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Popover pans

PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 12:58 pm
by Peter May
I'm escalating the Yorkshire pudding wars by buying an American popover pan.

I read a review of them in a foodie magazine while in Missouri earlier this month but didn't have time or space in my case to buy one there so have now ordered an import via Amazon.

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The article praised the open space around each individual pan as assisting the pudding inside to rise higher and straighter. It also suggested putting a reflective surface above it to help in cooking the top.

I saw this pan design some years ago at Jordan Pond House on Bar Harbour island, Maine, and they make thousands of perfect popovers (first time I came across that name also).

We alternate with good friends to cook Sunday dinner and when its beef we've been trying to outdo the other with our Yorkshire puddings.

I'm hoping this will put me in an unbeatable lead. Wish me luck!

Re: Popover pans

PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 1:22 pm
by Robin Garr
Mary, who is a popover queen, has a set like that and loves them!

(Added via edit: Never heard of the foil reflector treatment, though. It really hasn't been necessary.)

Re: Popover pans

PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 1:28 pm
by Redwinger
They work great for Popovers. No idea about pudding.
Agree with Robin about the foil reflector as well.

Re: Popover pans

PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 4:28 pm
by Robin Garr
Redwinger wrote:No idea about pudding.

I took Peter to be talking about Yorkshire Pudding, which I take to be basically a big popover.

Re: Popover pans

PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 4:48 pm
by Redwinger
Robin Garr wrote:
Redwinger wrote:No idea about pudding.

I took Peter to be talking about Yorkshire Pudding, which I take to be basically a big popover.



Ah, once a hick, always a hick.

Re: Popover pans

PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 6:12 pm
by Robin Garr
Redwinger wrote:Ah, once a hick, always a hick.

No need to be sayin that kind of thing about Peter ... :mrgreen:

Re: Popover pans

PostPosted: Tue Nov 19, 2013 6:50 pm
by Redwinger
They have hicks in England? :wink:

Re: Popover pans

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:12 am
by Peter May
Redwinger wrote:
Robin Garr wrote:
Redwinger wrote:No idea about pudding.

I took Peter to be talking about Yorkshire Pudding, which I take to be basically a big popover.



Ah, once a hick, always a hick.



Only popovers I've encountered are those at Jordan Pond House but they seem to be identical to Yorkshire Puddings (YP). YP are traditionally served with roast beef here in UK. They can be made in any size, depends on pan. The popover was made in deep narrow pan so you get a tall narrow popover.

Pubs here sometimes serve YP cooked in wide diameter (6-8 inches) pan so you get a circular pudding with high rim and they serve slices of beef and gravy in that.

Use a large baking tray, add partly-cooked sausages, pour in the batter and bake and you get Toad in the Hole.

Batter is basically flour/milk/egg but we all have our secret recipe. Hence the Yorkshire Pudding Wars where my friend and I try to outdo each others YP :)

Re: Popover pans

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 10:21 am
by Jeff Grossman
Here's a picture of someone very successfully using that pan:
http://bakingbites.com/2010/11/huge-yorkshire-puddings/

From my reading of historical cookbooks and historical cookbook websites, it appears that the original format for a Yorkshire Pudding was to fill an entire oblong pan with the batter and set it in the hearth under a joint of meat revolving on a spit above. The warmth in the hearth cooks the batter slowly while the fat and juices drip into it from above.

I like how that manner is echoed by the pubs that make a dinner-plate-sized pudding and use it as a trencher.

Re: Popover pans

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 11:16 am
by Peter May
Yes, Jeff

And then to serve the meat juice flavoured YP first to blunt appetites in order to 'stretch' expensive meat.

Re: Popover pans

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 2:35 pm
by Jeff Grossman
Peter May wrote:And then to serve the meat juice flavoured YP first to blunt appetites in order to 'stretch' expensive meat.

Just what the Italians used pasta for. YP as the English pasta! :D

Re: Popover pans

PostPosted: Wed Nov 20, 2013 7:07 pm
by Robin Garr
Jeff Grossman/NYC wrote:Just what the Italians used pasta for. YP as the English pasta! :D

Or just about all peasant cultures, I guess. Asian fare and rice, anyone? (I have read, and have no reason to doubt, that the Chinese and Indian regional cuisines that we view as extremely hot and spicy come into more rational perspective when consumed in the very high proportion of rice to highly seasoned meat that the average person could afford.