Here at IDEAL we love a good old fashioned Sunday Roast for so many reasons. There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about a roast. A good one will transport you back to your childhood and trigger fond memories of family gatherings.
Roasts are the perfect excuse to get friends together and have a few glasses of good wine on a Sunday. Also, there is a sense of accomplishment when you cook good roast. When you see people fall into a happy food-induced coma after they’ve eaten the food you’ve just cooked – it makes you feel like you’ve done something good.
But what is the secret to creating the perfect Sunday Roast that gives people that sleepy feeling that only comes after well cooked food? Hunter 486’s Head Chef Gary Durrant reveals all with this top tips.
THE MEAT
If you are buying a beef joint, ask your butcher for cod fat (from between the hind legs of the cow) as it is a natural way to baste your meat. Tie it over the top of the joint to keep it moist and enhance its flavour. To add more flavour to your meat, rub with oil, salt and herbs or place the meat in the pan on top of halved red onions.
A Nut Roast is the fail-safe veggie option but it doesn’t have to be boring! Top with vegetarian blue cheese or goats cheese for an extra kick, or add mushrooms for a tastier flavour.
THE GRAVY
A Roast Dinner is not complete without a good helping of gravy! While the meat is resting you can get started on the gravy using the juices in the pan. Thicken this by mixing 1 tablespoon of flour and 250ml of stock. If you would really like to impress, fry chopped vegetables in the base of the pan until caramelised. Add flour, stir and then add red wine before gradually pouring in the stock. For additional flavour add herbs or a little splash of soy sauce.
IDEAL TIP: Always use a good quality stock and with the right meat a dash of port adds a wonderful richness. If you need to sweeten the gravy, redcurrant jelly works well.
THE POTATOES
Some believe that roast potatoes are the star of the show when it comes to a Roast, so there can be a lot of pressure to get them right! To get those potatoes fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside, place them in a colander and rattle them around – this will help to make the skin crispy. The golden rule is that you must cover your spuds in olive oil, butter, goose or duck fat for that wonderful golden colour. While they are roasting, baste them in the fat every so often to keep them moist and make them extra crunchy. Once cooked, season them with sea salt and black pepper.
THE YORKSHIRE PUD
A traditional Roast is not complete without Yorkshire puddings regardless of what meat you are cooking. Yorkshire puddings can be easily made with flour, eggs and milk. I recommend using all milk for a softer and richer batter, and make the batter a day before as it will be lighter and rise better. If you’re bored of plain Yorkshire puddings try something different by adding some ingredients to the batter. I like to add a twist to this classic dish by adding mustard for a fiery kick, grated cheddar and chives if you’re a cheese fan, or throw some chopped and fried bacon into the batter mix.
THE VEG
Similarly to your Yorkshire puddings, you want to add extra flavour to your vegetables. There’s so many simple ways you can make really tasty veg! I like to cook carrots in butter, fresh orange juice and parsley to enhance the flavour. If you have a sweet tooth I would recommend making honey-glazed carrots by roasting the carrots in white wine vinegar and honey. Or you can change things by baking cauliflower with onion, garlic and parmesan, or roast broccoli with cheese and drizzled with lemon.
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