‘Bang on and a solid ten’: Danny Malin rates giant Yorkshire pudding challenge just outside Leeds

I like my Yorkshire puddings, I really do...

... but this Yorkshire pudding challenge was too much, even for me.

I went to The Crooked Billet in Saxton, near Tadcaster, which has been making Yorkshire puddings for over 30 years.

They run a famous challenge where diners have one hour to finish three courses consisting entirely of giant Yorkshire puddings.

The ultimate three-course meal costs £36 - or it is half price if you complete the challenge by eating all three courses within the hour.

For starters, you get a giant Yorkshire filled with gravy and a few pigs in blankets. Then, for mains, it is another giant Yorkshire filled with a choice of meat, vegetables, roast potatoes, and a lot of gravy.

For dessert, it is a Yorkshire pudding pancake served with sticky toffee pudding.

Now, I went in knowing I wouldn’t complete the challenge because I wanted to properly taste each course, and I’m no competitive eater.

Before arriving, I wasn’t sure if the whole thing would just be a gimmick and the food would turn out to be substandard.

I sat down on a comfy armchair next to a table - it felt just like I was in my late nan's living room.

‘Three courses of Yorkshire perfection’

My first giant Yorkshire pudding arrived with the pigs in blankets swimming in rich gravy. Straight away, I was impressed.

Everything here is homemade, and all of the produce is locally sourced.

For mains, you get a choice of two meats. I chose beef and turkey to go alongside the trimmings, which included red cabbage, roast potatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli, with lots of gravy, all served inside another giant Yorkshire pudding.

You get thick slices of meat, plenty of trimmings, and a boatload of gravy.

At first glance, the roast potatoes looked like they might not be crispy enough, but they arrived piping hot and actually tasted amazing.

Then dessert came: a Yorkshire pudding pancake served with sticky toffee pudding.

I couldn’t fault it. It was brilliant value for money, especially if you can manage to eat most of it. This was a top-notch showcase of Yorkshire’s most famous dish, done three ways.

My only issue was that I’d chosen the wrong place to sit. I should have sat on a higher chair to tackle the huge puddings, as I felt like I needed to be raised up just to look over them.

£36 for three courses? This place is bang on and a solid ten.

The Crooked Billet is located in the village of Saxton, near Tadcaster (LS24 9QN), around a 30-minute drive east of Leeds city centre. Food is served daily from 12pm (with weekend breakfast from 9am), and tables can be booked in advance by calling 01937 557389 or visiting the official Crooked Billet website.