Sundays are a time for slowing down, spending time with loved ones and tucking into a hearty roast dinner. Perhaps you choose to spend your Sunday's on a long, bracing walk across the countryside, the wind blowing the cobwebs away as the the amber leaves swirl round your feet. As darkness begins to descend, you light the candles and cosy up, with delicious aromas from a roasting joint filling the air. Sitting down with family and friends to enjoy a succulent roast, with roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings, there really is no better way to end the week.
Our good friend and chef Gill Meller really embraces the transition to autumn: "for me, it’s a time to slow down, breathe and take stock. It’s a time to preserve for the winter and a time for slow roasting meats, watching the leaves fall and the swallows leave." 🍂
Now that autumn is well and truly in full swing, delicious roast dinners are back on the menu, and everyone has their favourite cut of meat. We asked Gill to tell us about his perfect Sunday roast, and share with you how to recreate it.
"Slow grown Grass Fed Beef has the most wonderful depth of flavour and the rib, whether on the bone or off, is one of my favourite cuts for roasting. A good rib of beef should carry a little fat, this is where lots of the flavour can be found, but it also has a wonderful tender eye that runs through the middle surrounded by meat with a little more substance. As a cut it has a bit of everything for everyone."
A rich roasting joint such beef deserves an equally rich and flavoursome side dish, and Gill recommends a beautifully creamy leek gratin.
"Leeks and beef are so good together. In this particular recipe I add a handful of dried cep mushrooms. They give the gratin an extra dimension; their uniquely wonderful earthy flavour is no stranger to beef."
No Sunday is complete without the classic roast dinner trimmings, and Gill knows a thing or two about creating moreish roast potatoes. The beef dripping adds a truly magical touch, and a deep, rich flavour.
In order to ensure your tatties are as good as they can possibly be, Gill shares his secret tip: "if you drain them too early, you wont get those roughed up fluffy edges you’re looking for. For a second layer of crispness, I like to lightly crush the potatoes part way through cooking. Yes, they split and open up a bit, but it gives them more surface area, which eventually equals more crunch."
What better to accompany crispy roast potatoes than golden, comforting Yorkshire puddings? Lavishly coated in gravy, Gill shares his top tips for creating the perfect Yorkshire pudding: make sure the fat is piping hot before adding the batter, enabling the puddings to rise to their full potential.
Tuck into delicious Pipers Farm produce and re-create your perfect Sunday roast today!
