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Original poster

People who have never heard of bread sauce?

315 replies

TheBlueRobin · 25/12/2025 16:44

Sent a photo of my Christmas dinner to a friend. She asked what the white stuff was and whether it was horseradish.

I said 'No, bread sauce.'

She said she had never heard of it. Asked her family and they had never heard of it either.

Wonder it's a regional thing? Her family are from Somerset but also some from Lancashire. My partner is Welsh and never heard of it either. I'm from the Midlands.

I thought it was fairly universal? Dependent on preference ofc.

YABU - I've not heard of bread sauce /it's not a common thing.
YANBU - of course I've heard of it

OP posts:
SollozzoMightNotBeInTheCarSonny · 25/12/2025 19:28

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 25/12/2025 19:24

Soft lumps. I'm not selling it, probably! Xmas Grin

No but I appreciate your efforts and I’m not sure that anyone could sell it but perhaps I’ll try it one day if it’s available in a restaurant/carvery.

ScrambledEggs12 · 25/12/2025 19:27

Can't have Christmas dinner without bread sauce! So easy to make as well.

BettysRoasties · 25/12/2025 19:25

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 25/12/2025 19:24

Soft lumps. I'm not selling it, probably! Xmas Grin

No it’s sounding more and more like bread milk vomit 🫣

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 25/12/2025 19:24

Soft lumps. I'm not selling it, probably! Xmas Grin

Cuwins · 25/12/2025 19:23

My favourite bit of Xmas dinner! My in-laws had never heard of it. One from Scotland and one SE England but both settled in SE for nearly 40 years!

SollozzoMightNotBeInTheCarSonny · 25/12/2025 19:20

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 25/12/2025 19:17

Porridge has a grainy texture because rolled oats or oatmeal don't go completely smooth. Breadcrumbs do.

Then why does it look decidedly lumpy/grainy in every single pic of it that I can find?

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 25/12/2025 19:17

Porridge has a grainy texture because rolled oats or oatmeal don't go completely smooth. Breadcrumbs do.

SollozzoMightNotBeInTheCarSonny · 25/12/2025 19:11

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 25/12/2025 18:59

It doesn't taste predominantly of bread. It's an odd name. Like calling bechamel flour sauce, which no doubt many on this thread would take literally and refuse to eat.

Show quote history

I eat that because it’s smooth. I’ll happily eat porridge so I’m not averse to texture but sauces should be smooth imo. Every photo of bread sauce looks lumpy and grainy and not at all appealing.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 25/12/2025 19:10

Only2daystogo · 25/12/2025 19:01

Hmmm. Maybe I need to make some to work out what the fuss is about. Is it just served with Turkey or can it go with any roast?

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Traditionally with poultry, I believe.

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 25/12/2025 19:02

My Mum made it in the 60's, and M&S has sold it for years.

xmasxmaself · 25/12/2025 19:02

Always had as part of Christmas Dinner as did DHs family. Mix of Welsh, Devon, Yorkshire and London.

Only2daystogo · 25/12/2025 19:01

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 25/12/2025 18:59

It doesn't taste predominantly of bread. It's an odd name. Like calling bechamel flour sauce, which no doubt many on this thread would take literally and refuse to eat.

Show quote history

Hmmm. Maybe I need to make some to work out what the fuss is about. Is it just served with Turkey or can it go with any roast?

Chemenger · 25/12/2025 19:01

intrepidpanda · 25/12/2025 16:58

I've heard of it but never tasted it.

I make it every year but I’ve never tasted it and I never will. The idea of it revolts me.

tilypu · 25/12/2025 19:00

I have heard of it, but I've never had it, and I think I was probably late twenties or early thirties that I first became aware of it. I'm working class Scottish.

BoarBrush · 25/12/2025 19:00

Scottish. Have heard of it but never seen it and can't imagine what purpose it has.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 25/12/2025 18:59

Only2daystogo · 25/12/2025 18:57

But bread sauce is putting the carb at the centre of the sauce rather than being used as a thickner.

