Make the ultimate roast dinner
Roast dinner season all year long baby (with a bit of Christmas thrown in)
No matter the season, no matter the weather, I’m having a Sunday roast. There could be a heatwave and I’m still whacking that chicken in the oven with all the trimmings.
Because here’s the thing: roast dinners are truly an art to be mastered. A lesson in multitasking. A chance to nail those timings before the main event rolls around…Christmas (or Thanksgiving if you’re reading this from across the pond).
So, if you want every single element of your roast dinner to be pure perfection, you’ve come to the right place. Each part of the plate is special and should be celebrated, so here are my top recipes and tips to delivering top quality food and also save on the washing up and that precious oven space.
Let’s get started…
🐔 THE MEAT: CHICKEN, BEEF, TURKEY AND MORE
Whether you’re a roast-beef loyalist, a chicken lover, or a slow-cooker devotee, the secret to a bloomin amazing roast and gravy starts right here.
BUTTER CONFIT ROAST CHICKEN
The secret to moist chicken? Butter. Between the skin. Always.
Top tip – Make a compound butter. Which is basically just butter mixed with herbs, garlic, lemon zest or whatever herbs/spices you want throw in. Once gatherted, get it all combined and rubbed in under that chicken skin. The result? Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and full of flavour. And please, don’t forget to rest your meat! Set aside a good 15 mins to keep that chicken beautifully moist. Now, it’s not the most cheffy tip, but to ensure you cook your chicken correctly (and if you don’t have a thermometer), always refer to the packet instructions.
ROAST BEEF
My family are a roast beef family. I know many people avoid it because they’re scared of over or under-cooking it (and let’s face it, there’s always someone who wants “no pink bits”). But honestly, it’s one of the easiest cuts of meat to cook once you know your timings and you have that bit of confidence. Follow my guide and you’ll get tender, pink, perfectly seasoned beef every time…
👉 Try my full roast beef recipe here
SLOW COOKER LEG OF LAMB
If you’re new to cooking big cuts of meat like lamb and are worried about messing it up, let your slow cooker do the hard work. This lamb is rubbed with smoked paprika, rosemary, thyme, onion granules and garlic, no added liquid, just pure flavour. And that’s no error in the recipe, the lamb releases its own juices, creating a rich, smoky, herb-infused sauce that’s basically liquid gold.
But remember, if the lamb shreds easily, it’s ready. If it’s still resisting, give it more time, I promise your patience will pay off.
👉 Grab the leg of lamb recipe here
TURKEY
Perfect for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any excuse for leftover sandwiches or a delicious one pot marry me turkey. Now, if you do ANYTHING, please follow my two tops tips – dry brining and adding a compound butter.
Dry brine your bird for a few days before roasting as it’ll give you crispy skin and juicy meat. Then mix up a butter with lemon, orange and herbs for a festive, fragrant flavour. I know some people love a wet brine, but this method is my absolute go-to and I have converted many followers to this recipe! Aside from potatoes, this is one of the recipes I’m most proud of.
Tip 1 – DRY BRINING
Dry brining is an absolute must to ensure the best turkey. Forget a big bucket of water, what you need to do is dry your turkey off, separate the skin from the flesh and massage in your dry mix. I’ve included my recipe below, which you may just need to adapt depending on the size of your turkey. Then once you’ve got it all rubbed in under the skin, place your bird in the fridge for 3 days. Now, I like to keep my bird uncovered, but I know this is tricky when you’ve packed the fridge with Christmas food and you’re already fighting for space, but it does give you that crispy, golden skin when cooked! If you do have space, put it on a shelf away from other foods as you don’t want anything touching it. You can also cover it if you’re struggling though.
