The Historical Reason Yorkshire Puddings Are Served With Sunday Roasts

As we gear up for "spending an inordinate amount of time with friends and family" season, we've been looking at dishes that are both delicious and easy to share with big groups. One such dish — Yorkshire pudding — came across our desk as the perfect, festive table topper with an interesting history to boot. Traditionally served before Sunday roasts, there's a sneaky practical reason these billowy baked Yorkies were so popular.

The exact origin of Yorkshire puddings is a bit murky — well, aside from the fact that they were initially popularized in Yorkshire, England. But the first recorded recipe of the dish dates back to the 1700s. Today, the light and airy puddings are a staple in many Christmas dinners, but according to British baking lore, Yorkshire puddings were traditionally served as an appetizer. Hosts liked to serve Yorkshire puddings before the meal because the savory, breaded dish would fill up their guests' stomachs, which meant everyone would end up eating less of the more expensive, meat-based main meal. With all the pressures that come along with modern-day hosting responsibilities, 18th-century Brits were onto something: Hosting hacks.

When Americans hear the term "pudding," a little plastic cup of chocolate custard comes to mind. Historically, in the United Kingdom, "puddings" were considered lowly savory or sweet desserts for people of lesser means — so it made sense that they were initially served as a cost-cutting measure. Traditional Yorkshire puddings contain a simple mixture of flour, eggs, milk, fat, and salt. They were cooked over a crackling fire, while under a hunk of roasting meat. As the meat would heat up under the fire, the fat would render out and drip into the puddings. In fact, before they were known as Yorkshire puddings, they were initially referred to as "dripping puddings."

These days, you're not likely to cook (or eat) Yorkshire puddings that have been cooking over an open flame, as a roast drips deliciously juicy fat over the top. Most modern-day Yorkshire pudding recipes just call for you to use vegetable oil. Plus, there have been a lot of twists and advances to the traditional recipe, for example, there are gluten-free Yorkshire pudding recipes now. Or if you want to stuff up your guests even more, you can incorporate meat into your Yorkshire pudding to make a Toad in the Hole.