The Strange Phenomenon Bangers And Mash Is Named After

Whether you've eaten them or not, most people have heard of the meal bangers and mash. The popular pub dish can be found on menus throughout the U.K. and Ireland, as well as in British and Irish pubs in the U.S. Bangers are a quintessential British food, as noted by the English Breakfast Society, and while some may only think of breakfast sausages as being enjoyed in the early hours of the day, Brtish bangers aren't just eaten in the morning.

What's commonly known as Britain's most popular comfort food, as reported by Daring Gourmet, the meal consists of sausages (bangers) served over mashed potatoes. The dish is also usually smothered in onion gravy and sometimes is served with a side of peas. While the appeal of meat and potatoes in the form of sausage and mashed potatoes is easy to understand, the odd-sounding moniker is a little more complex.

As reported by the Daily Mail, British pork sausages have been mass-produced since the 19th century, but even though they were widely available during that time, they weren't very popular. Victorians were skeptical of what type of meat was used in the sausages and referred to them as "little bags of mystery" and as such, they weren't widely eaten until a later time period.

The term bangers originated during WWI due to the sound the meat made when it cooked, according to Britannica. Back then meat shortages meant sausages were made with a number of fillers, including water, which caused them to explode when cooked. Although the name originated in the WWI era, the moniker stuck and continues into the modern day. Now that you know the history behind bangers and mash, surprise friends or family with the knowledge the next time you gather in a pub. They'll likely be impressed and hungry at the same time.