Tip 2 – COMPOUND BUTTER
The addition of a compound butter will add extra flavour and extra moisture. It’s super simple to make and I added lemon, orange and herbs to my butter to give it that festive feel, but you can mix it up and add whatever else you fancy. If you’re new to compound butters, this is a goodun. Make sure you save any of the leftover bits from the lemon, orange and herbs to shove inside the turkey! You can also add onion, stalks from the herbs and leftover dry brine. There’s no waste here and what’s the harm in a little bit more flavour? Honestly, you should see what comes out of my bird on the day…
AIR FRYER PORCHETTA
I guarantee when you serve this up, no-one will believe you made this in an air fryer. Not only is it beautiful to look at, but it’s also succulent, tender and bursting with flavour. I like to tweak my standard roast dinner trimmings for this porchetta by serving it alongside sautéed, buttered leeks, roast potatoes, garlic gravy and a big dollop of apple sauce.
👉 Get the air fryer exclusive recipe here
🥔 THE POTATOES (the star of the show)
Let’s be honest, the roasties make the roast. Crispy, fluffy, golden perfection. No arguments.
CLASSIC ROASTIES
Controversially, plot twist, SHOCK HORROR, the only ingredients you need are: potatoes, salt, and vegetable oil. That’s it. Forget all the faffy extras, no fancy-pants bicarb, flour, herbs, or animal fat. Just perfectly crispy, golden roast potatoes made simple. If you follow my steps, you’ll get the ultimate crunch every single time.
If you’ve nailed the roast and want to jazz it up a little, try my roast potato seasoning or the following recipes.
GOOSE FAT ROASTIES
Gloriously crispy golden edges, pillowy soft middles, and just the right touch of indulgence thanks to the luxurious goose fat. Trust me, these roasties will have your family singing your praises long after the crackers are pulled and the pudding is polished off. Although they’re typically a Christmas staple, you can use animal fats on your roasties for something a little bit extra. However, if you prefer a neutral tasting oil, then classic roasties are still your best bet.
I also make a herby salt to scatter over once roasted, which includes rosemary, thyme, sage and a nice heap of salt. It’s a great addition to the Christmas table if you like a little more with your spuds.
GROWN UP ROASTIES
If you’ve ever thought roasties couldn’t get any posher, think again. Enter my garlic, shallot, and white wine roast potatoes, a side dish that screams sophistication without veering into the pretentious zone. These golden beauties are the perfect combination of crispy, fluffy, and flavour-packed, making them a standout choice for everything from Sunday roasts to fancy dinner parties. They’re basically your everyday roasties, but wearing their best tuxedo. They do take a little more effort, but if you want some extra flavour on your plate, instead of relying on heaps of mint sauce, this is the spud you’ve been looking for.
👉 White wine. shallot and garlic roastie recipe here
AIR FRYER ROASTIES
I LOVE my air fryer and it’s an absolute god-send when it comes to a Sunday roast, especially when you’re cooking for more than four people. It means I can dedicate the oven to Yorkshire puds, meat etc and use the air fryer for the veg. What’s even better is that you don’t need to parboil the potatoes, so you’ve saved a bit on the washing up immediately.
BOULANGERE POTATOES
A slight departure from the roast potato, but something a little more flavourful and juicy. If you’re cooking a summer roast, my lemon boulangere potatoes work a treat. This dish may sound all posh and sophisticated, but it’s genuinely so simple to make. Humble ingredients and basic methods make this a French household favourite, one that will hopefully make it into your family too. This dish consists of four common ingredients – veg/chicken stock, onion, butter and spuds. Seriously, that’s it.
BACON WRAPPED FONDANTS
What’s not to love? These little beauties are crispy on the outside, buttery on the inside, and wrapped in salty, smoky streaky bacon or pancetta for that extra indulgent vibe. They’re the ultimate side dish to elevate your Christmas dinner, whether you’re keeping it traditional with turkey or branching out with something fancier. These fondants hold their own on any festive spread, and if you’re hosting, they’ll definitely earn you a round of applause (or at least some very enthusiastic nods and mumbled “mmm” sounds from your guests).
