What Is Yorkshire Pudding And What Does It Taste Like?

Yorkshire pudding is quintessential British fare that conjures up images of Downton Abbey and fancy desserts; however, per Food Republic, Yorkshire pudding is anything but. It is, in fact, a savory type of popover that is served as a side dish and used to soak up gravy and juices from the traditional roast beef. Yorkshire pudding is a dish whose origins have yet to fully reveal themselves, and it is often noted that its past is somewhat of a mystery. Perhaps that very mystery is part of what makes this dish so magically delicious.

If we dig into a little Yorkshire Pudding 101, we will find that the first mention of this meal, according to Historic U.K., was found in a book by Hannah Glasse in 1747, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Simple. This cooked batter was a practical dish, used to satiate the appetite of the working class who could not always afford to purchase expensive meat. The Yorkshire pudding was filling enough to make up for this deficit, and clearly tasty enough, because we still make it today. The Spruce Eats goes on to further explain Glasse's recipe: "to set your stew-pan on it under your meat, and let the dripping drop on the pudding, and the heat of the fire come to it, to make it of a fine brown."

The ingredients of a Yorkshire pudding are quite simple: flour, milk, eggs, and salt, and traditionally baked in the drippings of your meat. This begs the question, what does it taste like? One Quora community member wrote of this dish, "It tastes very much like a popover ... They are very good, especially cooked [in] the same pan as a roast with some meat juices or gravy." Another Quora user wrote: "Tastes wonderful but bland. It's light, with a fluffy centre and very crispy on the outside." This user also noted that the versatility of today's Yorkshire pudding is part of its appeal. She also said it can be used as a dessert, eaten with ice cream and golden syrup.

Yorkshire pudding remains a popular dish in Britain where, per Culture Trip, they have two days dedicated to this dish that is very reminiscent (if you ask us) of a Dutch pancake, just not necessarily sweet. British Yorkshire Pudding Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of February, and National Yorkshire Pudding Day, which is also marked in the United States, is on October 13. If you are looking for an authentic recipe for this dish, try Yorkshire Pudd's website, where they are dedicated to all things Yorkshire pudding.