Hacks for the Perfect Roast Dinner

Brining Your Meat

Do you want to cook the juiciest chicken of your life? Honestly, once you do this, you won't look back, and you will be doing this for life, so convert now, OK?

Brining is a simple process: taking the chicken (or other meat) and submerging it in salty water (brine) and leaving it to soak. This adds flavour and moisture, meaning the meat will be much juicier when roasted. Remember, a brined chicken roasts 20% faster than a non-brined one. Make sure you plan its time in the oven accordingly.

This isn’t marinating; don't get confused. The water ratio when bringing is much higher than in a marinade recipe. Here's our favourite brining recipe:

The Perfect Roasties

They HAVE to be crispy. Let’s be clear on that. Go crisp or go home! Nobody is gonna be impressed with soggy, pale spuds. If you want to keep the “oohs” and “ahhs” high and the riots low, read on for guaranteed crowd-pleasing roasties every time.

Potato Variety

We recommend using Maris Piper potatoes for the perfect roast potatoes. According to 'The Science of Cooking' by Dr Stuart Farrimond, these are the best varieties of potatoes to use if you’re looking for that perfect balance of seriously crispy on the outside and heavenly fluffy on the inside. In a pinch, King Edward or Charlotte potatoes will also serve you well.

The Edge-Cut Method

You have been cutting your potatoes all wrong! This edge-cut technique will deliver the finest, tastiest and crispiest roasties, taking your potato game up yet another notch.

The big brains at Essex University have discovered that the perfect cut is 30 degrees. This increases the potato's surface area, meaning more space for craggy, crunchy goodness. This is a surefire way to have people inviting themselves back next Sunday, so proceed with caution.

Learn how to edge cut here

Perfect Yorkshire Pudding 

Did you know it can't be called a Yorkshire pudding if it doesn’t rise to more than 4 inches? We don’t want you to be in breach of any antiquated Yorkshire pudding laws, so save yourself the embarrassment of a non-rising Yorkshire pudding and make sure that the fat is sizzling hot before you pour in your batter, and don’t you dare open the oven door mid-cook, or those yorkies are likely to collapse. This is high-stakes stuff.

Here, we present to you the perfect Yorkshire pudding recipe, courtesy of the Royal Society of Chemistry. You will never need to Google again!

The science of Yorkshire Pudding Recipe

Tenderstem® broccoli

Of course, no perfect roast would be complete without the sweet and nutty flavour of a Tenderstem® broccoli serving. The best thing is this veg takes just 2-3 minutes to cook, with no prep needed, so you can leave it right till the end when you have a spare saucepan. There’s no need to plan with Tenderstem ®!

Be careful not to overcook Tenderstem ® as you will ruin its perfect crunch and flavour, so be sure to check out our How to Cook page for the perfect cook. You may normally boil or steam your Tenderstem®, but if you find yourself with time to spare and oven space free, why not try roasting them to intensify the flavour and take that crunch to new levels? Check out our balsamic and rosemary recipe to really show off!

Roasted Tenderstem® broccoli with balsamic & rosemary

Carrots & Parsnips

Nobody wants a shrivelled carrot! Try parboiling them, but scrub them and keep their skins on. This will soften them without losing moisture, saving time and reducing waste. Everyone loves the rustic look.

Give your root veg some TLC by parboiling them before roasting. The trick is to scrub them down with their skins on to lock in moisture, resulting in a moreish, magnificent side for your roast. Saves on waste too!

Gravy

No roast is complete without the gravy. As a nation of gravy lovers, we all love it a particular way. One thing we’re united in is that we don’t want lumps. Consistency is very much a matter of preference, though, so we’ll steer clear of that to avoid civil war.

According to a University College London professor, the components that create the perfect gravy are the volume of liquid, depth of flavour, stir time, and serving temperature.

Based on survey findings of 2,000 Christmas cooks, the perfect jug of gravy should be:

115ml in volume – enough to coat the centrepiece and all the trimmings

Stirred for 2.5 minutes, resulting in a velvety smooth, lump-free consistency

Depth of flavour on a scale of 1-5 should be the highest at 5, which means including all the juices from your roast, plus additional seasoning.

Served at a temperature of 69°C

Vegan/Vegetarian Roast Alternative

A roast dinner isn’t just about the meat. There are lots of tasty alternatives to add to your roast dinner, whether that’s for dietary reasons or simply a change. Try a meat-free version of your roast dinner and surprise yourself with how much you don’t miss it.

Perfect Vegan Roast Recipe

Serve with a fantastic onion gravy