Sunday Roast Is a Meal You Can Look Forward to Every Week - Aman Shanti News

I love the ritual of a big Sunday dinner. Whether it’s a perfectly roasted chicken, a slow-simmered Sunday sauce, or a big pot of chicken chili (my family’s favorite when I was growing up), there’s something special about sitting down for a big meal once a week. So naturally, I was always going to love a Sunday roast.

Sunday roast, or roast dinner, is a traditional British meal of roasted meat, potatoes, and accompaniments like Yorkshire pudding, vegetables, stuffing, gravy, and various condiments depending on the meat. My recipe makes roast beef, roasted carrots and parsnips, the crispiest potatoes of all time, a creamy horseradish sauce, and a warm gravy for pouring over everything. It’s essentially a slightly pared-down version of traditional Christmas dinner.

It’s ambitious for sure, but with a little bit of planning, it’s entirely possible to pull it off by yourself (take it from me—I live in an apartment with one oven). I’ll share my tips and tricks for how you can execute it without a hitch.

The Origin of Sunday Roast

Sunday roast is originally from the British Isles, specifically Yorkshire. It was meant as a meal eaten after Sunday church service. Although there are ties all the way back to medieval times, the modern Sunday roast came to cultural prominence during the Industrial Revolution. In the late 1700s, people would place a large cut of meat in the oven to roast while they got ready for church. Then, just before leaving, they’d add the vegetables. When their family got home from church, dinner was nearly ready.

Types of Proteins Served in a Sunday Roast

While roast beef is perhaps the most quintessential centerpiece of a roast dinner, it’s common to utilize other proteins as well. Roast chicken, lamb, and pork all make delicious alternatives to beef. A rotisserie chicken would be a great stand-in when you don’t have the time for a longer roast.

A Few Tips

Ask the butcher to tie the beef. Whether you use beef round or round roast, it will keep the meat well-shaped for presentation and even cooking. It’s not strictly necessary, but it’s nice if you can.
Make sandwiches with the leftover meat. Horseradish sauce, thinly sliced roast beef, and a little gravy make a delicious sandwich. Add a handful of greens, if you have them.
Keep the roast on the back of the stove, if you can. Set the (covered) roasted beef on the back of your stove if you have room. The heat from the oven will keep everything perfectly warm.
Slice the beef as thinly as possible. This is a lean cut, so aim for thinner slices.

More Accompaniments to Serve With Sunday Roast

Oven capacity issues aside, here are some more side options to serve with your meal to mix and match.

Peas. Simply boil frozen peas for an easy green addition.
Steamed vegetables. Broccoli, cabbage, or green beans are a great way to round out the meal and don’t require precious oven space.
Stuffing. Whether served in a baking dish or as stuffing balls (perfect for eating with Yorkshire pudding), it’s a flavorful addition.
Cauliflower cheese. This vegetable dish, which sometimes includes broccoli as well, is baked in a creamy cheese sauce similar to a gratin.
More condiments. Depending on the protein, English mustard, warm applesauce, red currant jelly, cranberry sauce, and mint jelly are all traditional toppings to serve alongside the meat.