To go out and leave him to it? (Dinner related)

[GirlOnIt]

This is meant lightheartedly, because I do know he's really trying.
Dp has offered to cook Sunday lunch, he's invited my mum and her partner and his parents and brother. All lovely, except Dp has never cooked Sunday lunch and so far he's asked what time he should start it, will I help him do the Yorkshire puddings, how does he make sure it's all ready together. He's gone to the shops and phoned three times to ask what he should get.

I did suggest he just cook something he's done before, he is a really good cook. But he wants a roast dinner.
I just know I'm going to end up doing it myself helping and I don't want to.
I'm thinking once he's back with Ds I go out and just come back when it's ready.
His exact words were you don't have to do anything, I'll do all the shopping, prep, cooking and cleaning up. So I'm not being unreasonable am I?

But he did once make me Yorkshire puddings when I was pregnant and craving them and they were gross. I don't even know how he could get them so wrong. I don't want him serving inedible food to our families.

*I have a foolproof Yorkshire recipe, mine are perfect every time.

1. Go to Tescos, buy Aunt Bessies (she really knows what she is doing) 2. Follow the instructions on the pack*

^^
This is what I was going to say.

If it's his first time then I'd stay home and answer questions, but not step in.

Good Yorkshire pudding recipe:
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9020/best-yorkshire-puddings
(Works fine with a little melted butter instead of sunflower oil, that's what we use as we only have olive oil otherwise.)

Got me into trouble with DM when DS then (rudely I must say and I wasn't Ok with this) didn't like her much nicer home made ones!

BBC Yorkies recipe are very easy. But if my dh said I didn’t have to do anything I would definitely not want to do anything. I agree but the yorkies on the way back from your walk so you can’t be accused of being heartless! But I would be encouraging of his ambitions (without actually helping on this occasion), and not care if he served my family muck. My mum would loudly agree that a disappointing result means more practice should be scheduled not a free pass from the kitchen.

Leave him to it and stop thinking about it. If the food's bad it's bad and it's on him. He sounds infuriating. At the moment you're still carrying the mental load for this lunch; put it down. He can carry it.

Just to add. That wasn't a dig at my mil (although she's not officially my mil) at all. I love her to pieces she's fantastic. But she isn't one for cooking.

I think you have to see this as an opportunity for him to learn another meal for his repetoire. Give instruction only don't do it for him, have a few nibbles and a glass of wine whilst supervising int he kitchen :-)

Next Sunday get him to do it again to iron out the wrinkles

ANd then the Sunday after to perfect the xyz

and then the next sunday you get my drift :-)

I am going out. He's back and he's shown me what he's bought. I've wrote down the Yorkshire pudding recipe and said I'm meeting my mum for a walk to build my appetite up.
Plus he hasn't got anything for dessert as he's not really bothered for one. So I've said I'll pick something up on my walk, then at least we got something in case it's not very good. That can be my contribution.

The thing about roasts is that they are easy individual bits - the trick is in the timings, knowing what order to prepare bits and bung them in the oven, when to take bits out or change the temperature of the oven etc. And once you have that down I'd prefer to cook a roast than most other meals because they are a peace of piss in comparison to all the chopping and mucking about making a decent curry!

As to yorkshires, in his position I would Aunt Bessie it. And I can cook awesome yorkshires (I use the recipe from the Guardian roughly - water and milk, not just milk) - but why add the pressure and stress when you're too busy learning the rest of the stuff.

My foolproof Yorkshire Pudding recipe is Aunt Bessie'a.

People suggesting aunt bessie's do you mean the frozen ones? I've had them and they honestly tasted like cardboard. They were horrid.

I did suggest M&S ones, his mum gets those and they're nice. I might get some while I'm out just in case. But I've suggested it to him and he wants homemade ones.

I've never tried the pre-cooked ones - I mean the ones that come as frozen batter in little tin cases.

I agree buttery. I like cooking a roast when I'm in the mood for cooking.

I'd stay and help?

like this

www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/254754415

My DH tried to do this on Christmas Day, he had never cooked me a roast so I said no. Go out, enjoy

It is better if he learns it his way than yours.

My DH can't cook at all and when I tried to teach him it was a disaster as I just wanted him to do it exactly the way I do but couldn't explain how. Same with gardening.

It was better when I left him alone with a gardening book and a small project and accepted he'd learn as he'd go along and some plants might be massacred along the way

Cooking we have given up on as I enjoy it.

The aunt Nessie’s that need proper baking and come batter in foil cases are the best.

My trick for Yorkshires when doing a roast or whatever, is to cook them the day before and whack then in the freezer. They just need heating up in the oven for a few minutes while you're plating up that way, no fuss. A bit late now I know. I hope the dinner goes well, even if it sounds like he's bitten off more than he can chew.

Go out as planned and leave him to it. Try to eat at least a bit of what he's cooked, and then praise him like mad for trying.

My mum said I should have made some and froze them AskMeHow. I have called him and he said he's doing fine, will be ready for about 2:30 but his parents are going round at 2 so I'm going to head home now.

He clearly needs more practice.
Make him do it every week.

As long as no one gets food poisoning it will be fine , have a glass of wine and praise him for making the effort .

My DH was better at cooking Sunday dinners than me but he could not make gravy at all .
When we first got together he wanted to impress me so made a SD . the gravy was inedible.( fortunately i tried it before pouring it on my diner ) I asked him how he had made it , he said he took the chicken out of the roasting tin put a bit of water and flour in put it on the hob and warmed/ cooked it .
I could not figure out what had gone so wrong , until he then said that he had ' even given the roasting tin a good wash once he took the chicken out before he made the gravy in it ' all the meat & onion juices went down the plug hole ! !

He did good, bless him.

Yay Great News. @GirlOnIt - more Sunday lunches for you :)

Ps How is the kitchen looking - mess / washing up?