground bear very cold, almost frozen; 250 g Ground veal very cold; 250 g 85% fat ground pork very cold, 30% fat ideally; 100 g Ice water essential for the emulsion; 10 g Salt; 5 ml Ground white pepper 1 teaspoon; 5 ml Fresh sage finely chopped, 1 teaspoon; 5 ml Onion powder 1 teaspoon; 5 ml Ginger powder 1 teaspoon; 5 ml Ground mace 1 teaspoon; 2 ml Ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon; 1 unit Onion large, finely sliced; 45 ml Peated Scotch whisky 3 tablespoons, Laphroaig, Lagavulin or another Islay; Worcestershire sauce to taste; 500 ml Game stock 2 cups; Duck fat to caramelize the onions; 1000 g Yukon Gold potatoes 1 kg, peeled and cut into large chunks; 250 ml Game stock 1 cup, hot, to loosen the mash; 60 ml Duck fat 4 tablespoons, in place of butter; Butter for basting the sausages; Fresh rosemary 1 sprig to perfume the butter

Pub night, remade at home with a Québec bear.

Prep1 h

Cook1 h 30

Yield3 to 4 servings

DifficultyEasy

theuplandcook.com/en/recipes/bear-bangers-mash

Ingredients

Emulsified sausages

500 g — Ground bear (very cold, almost frozen)
250 g — Ground veal (very cold)
250 g — 85% fat ground pork (very cold, 30% fat ideally)
100 g — Ice water (essential for the emulsion)
10 g — Salt
5 ml — Ground white pepper (1 teaspoon)
5 ml — Fresh sage (finely chopped, 1 teaspoon)
5 ml — Onion powder (1 teaspoon)
5 ml — Ginger powder (1 teaspoon)
5 ml — Ground mace (1 teaspoon)
2 ml — Ground nutmeg (1/2 teaspoon)

Onion gravy

1 — Onion (large, finely sliced)
45 ml — Peated Scotch whisky (3 tablespoons, Laphroaig, Lagavulin or another Islay)
Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
500 ml — Game stock (2 cups)
Duck fat (to caramelize the onions)

Mash

1000 g — Yukon Gold potatoes (1 kg, peeled and cut into large chunks)
250 ml — Game stock (1 cup, hot, to loosen the mash)
60 ml — Duck fat (4 tablespoons, in place of butter)

Cooking

Butter (for basting the sausages)
Fresh rosemary (1 sprig to perfume the butter)

Steps

01Chill the meats in the freezer
Put the ground bear, veal and pork in the freezer 30 minutes before starting, along with the food processor bowl and blade. This is essential for a successful emulsion: the fat must stay very cold to bind with water without breaking. Also prepare a large bowl of ice water (water + ice cubes) to measure out the 100 g for the recipe.
02Mix the spices into the meat
Pull the meats from the freezer. In the very cold processor bowl, combine all three ground meats. Add the salt, white pepper, chopped fresh sage, onion powder, ground ginger, mace and nutmeg. Pulse briefly, 4 to 5 pulses, to evenly distribute without warming the meat.
03Emulsify with ice water
Run the processor continuously. Add the ice water in a thin stream through the feed tube, pouring slowly over 30 to 45 seconds. The mass will go from grainy to smooth, slightly tacky and glossy — that's the emulsion. Stop as soon as the texture is homogeneous. Over-processing raises the temperature and breaks the emulsion.
04Form the sausages in parchment paper
If you have a stuffer and casings, fill them the classic way. Otherwise, place a portion of the mix (about 100 g) on a sheet of parchment paper. Roll into a 2.5 cm diameter log, like a candy wrapper, twisting the ends tightly. Repeat to form 8 to 10 sausages. Refrigerate 30 minutes so the shape sets.
05Poach the sausages (parchment version)
If you used parchment: bring a large pot of water to a simmer (75°C / 165°F, never boiling). Drop the still-wrapped sausages in and poach gently for 10 minutes. Lift them out, let cool 5 minutes, then unwrap. The sausages are now firm and easy to grill. Skip this step if you used casings.
06Grill and finish with basted butter
Heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium-high heat with a little butter. Grill the sausages 3 to 4 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Lower the heat to medium, add an extra knob of butter and a sprig of fresh rosemary. Baste the sausages with the melted butter for 2 to 3 minutes — this step gives them the gloss and richness of proper pub bangers.
07Finish in the oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Transfer the skillet to the oven (or the sausages to an ovenproof dish) and bake 10 minutes to finish cooking through. A properly cooked emulsified sausage reaches 71°C (160°F) at the center and stays juicy. Keep warm.
08Caramelize the onions
While the sausages cook, melt 2 spoonfuls of duck fat in a large skillet over low heat. Melt the sliced onion for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring regularly, until it turns deep caramel brown and confit-like. Patience makes the difference here — no high heat, which would burn rather than caramelize.
09Deglaze with peated Scotch
Pour the peated Scotch into the caramelized onion pan and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the alcohol evaporate for 30 to 45 seconds — the peat smoke will release into the kitchen. Then add the Worcestershire sauce (a splash to taste) and pour in the game stock. Bring to a simmer and reduce 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
10Cook and mash the potatoes
In a large pot, put the peeled and chunked Yukon Golds. Cover with well-salted cold water. Bring to a boil and cook 20 to 25 minutes until a knife slides in without resistance. Drain and let dry 2 minutes in the hot pot off the heat — residual moisture evaporates and the mash will be silkier.
11Mount the mash with duck fat
Push the potatoes through a ricer (not a food processor, which makes the mash gluey). Stir in the melted duck fat and the hot game stock little by little, mixing with a wooden spoon until smooth and coating. Adjust texture with a bit more stock if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
12Plate it pub-style
On each warm shallow plate, place a generous spoonful of duck fat mash. Stand two or three bangers in it. Pour the peated Scotch onion gravy generously over the top. Finish with a fresh rosemary sprig. Serve with a pint of brown ale and accept that there will be no dessert.

Bear bangers and duck fat mash topped with peated Scotch caramelized onion gravy, green peas as garnish