Go Back
Traditional Full English breakfast with British-style sausages, back bacon, fried egg, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, black pudding, and golden fried bread on a rustic plate.
Jane at Brit & Skillet

Traditional Full English Breakfast

A proper British fry-up with savoury pork sausages, back bacon, fried eggs, tomato-based baked beans, golden mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, and crispy fried bread. Black pudding is optional. Includes American ingredient alternatives.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: British
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sausages and Bacon
  • 4 British-style pork sausages about 12 oz / 340 g total
  • 4 slices British back bacon about 5–6 oz / 140–170 g; Canadian bacon or American bacon may be substituted
Eggs and Vegetables
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 oz button or cremini mushrooms 115 g, halved or sliced
  • 1 large ripe tomato about 6 oz / 170 g, halved
  • 1 tbsp butter 14 g, divided
  • 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil, divided 15 ml
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Beans and Bread
  • 1 cup British-style baked beans in tomato sauce about 260 g
  • 2 slices sturdy white bread
  • 1 tbsp butter 14 g or 1 tbsp (15 ml) cooking oil, for frying the bread
Optional Extras
  • 2 slices prepared black pudding about 3 oz / 85 g total
  • Brown sauce or tomato ketchup for serving
  • Hot tea for serving

Equipment

  • Large frying pan or skillet
  • Second frying pan or griddle
  • Small saucepan
  • Spatula or tongs
  • Knife and cutting board
  • Baking sheet (optional, for keeping cooked food warm)

Method
 

Prepare the ingredients
  1. Slice the mushrooms, halve the tomato, and have all the remaining ingredients ready. If desired, set the oven to its lowest warming setting, around 200°F (95°C), and place an oven-safe baking sheet inside for holding cooked sausages and bacon. Keep food hot rather than leaving it at room temperature.
Cook the sausages
  1. Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat with a little of the measured oil. Add the sausages and cook for approximately 15–20 minutes, turning regularly, until evenly browned and cooked through. Pork sausages should reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Transfer to a warm plate or baking sheet.
Cook the bacon
  1. In the same pan, cook the back bacon over medium heat for approximately 3–5 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until cooked through and lightly browned. Canadian bacon or American bacon may require different cooking times; follow the package directions. Keep warm with the sausages.
Cook the mushrooms and tomatoes
  1. Add some of the butter to the pan. Cook the mushrooms for 5–7 minutes until golden and tender. Season lightly. Place the tomato halves cut-side down in the pan and cook for approximately 4–5 minutes, then turn and cook for another 2–3 minutes until softened. Use a second pan if needed. Keep warm.
Heat the baked beans
  1. Pour the baked beans into a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until piping hot. Avoid boiling vigorously.
Cook the black pudding, if using
  1. Cook prepared black pudding slices according to the package instructions, typically a few minutes per side in a lightly oiled pan, until heated thoroughly and lightly crisp on the outside.
Fry the bread
  1. Heat the additional butter or oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the bread and cook for approximately 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crisp. Add a little more fat only if necessary.
Fry the eggs
  1. Melt the remaining butter or heat the remaining oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Crack in the eggs and cook for approximately 3–4 minutes, or until the whites are set and the yolks reach your preferred doneness. For fully cooked eggs, cook until both whites and yolks are firm.
Assemble and serve
  1. Arrange the sausages, bacon, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans, and fried bread on two warm plates. Add the black pudding if using. Serve immediately with brown sauce or ketchup and a hot cup of tea.

Notes

Brit & Skillet Tip: For a more authentic British breakfast, use back bacon, mild British-style pork sausages, and Heinz Beanz in tomato sauce. American streaky bacon and Canadian bacon are convenient substitutes, but their texture and flavour differ from British back bacon.
Timing Tip: Start with the sausages because they take the longest. Cook the bacon and vegetables while the sausages finish, warm the beans separately, and fry the eggs last.
American Ingredient Tip: Avoid maple-flavoured sausages and barbecue-style baked beans if you want a traditional British flavour.
Make It Your Own: Black pudding is optional. Toast can replace fried bread, and hash browns are a popular modern addition.
Food Safety: Cook raw pork sausages to 160°F (71°C). Keep cooked components hot until serving and follow package directions for bacon and black pudding.