British Starter

Devils on Horseback

Prunes wrapped in bacon and roasted until smoky, sticky and salty-sweet.

15 minsPrep time
18 minsCook time
Serves 4Servings
EasyDifficulty
Devils on Horseback
About this dish

Devils on Horseback: the story on the plate

Devils on Horseback is not simply a modern restaurant label; its form grew through repeated household, market or celebratory use. It belongs to the practical home, bakery, pub and dining-room traditions that developed across Britain, where seasonality and thrift shaped recognisable comfort food. The appeal comes from prunes wrapped in bacon and roasted until smoky, sticky and salty-sweet. Its method turns familiar ingredients into something with a distinct regional character. Its significance comes from repetition: it is cooked, ordered and remembered in settings where food reinforces place and family identity. It appears in homes, pubs, bakeries, sporting occasions, Sunday meals or seasonal celebrations, depending on the dish.

Historical background

Devils on Horseback is not simply a modern restaurant label; its form grew through repeated household, market or celebratory use. It belongs to the practical home, bakery, pub and dining-room traditions that developed across Britain, where seasonality and thrift shaped recognisable comfort food.

Why it is famous

The appeal comes from prunes wrapped in bacon and roasted until smoky, sticky and salty-sweet. Its method turns familiar ingredients into something with a distinct regional character.

Cultural significance

Its significance comes from repetition: it is cooked, ordered and remembered in settings where food reinforces place and family identity. It appears in homes, pubs, bakeries, sporting occasions, Sunday meals or seasonal celebrations, depending on the dish.

Nutrition

Estimated nutrition per serving

These figures are estimates per serving. Actual nutrition can vary with the brands and exact amounts you use, how much oil, dressing or sauce is absorbed, any substitutions or added extras, and the portion size served.

A practical guide for comparing recipes and planning meals.

340Calories
18gProtein
24gCarbs
19gFat
Ingredients

What you need

  • 12 pitted prunes
  • 80 blue cheese, cut into 12 batons
  • 12 smoked streaky bacon, rashers halved if large
  • 1 rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 black pepper
Method

Step-by-step method

Follow the recipe in order, tasting and adjusting seasoning where needed.

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan. Line a baking tray.
  2. Open each prune without tearing it in half and push in a 5–6 g baton of blue cheese.
  3. Wrap each prune tightly in bacon with the seam underneath. Space them 2 cm apart and season with rosemary and black pepper.
  4. Roast for 15–18 minutes, turning once, until the bacon is browned and the cheese just begins to escape. Rest for 3 minutes before serving.
Cook smarter

Tips, storage and serving advice

Shopping tips

Buy the freshest central ingredient available and check seafood, meat or dairy dates carefully.

Ingredient quality

Use even cuts, accurate scales and fresh herbs or spices.

Common mistakes

For Devils on Horseback, the main mistakes are losing control of the balance between pitted prunes, blue cheese, smoked streaky bacon, rosemary; rushing the "Step 1" stage before the flavour or texture has properly developed; and overworking or holding the finished dish so long that its freshness and texture fade. Use the recipe's visual cue as your guide: The food should match the colour, texture and doneness cues described in the instruction. With Devils on Horseback, taste and observe as you cook rather than relying on the clock alone; the goal is a result that still tastes recognisably British and preserves the texture that makes this recipe distinctive.

Chef’s tips

For the best Devils on Horseback, organise pitted prunes, blue cheese, smoked streaky bacon, rosemary before you start so the cooking itself can stay controlled. Give particular attention to the "Step 1" stage: this is where the recipe begins to establish its final flavour and texture. A useful technique note from the method is: Prepare every cut to the stated size so the ingredients cook evenly. Trust the visual cue — The food should match the colour, texture and doneness cues described in the instruction. — more than an exact minute count. At the "Step 4" stage, make the final seasoning adjustment and serve without unnecessary delay. That final check is what makes Devils on Horseback taste deliberate rather than simply cooked.

How to know it is cooked

Use the stated visual cue and internal temperature rather than time alone.

