Jolly Posh Foods is now officially approved by the English Breakfast Society as the only accredited US supplier of authentic British back bacon, British pork sausages, and black pudding. As America's most trusted British butcher, we help Brits living in the USA and Americans alike recreate a proper English breakfast in their own home kitchens. This guide will take you through everything you need to know to create your own stateside fry-up.

Firstly, What is a Full English Breakfast?

A Full English Breakfast is a traditional cooked breakfast made up of savoury ingredients, fried or broiled, and served together as a substantial morning meal. 

The English Breakfast Society state that for a Full English Breakfast to be truly authentic, it should be "built around a defined core of back bacon, sausages, eggs... and a regional (blood) pudding,".

A Full English Breakfast is the go-to weekend breakfast, the ultimate hangover cure and a must-have during any hotel stay.

What is it about a Fry-Up that Brits Love?

The unwavering love of a Full English Breakfast is about so much more than just food. This meal is one of the most recognisable icons of British culture and a staple in cafes, pubs, hotels, football stadiums and family kitchens across the UK. And quite frankly, what’s not to love?  A Full English Breakfast is a great all-round, well-balanced meal that you can enjoy at any time of day. It ticks all the flavour and texture boxes; salty, savoury, crispy, succulent and rich.  It’s one of the most globally recognisable dishes and a comforting taste of home that British people crave when they move abroad.

If you have lived in England or visited as a tourist, you have almost certainly enjoyed a Full English breakfast and are now longing to taste it again and relive happy memories. If you’re a fan of British television or English Premier League Football, or follow some of the many British food influencers, you’ve likely seen a fry up being enjoyed on screen and wondered “where can I get a Full English Breakfast in the USA without having to fly all the way to the UK?” If this sounds like you, we are so glad that you found us.

Back Bacon, British Pork Sausages, and Black Pudding - the Pillars of a Proper Full English Fry-Up Breakfast

The English Breakfast Society themselves are clear that for a Full English Breakfast to be authentic it must contain back bacon, sausages, and black pudding. These items sit firmly among their "five pillars of the English breakfast," and as the Society puts it, "any omission of a pillar... results in a failure to meet the authoritative standard." So while some people can leave the baked beans, or aren't bothered about a big tomato, these three traditional British meats are non-negotiable. Without them, it isn't a proper Full English Breakfast.

Back Bacon Rashers
For an authentic fry-up, you must have proper rashers of back bacon. Back bacon rashers are cut primarily from the pork loin, a lean strip with a narrow “strap” of fat. This is worlds apart from “streaky” American bacon, which is cut from the belly. No streaky stuff here; it has to be thick, meaty British bacon, sourced the way the tradition demands.

Hearty Pork Sausages
Occasionally called by their nostalgic nickname “bangers”, traditional British pork sausages are arguably at the heart of the Full English fry-up and can't be substituted. Hearty yet succulent, soft with a unique “snap” in each bite thanks to their natural casings… iconic. We recommend using Pork and Herb Sausages in your Full English Fry Up Breakfast, but ultimately the choice is yours, and you can use a traditional regional flavour such as sagey Lincolnshire or fiery Cumberland.

Black Pudding (Blood Sausage)
Black Pudding is the final pillar of the plate but one that some Americans feel sceptical about. The English Breakfast Society states that black pudding's place in a Full English Breakfast is "historically settled" as an essential, not simply an optional garnish - but here at Jolly Posh, we completely understand if including black pudding in your Full English Breakfast feels like a bridge too far for our American customers! Easy to cook: simply slice your black pudding into thick pieces and fry until crisp at the edges. Yes, it looks a little like a hockey puck, but the result is a taste sensation with a velvety texture and a rich, earthy flavour. A true taste of home.

The Other Core Ingredients of a Full English Fry Up

According to the English Breakfast Society, a proper Full English Breakfast is built around five essential pillars. A classic fry up includes;

• Back bacon 

• Sausages 

• Black pudding 

• Eggs - fried

• A starchy carb such as toast or fried bread

Followed by a variety of regional additions that, as the English Breakfast Society puts it "support the plate rather than define it." 

• Baked beans (preferably Heinz)

• Mushrooms

• Tomatoes

What Are The Best Condiments for a Full English Fry Up

If you need some help deciding on which condiments to serve with your Full English Breakfast, then don’t worry; unlike the bacon and sausages, this topic will cause debate up and down the UK. In the past, there were only two sauce choices for a true fry-up: ketchup or brown sauce, but now many people like a hit of English Mustard or hot sauce. It’s up to you!

HP Sauce (sometimes called “brown sauce”)

The go-to for most households, fruity, tangy Houses of Parliament aka brown sauce goes beautifully with every element of an English fry-up.

Tomato Ketchup

A close second, the humble tomato sauce is a classic choice if you prefer something a little sweeter.

Colman's English Mustard

Sharp, fiery and unmistakably British, a small dab of Colman's is the traditional choice alongside your sausages or bacon for those who like a proper kick with their fry up.

What to Drink with a Full English Breakfast?

Take your pick from a strong cup of English Breakfast Tea (make sure to serve with some 2% milk and NOT black with a slice of lemon), a hot American coffee or some freshly squeezed orange juice.

What About Hash Browns?

Now, a word on hash browns. The English Breakfast Society aren't shy about where they stand: hash browns per se are not on the list of ingredients for a Full English Breakfast. They are treated as a modern American import that replaces a more English starch such as bubble and squeak (cooked potatoes fried with leftover vegetables until crisp).

Purists, take note.

But here at Jolly Posh, we're a little more relaxed about what you choose to add to your Fry Up Breakfast, as long as traditional back bacon and British sausages are present and correct.

In fact, plenty of our customers love to add American “supporting items”.

• Chips (steak fries)

• American biscuits (savoury, not cookies!)

• Hash browns (either in a patty or shredded form)

• Country style potatoes

• A couple of fat, buttermilk pancakes

What is heresy to some is just a wonderful expression of personal taste to us. Call it a Full American-English, and we won't tell the English Breakfast Society if you don't.

Full English, Full Irish, Full Scottish or Full Welsh - What’s the Difference?

Whilst the Full English is possibly the most internationally recognised version of a fry up, Ireland, Scotland and Wales are also famed for their own distinct versions. Indeed, even most British regions have their own unique take on a fry up, such as Ulster Fry or a Cornish Fry.

Ultimately, the thing that all traditional fry ups have in common is good quality British back bacon, excellent sausages, and some sort of meat pudding (black, white or Scottish).

As the English Breakfast Society’s only accredited US source for authentic back bacon rashers, pork sausages, black pudding and white pudding, Jolly Posh is your trusted supplier for the ingredients at the heart of a proper Full English fry-up. We also make the Scottish and Irish-specific meats that you need to make a Full Scottish or a Full Irish Breakfast.

Creating A Full English Fry Up in the USA

Food trends come and go, but the fry up has cemented its place in British food culture as a timeless masterpiece that isn’t going anywhere, and the Full English Breakfast is something everyone should try at least once and enjoy often. 

If you live in the USA and are looking for the best place to buy the traditional ingredients for a Full English Breakfast, Jolly Posh can help. We deliver our own range of back bacon, British sausages, black pudding, breads and other British food essentials across the USA. Everything you need to create an authentic fry-up in your American kitchen, delivered straight to your door.