James Martin Bread Sauce is a thick, savoury British side made with full-fat milk infused with a whole onion studded with cloves, a bay leaf, and black peppercorns, then stirred through with fresh white breadcrumbs and finished with butter. It takes about 20 minutes on the hob and serves 6 to 8, so it is the sort of thing you can have ready before the roast comes out of the oven.
James Martin made this on Saturday Kitchen for BBC and it has stayed one of his most searched-for sides ever since, probably because people forget how good bread sauce is until someone reminds them. He studs a whole peeled onion with the cloves rather than chopping it, which means you pull the onion out in one piece and the sauce stays completely smooth.
Letting the milk cool for 15 minutes after it boils is where the real flavour builds, since the cloves, bay, and peppercorns keep releasing into the liquid even off the heat. If you rush this and add the breadcrumbs too soon, the sauce will taste like warm milk and bread instead of something properly spiced.
James Martin Bread Sauce
Description
Full-fat milk simmered with a clove-studded onion, bay leaf, and black peppercorns, then strained and stirred through with fresh white breadcrumbs until thick. Finished with butter, salt, and pepper. Ready in 20 minutes and dead simple.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Stud the onion: Push the cloves into the peeled onion, spacing them evenly all the way round.
- Infuse the milk: Place the studded onion into a saucepan with the bay leaf, black peppercorns, and milk. Bring the mixture to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to cool for 15 minutes.
- Remove the solids: Take out the onion, bay leaf, and peppercorns and discard them.
- Add the breadcrumbs: Stir the fresh white breadcrumbs into the infused milk. Return the pan to a gentle heat and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the crumbs have soaked up the liquid and the sauce is as thick as you like it.
- Finish and season: Stir in the butter until it melts through the sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve warm.
Notes
- James Martin says if you are making this a day or two before, make the sauce a little looser than normal as it will thicken further when reheated. Reheat in a saucepan on the hob or in a bowl in the microwave.
FAQs
Can I use semi-skimmed milk instead of full-fat?
Full-fat milk gives the sauce its body and richness, so semi-skimmed will leave it noticeably thinner even after the breadcrumbs have cooked through. If that is all you have, stir in an extra knob of butter at the end to make up for the lost fat content. It will not taste identical but it gets you close enough for a weeknight supper.
What kind of bread works best for the crumbs?
Fresh white bread with the crusts cut off gives you the smoothest result because brown or wholemeal holds too much texture and can taste heavy in something this delicate. Day-old bread works even better since it absorbs the milk without turning to paste the way very fresh bread sometimes does. Tear it or blitz it into fine crumbs before stirring them in.
Can I leave out the peppercorns?
The peppercorns add a gentle background warmth during the infusing stage that rounds out the clove and bay, so skipping them does leave the sauce tasting a bit one-note. They come out before the breadcrumbs go in, which means the heat never gets sharp or overpowering. Try 3 instead of 6 if you want a milder version rather than leaving them out entirely.
What can I serve bread sauce with besides turkey?
It goes with roast chicken, goose, and game birds like pheasant and partridge, which is why it turns up on British tables well beyond Christmas Day. A plate of good sausages with Roast Potatoes and bread sauce on the side is a solid midweek supper too. Try it alongside roast pork or spooned over a slice of stuffing for something different.
Can I freeze bread sauce?
It freezes well for up to 3 months in a sealed container, though the texture loosens slightly when it thaws because the breadcrumbs release some liquid. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm it slowly on the hob while stirring in a tablespoon of milk to bring the body back. If you are serving it with leftover turkey, try it alongside Turkey and Ham Pie instead of making a fresh batch. (
Can I add cream to the sauce?
James Martin does not use cream in this BBC version, but his Partridge with Bread Sauce recipe on jamesmartinchef.co.uk does stir cream through at the end. A splash of double cream makes it richer and silkier, though the original is brilliant without it. Add it after the butter if you want to try it, and keep the heat low so it does not split.