🥕THE VEG
GLAZED CARROTS WITH STAR ANISE
There is nothing better than a carrot drowning in butter. And to go one step further, I’ve even thrown in some orange and carrot juice to really intensify the flavour. What you get is unapologetically indulgent, gloriously vibrant carrots that will tempt even the most stubborn veg-avoiders. And yes, it’s questionable whether they’re actually healthy anymore, but you won’t question it after your first bite. Get them on your next Sunday roast.
AIR FRYER HONEY ROASTED CARROTS
The beauty of this recipe is not just its taste but how ridiculously easy it is to pull off. The air fryer does all the heavy lifting, giving you perfectly roasted carrots with those golden, crispy edges and a soft, tender inside in a fraction of the time it takes in a regular oven. And let’s not even get started on the honey glaze, it’s sticky, buttery, and with just the right balance of sweetness to make these carrots utterly irresistible.
HONEY PARSNIPS & BACON GREENS
These were originally staples on my Christmas dinner, but they’ve made it into the year-round roast. I believe every element on that plate should be lovingly prepared and not an afterthought. We want family members fighting over not just the crispiest roasties, but even the rich, bacon-infused cabbage too. If you are starting to think about Christmas, don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel for step-by-step recipes vids to ensure you have the most elaborate Christmas dinner in town.
👉 Recipes here for veggie sides
BLACKCURRANT JAM AND ORANGE BRAISED RED CABBAGE
Let’s get some more colour on your plate! The sweetness from the blackcurrant and tangyness from the fresh orange, make this braised red cabbage next level . If you’re making this for Christmas dinner, don’t forget to add a splash of port for that truly festive and boozy feel. After writing this blog post, I am heading off to make the biggest roast dinner known to man, I am so hungry and absolutely need a glass of port.
CAULIFLOWER CHEESE
This is the most MONSTROUS cauliflower cheese going. There’s no gloopy packet mixes here, oh no. We’ve got it all going on. This cauliflower is draped in everything from camembert to comte. Frankly, it’s ridiculous but oh my god is it delicious. Please drop this on the Christmas table and wait for everyones reaction.
👉 Grab the delicious deets here
AIR FRYER BACON AND CHESTNUT SPROUTS
An absolute classic, but those bacon pieces and sweet chestnuts roast beautifully in the air fryer, and there won’t be a soggy sprout in sight. Plus, that’s one less pan on the hob.
Want to level up your sprout game even further? Toss them in garlic butter, sprinkle over some crispy pancetta, or finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze for a fancy touch. If you’re feeling extra festive, why not add dried cranberries and toasted pecans for a sweet-savoury twist?
👉 The secret to perfect sprouts
🍽️ THE EXTRAS
THE GRAVY
A proper gravy takes a bit of work and prep, but it makes such a massive difference. I use cheap cuts of meat and lots of offcuts or basically anything going spare in the fridge to make the base for my gravy. I’ve thrown in old mushrooms, odd bits of carrot, the whole fridge went in basically. But don’t forget to use a fine sieve for straining so you don’t get rogue bits of veg or meat floating around in your gravy, we want smooth and silky.
If you’ve never ventured far from the jar, this is the sign you needed to give this a go. You’ll never look at gravy granules the same way.
👉 Make the more incredible homemade gravy
🥚YORKSHIRE PUDS
Some won’t even entertain a roast dinner without a Yorkshire pud and others just don’t have time for it. If you’re firmly in the yes camp when it comes to a delicious yorkshire, then here’s a recipe for ya. Because who wouldn’t want an edible utensil to hold additional gravy?! It just makes sense.
Now, I know there are hundreds of methods on the internet for these beige babies, but this is the one I swear by and it hasn’t failed me yet. Please though do share your tips and tricks with me for your puds as I’m always open to testing new methods out.
Well, there you have it. The lowdown on my kinda roast dinner (and a sneak peak into what my Christmas dinner looks like). If I’ve missed anything out, shout out in the comments below and I’ll add it in. Do you usually add a creamy leek? Or maybe a cheeky turnip? Let me know.