Show quote history

It doesn't taste predominantly of bread. It's an odd name. Like calling bechamel flour sauce, which no doubt many on this thread would take literally and refuse to eat.

Only2daystogo · 25/12/2025 18:57

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 25/12/2025 18:47

Yes, we do. Bechamel, cheese sauce, parsley sauce, custard, gravy, all thickened with starch, which is essentially what bread sauce is. The bread is in crumb form and added to warm liquid to thicken it up a bit. The liquid is milk infused with onion, bayleaf, cloves, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Then you add butter and possibly cream as well. It's gorgeous, nothing like bread and milk, and definitely nothing like vomit (I assume people who say this are thinking of baby posset). It tastes savoury, creamy and buttery with a nice subtle note of spice (not chilli hot, obviously).

I didn't grow up with it. Tried it for the first time a few years ago, made from Delia Smith's recipe. My daughter and I love it so it's become a staple at Christmas ever since. My son has become a convert too. (They are in their 30s.)

Show quote history

But bread sauce is putting the carb at the centre of the sauce rather than being used as a thickner.

wiffin · 25/12/2025 18:56

One of the best bits if a Christmas dinner. And perfect in a turkey sandwich.

Our family (birth and marriage) is a real mix of class and geography. All do bread sauce at Christmas. Although I drew the line at the gluten free rice milk version.

People are weirdly squeamish. It just a creamy, thickened sauce with mild cloves and nutmeg savoury spices. Perfect on a dry meat like turkey. With cranberry, stuffing and gravy.

Although why there is a need to ruin a perfect chipolata with a rasher of bacon I don't know.

BettysRoasties · 25/12/2025 18:56

JoshLymanSwagger · 25/12/2025 18:54

Me too.

I'd struggle to identify it on a table, and it doesn't sound that appealing tbh.

I mean, I guess there's bread in it...and some type of sauce🤷‍♀️

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Exactly soggy bread is all that the mind pictures. Not nice.

JoshLymanSwagger · 25/12/2025 18:54

BettysRoasties · 25/12/2025 17:04

I’ve no idea what bread sauce is or what it’s made from.

The words bread sauce don’t sound very appealing however. 30’s east anglia.

Me too.

I'd struggle to identify it on a table, and it doesn't sound that appealing tbh.

I mean, I guess there's bread in it...and some type of sauce🤷‍♀️

Figgygal · 25/12/2025 18:54

From Scotland but live in England
Never heard of it before I moved south
My husband loves the filthy stuff

ShamedBySiri · 25/12/2025 18:53

My mother would never serve a roast chicken without it, and obviously for Turkey as well.

One year my parents booked Christmas at a hotel in Wales near Ds1. Husband of DS2 had a fit wondering if there would be bread sauce. He took advice to ring the hotel and enquire. Apparently there wouldn’t be bread sauce. The conversation ended with
“I thought you were a service industry”
“That’s right. You get what you’re served”. 😂😂😂
So he went into gloom/moaning bitterly that there would be no bread sauce. DH had the bright idea of suggesting he bring his own supply of bread sauce and pass it off as our toddler’s baby food. Thus my DS2 had to make bread sauce and he took his little pot and asked the hotel to warm up our toddler’s food and all was well. He had his bread sauce!!
.

Disturbia81 · 25/12/2025 18:51

I’ve heard of it but never seen it, same with family and friends (Yorkshire)

AuntyBulgaria · 25/12/2025 18:48

Londoner here and it's my absolute favourite - ready made packet only though. My mum used to try doing homemade and it's just not the same.

supersop60 · 25/12/2025 18:47

MyRoseRaven · 25/12/2025 16:50

We have it here in Ireland but it's not very common. Gravy would be more ususal.

Bread sauce is quite thick and not runny, so it’s ok to have gravy as well!