Plating advice

Plate Devils on Horseback so the dish reads clearly at first glance. Use a smaller plate or shallow bowl and keep the portion compact, leaving enough negative space for pitted prunes, blue cheese, smoked streaky bacon to remain identifiable. The presentation should protect the intended texture — Contrasting textures are preserved through controlled cutting, heat and resting. — so avoid covering crisp elements with sauce too early or compressing delicate components. For the finish, draw selectively from the existing garnish guidance: Use restrained traditional garnishes that reinforce rather than hide the core flavour. Use one or two elements with purpose rather than applying every option at once. For Devils on Horseback, the final plate should feel consistent with its British identity: confident, appetising and easy to eat, with no decoration that competes with the food itself.

Make ahead

Complete preparatory stages ahead where noted; finish crisp, fried or delicate components close to service.

Storage and reheating

Cool within two hours, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days unless seafood guidance requires earlier use. Reheat savoury food gently until piping hot throughout; avoid repeated reheating.

Wine pairing

What to drink with Devils on Horseback

These are wine-style pairings, so you can choose any bottle in that style rather than needing one exact producer. Look for the grape, region or style name on the label.

Pairings are chosen around the dish’s flavour, texture, richness, acidity and cooking style, not just the country it comes from.

Dry Riesling wine pairing
#1 Excellent match White

Dry Riesling

Why it works:

Dry Riesling balances Devils on Horseback with freshness and fruit: enough acidity to cut through richness, but with a supple structure that does not overwhelm the meat.

A precise, high-acid white with lime, green apple, blossom and mineral tension. It loves pork, fish, cabbage, spice and rich sauces.

GrapeRiesling
RegionMosel, Rheingau, Alsace, Clare Valley
Wine flavourlime, green apple, petrol, slate, blossom
Serve at8-10°C
  • Flavour bridge: red or orchard fruit complements the meat's natural sweetness and browned edges
  • Acidity: Fresh acidity cleanses the palate after fat
  • Body: Medium body matches the dish without dominating it
  • Tannin: Moderate or low tannin keeps the pairing supple
  • Sweetness: Dry to gently off-dry styles can handle sweet-savoury elements
  • Best for: Dinner, entertaining or recipe pairing
View wine guide
Spätburgunder wine pairing
#2 Great match Red

Spätburgunder

Why it works:

Spätburgunder balances Devils on Horseback with freshness and fruit: enough acidity to cut through richness, but with a supple structure that does not overwhelm the meat.

German Pinot Noir with red cherry, earth and gentle spice. Excellent with pork, sausages, roast poultry, mushroom sauces and sauerbraten.

GrapeSpätburgunder / Pinot Noir
RegionBaden, Ahr, Pfalz
Wine flavourred cherry, raspberry, earth, clove
Serve at14-16°C
  • Flavour bridge: red or orchard fruit complements the meat's natural sweetness and browned edges
  • Acidity: Fresh acidity cleanses the palate after fat
  • Body: Medium body matches the dish without dominating it
  • Tannin: Moderate or low tannin keeps the pairing supple
  • Sweetness: Dry to gently off-dry styles can handle sweet-savoury elements
  • Best for: Dinner, entertaining or recipe pairing
View wine guide
Beaujolais / Gamay wine pairing
#3 Interesting match Red

Beaujolais / Gamay

Why it works:

For a more adventurous pairing, beaujolais / Gamay balances Devils on Horseback with freshness and fruit: enough acidity to cut through richness, but with a supple structure that does not overwhelm the meat.

Juicy light red with cherry, raspberry and low tannin. Excellent slightly chilled with charcuterie, poultry, pâté, sausages and rustic dishes.

GrapeGamay
RegionBeaujolais, Loire, Switzerland
Wine flavourcherry, raspberry, violet, pepper
Serve at12-14°C
  • Flavour bridge: red or orchard fruit complements the meat's natural sweetness and browned edges
  • Acidity: Fresh acidity cleanses the palate after fat
  • Body: Medium body matches the dish without dominating it
  • Tannin: Moderate or low tannin keeps the pairing supple
  • Sweetness: Dry to gently off-dry styles can handle sweet-savoury elements
  • Best for: Dinner, entertaining or recipe pairing
View wine guide