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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Sunday Roasts, are they still a thing?

262 replies

Boswellox · 09/09/2018 22:09

It was such a staple of my 70's/80's youth and not being a parent I wondered what, if anything, it has morphed into.

OP posts:
DayKay · 09/09/2018 23:51

I know Asian families who have an Anglo Indian roast dinner on a Sunday with tandoori chicken, spiced potatoes and veg.

We often peri peri our chicken and potatoes.
So easy and tasty and hardly any faff.

PurpleArmy · 09/09/2018 23:51

I was dreaming of roast last Sunday, bought all the stuff, had to work, trusted DP to sort it out. Came home and he had put the chicken in the slow cooker. WTAF? Grey chicken came out. Then decided he would blast in oven for crispy skin. He nuked it. Totally bloody ruined.

Fecker. Angry

SummerIsEasy · 09/09/2018 23:56

In the warm summer weather roasts are difficult to cook, our small kitchen is just too hot and we never bother. A salad or BBQ is always easier.

On a cold winter sunday afternoon, the roast comes into it's own. When we were first married my DH was really keen for me to learn how to cook the sunday roast. With hindsight, I should have insisted that he learned to do this himself.

Poshjock Old man was in the forces. I think in his day the sunday roast was a big thing. He often used to invite some of the single blokes round for dinner, but when they all went off to the pub and left me to do the dishes on my own, it soon stopped.

boatyardblues · 10/09/2018 08:43

All the potato judgementalism on this thread has reminded me why I avoid AIBU. Live and let live, I say. 🤷‍♂️

OutPinked · 10/09/2018 08:48

I couldn’t be arsed every Sunday and would frankly find it boring.

BlueEyedBengal · 10/09/2018 08:50

Of course never miss doing a big roast. And Monday is fry up dayGrin

LARLARLAND · 10/09/2018 08:56

We have a roast most Sundays and occasionally I will do one in the week too. If we have teenagers round I will do one too because most of them seem to like them whereas with anything else there’s always one who won’t like what you give them.

Redgreencoverplant · 10/09/2018 08:58

Not a roast but we usually have a more substantial meal on a Sunday so yesterday was toad in the hole with roast potatoes, veg and gravy followed by crumble. Other weeks might be a pie or something. During the week we usually have quick meals like pasta, chilli etc so it's nice to put in a bit more effort on a Sunday :)

ScouseQueen · 10/09/2018 08:59

Love them, though don't have them every week. What we do quite frequently in the season of Sunday morning sporting activities is go out for a carvery. Not as good as the home cooked version but makes life easy as you just go straight from the fixture.

Notreallyhappy · 10/09/2018 09:03

Roast every Sunday and one mid week....how is it so hard to put a joint in the oven cook some veg & potatoes?? Winner winner big roast dinner all the way 😍😍

cloudtree · 10/09/2018 09:06

Every Sunday for us and probably a roast once during the week too (but only something easy like roast chicken or pork tenderloin during the week) . Plus they have one once a week at school too. Its a good veg heavy meal for the DC

thismeansnothing · 10/09/2018 09:11

Past three Sundays we've had a roast (beef, pork, chicken. Yum) but I'm a bit roast dinner DD out so probs won't have another for months. Really does depend how arsed we can be with the faff

BeenThereDone · 10/09/2018 09:36

Will usually do a roast if I'm not working. If I am working I'll do it on a my next day off. My kids love a roast, it's their favourite.

Poodles1980 · 10/09/2018 09:36

Oh yes we have one most weekends. Either we cook ourselves or go to family. It’s probably the one time during the week we all manage to sit down together.

paddlingwhenIshouldbeworking · 10/09/2018 09:49

I don't understand the comparisons with other meals. Am probably doing it wrong.

Compare to a curry, chopping everything requires 2 chopping boards, couple of knives, one measuring spoon and cooking requires one pan plus rice in the rice cooker. It simmers slowly by itself until your ready, rice keeps warm until your ready in the rice cooker. Couple of serving dishes. Done. Similar for stir fry, pasta. Chop, cook, 2 pans, combine & eat.

A roast includes a roasting tray for meat, saucepan for parboiling potatoes, tray for potatoes, tray for other veg (we have a big family so fill a tray each with these), dish for stuffing, tray for yorkies, bowls for making batter & stuffing, pan for gravy....several serving dishes, gravy boat etc plus tongs, carving stuff. To have a proper good roast you need to make sure everything comes out when its cooked to perfection. Or at least rejigging of the oven.

After a curry feel like I can carry on with my day, after a roast I need a good lie down.

Redgreencoverplant · 10/09/2018 09:53

I agree paddling a roast requires the dishwasher to run twice, a normal meal just once.

MaryBoBary · 10/09/2018 09:54

Yep, definitely still a thing for us. I was brought up in a very middle class family in the 90s and it was definitely a tradition then. Now we are struggling a lot financially but still try and have a roast every Sunday as it’s now our treat for the week. Normally roast chicken as it’s cheaper than beef or pork.

themagicamulet · 10/09/2018 09:57

We do but on Sunday evening rather than the middle of the day. Dcs are teenagers and busy all wkend but good way of ensuring they are home on Sunday night.

Penguinsnpandas · 10/09/2018 10:01

My DH does all cooking and washing up but we do roast in tray, potatoes part boil in pan then on roast tray, any stuffing would be in chicken already. Other veg boiled towards end can be in same pan as potatoes. Yorkshires just buy ready made and heat up on tray. Gravy just use bisto and add water though know others who do that in the roast tray, add a bisto cube cornflower and water. Only issue is if you've got vegetarians.

LadyB49 · 10/09/2018 10:02

Every Sunday. At least 8 of us. If other ds and family arrive, that makes 12. Roast joint done on quartered onions or whole shallots, mash and home made roasties. Roast carrots, cabbage and turnip. Yorkies and gravy. Sometimes stuffing. The gluten free leave out the stuffing and yorkies.
Homemade cheesecake, shop bought sorbet for the dairy free.
Offspring make the tea/coffee.

Dishes are left and dh and I do two loads in the dishwasher later.
Its great to have as many family as poss. Others live abroad.

MotherofPearl · 10/09/2018 10:10

I love the idea of a Sunday roast, and do make one occasionally. I'm not that bothered about the multiple dishwasher loads and washing up, but I do hate the way it makes my oven so greasy and splattered. Blush I know I shouldn't let it bother me, but I find it really puts me off making a roast. I know IABU.

theunsure · 10/09/2018 10:13

Oh gosh yes.

We start up with the full on roasts late Sept all the way through until summer. Then in Summer we usually have roast chicken but with a massive salad with all our favourite things.

Roast pots, yorkshires and a ton of gravy is the best! Then a massive naughty pud.

I love Sundays.

theunsure · 10/09/2018 10:14

Meant to say in previous post - DH cooks it so I just have to buy it - then when I get back from riding horse it is all magically ready to eat. Marvellous!
Then leftovers are easy Monday dinner too.

Jitters22 · 10/09/2018 10:17

Personally I don't like roasts, heavy stodgy food has never appealed to me

What's stodgy about a roast?

Lean meat and loads of lovely veg. Yorkshire puddings aren't obligatory.

A roast dinner has it all. Jam-packed with protein and essential carbohydrates it ticks a number of good-food boxes.

A well cooked roast can be one of the healthiest of dinners.

stargirl1701 · 10/09/2018 10:23

Yes but not in the summer. We have a roast every Sunday in the Autumn & Winter. Spring is weather dependant.