If you’ve visited and/or lived in Ireland, then you must know that the full Irish breakfast, or a fry-up, is a glory to behold. The Irish are known for their hearty sit-down meals, and the fry-up is no exception.
The traditional full Irish came to be as a variant of the full English breakfast: gentry in fourteenth-century England introduced the platter, since it was a socially accepted idea in country houses to create large, lavish meals for the important people who were often hosted. But, by the time of the Industrial Revolution, the full English became a widespread dish more indulged by labour workers. And, lo and behold, the full English became broader in its undertaking, reaching Ireland not long after.
The Irish created the fry-up as a way to prepare for farmers’ heavy-duty workdays on cold, winter mornings; the meal was prepared with local produce and homemade items, all of which were combined together and “fried up” on the pan with a pad of Irish butter.
Nowadays, the fry-up is usually no longer eaten during the weekday mornings, but rather reserved for a lazy Sunday. The full Irish is made differently depending on the household, region, etc., so the items mentioned down below might diverge from your own take. However, these items listed are considered to be the general traditional staples of a fry-up, so do what you will with this information!
Bacon
Rashers is Irish slang for bacon. No fry-up is complete without rashers. Rashers come in different types, such as back (wide) or streaky (narrow). The common amount of rashers in a full Irish is two!
Pork Sausages
Irish sausages translate to pork sausages. Chicken or beef sausages are a rarity in Ireland, so don’t try to convince the cook otherwise. But, I promise, pork sausages are a glorious must-have. They’re usually 80% pork meat; the other 20% is a combination of blended spices that will want you asking the preparer for directions to their butcher.
Eggs
Usually, eggs are fried, but it’s completely up to your preference. You can decide if they’re scrambled, poached, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, etc. But, if you want an extremely traditional meal, I’m afraid fried eggs are the standard.
Baked Beans
Baked beans need no explanation or introduction – just a little sizzle on the pan!
Black Pudding
Black pudding, simply put, is blood pudding. Yes, it is made from blood. The cook prepares black pudding by adding blood to pork fat or beef suet, followed up with a mix of barley and oatmeal groats. To be honest, I tend to skip the black pudding, but I’ve been assured that it’s a rite of passage!
White Pudding
As for white pudding, it’s similar to black pudding, but get this: there’s no blood included. So, if eating blood pudding isn’t your thing either, this might be the perfect stepping stone for you to stay true to the Irish way.
Toast
Hear me out: toast is more of the utensil rather than the accompaniment. Use it as a spoon or as a makeshift wipe for your dish. But, before you do any of that, appreciate its beauty. Watch as the creamy Irish butter drips off of it in rivulets. But, toast isn’t always the go-to. Depending on where you are in Ireland, the bread varies greatly. In the North, fadge – or potato bread – is a better complement to their fry-up. It is prepared with mashed boiled potatoes and a bit of little white flour; it is then baked in farls on a griddle.
Fried Tomato
Tomato isn’t in my diet, but I’ve heard no full Irish breakfast is a full Irish breakfast without them fried on your dish.
Now, just don’t forget to set the kettle for your Barry’s tea to go along with your full Irish!
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FAQs
The full Irish breakfast was created for farm workers so they would be satiated and ready for a full day's work. The meal was made up of local produce and homemade items, all of which were cooked in a frying pan with a pad of Irish butter.
What is the difference between a full Irish breakfast and a full English breakfast? ›
An English breakfast, although very similar to the Irish one, might include fried potatoes, as mentioned above. The other key difference is its lack of two key components: sliced black pudding and/or white pudding. These pork products, original to County Cork, have become a requisite part of any Irish fry up.
What are the ingredients of the famous Irish full breakfast? ›
Crispy bacon rashers, plump pork sausages, perfectly-fried eggs, grilled tomatoes, white pudding, black pudding, toast (dripping with butter), a big cup of tea and a glass of OJ to start the day in style.
What is the American version of a full English breakfast? ›
An American 'Full Yankee' is equivalent to the 'Full English' Breakfast. You can top this with brown sauce but no beans are allowed. If you want a breakfast with beans, go for the TexMex Breakfast Burrito which is much better than the British tomato flavoured mush.
What is an authentic Irish breakfast? ›
A traditional full Irish breakfast comprises bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, beans, soda bread or toast, tomatoes, mushrooms, and white or black pudding.
What is the difference between Irish and Scottish breakfast? ›
Irish Breakfast Tea: a strong, robust tea which is made with a blend of Assam and Ceylon. Scottish Breakfast Tea: the strongest blend of the three breakfast teas with a malty flavour. Made with a blend of Assam and Ceylon, infused with tea from Africa, Kenya and/or Indonesia.
What do Irish people call bacon? ›
IMPORTANT WORD YOU SHOULD LEARN: Rashers. That's Irish slang for bacon. You'll find back (wide) or streaky (narrow) rashers in an Irish breakfast; both types may look and taste different to what you might expect. Irish bacon is chunkier than American bacon, with a little more meat.
What time of day do the Irish eat their main meal? ›
The Dining Experience in Ireland
The main meal of the day for locals is dinner, meaning making reservations is a good idea, especially if you're planning to dine during peak Irish dinner hours (from 8:00 p.m. onward).
What meats are in a traditional Irish breakfast? ›
While opinion may be divided on what constitutes an Irish breakfast from household to household the main ingredients remain the same, with the very best of Irish local ingredients comprising of meats such as good loin bacon or rashers, best of local sausages, black and white puddings (which are a type of sausage made ...
Why do Brits eat beans for breakfast? ›
Beans and toast is a breakfast tradition in the UK (it's both adored and loathed) that has stood the test of time. The story goes that in 1927 an executive at Heinz decided to create a national dish in order to sell more canned beans and an iconic dish was born.
So, what is a full Scottish breakfast? Usually made up of bacon, link sausages, Lorne sausage (also known as square sausage or slice), black pudding, haggis, baked beans, fried mushrooms and tomatoes, toast, tattie scones and fried eggs, the full Scottish breakfast is a sight to behold.
What do most British people eat for breakfast? ›
The UK's most famous breakfast is undoubtedly the fry-up, but what it involves depends a lot on where you have it, with the core quartet of eggs, bacon, sausages and black pudding served up alongside numerous regional additions: fried bread or bubble and squeak in England; square sausage, tattie scones and white ...
Is Irish breakfast stronger than English breakfast? ›
Irish Breakfast Tea is often brewed for a longer period of time and with hotter water than English Breakfast Tea, which can make it taste stronger and more robust.
What is the oldest Irish food? ›
The food eaten by the early Irish people changed very little from the time when farming began until the arrival of the potato from America in the 1600s. The main parts of the early Irish diet were milk and cereals. Butter, buttermilk and cheeses also were very popular.
What did the Irish eat in the 1500s? ›
The Irish diet of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was reflective of their cattle economy: meat and milk products for the gentry and meat scraps, offal and milk products for the poorer Irish. They had long cultivated cereals and legumes.
What is the main meal of the day in Ireland? ›
The main meal of the day for locals is dinner, meaning making reservations is a good idea, especially if you're planning to dine during peak Irish dinner hours (from 8:00 p.m. onward).
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