Roast Dinner - how much can I prepare in advance?

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Apologies for the dull domestic question but after some cooking advice. I’m making a roast dinner for 8 on Sunday, and while I’m quite a confident cook I normally just cook everything as I go. However I’d like to be able to get as much ready the day before as possible so that I can actually spend time with guests rather than being busy in the kitchen. So menu will be (open to suggestions if anyone has other ideas):
Joint of beef
Roast potatoes
Yorkshire puddings
Cauliflower cheese
Various roasted veg

What can I do the day before? Can I parboil the potatoes for example or is there a reason it needs to be done before roasting? Will the cauliflower cheese go soggy if I prepare it up to the point of going in the oven? Any other pointers welcome!

You can do lots. The potatoes can be parboiled and left sitting in the fat you are cooking them in. If you are doing mash, it can be ready to microwave. You could make a start on the gravy and just be ready to add meat juices. You could prep most veg. You can make up batter mix for Yorkshire's in the morning. Then just heat stuff and sort your meat.

And cauliflower cheese is nicer left overnight!

I would peel and chop veg in advance. Potatoes can be put in a pot of salted water to par boil to be ready to roast. Roast veg can be washed, cut and tossed in the olive oil/herbs ready to tray roast.

The roast beef you can smother in mustard and pepper or whatever you roast it in. Some do red wine and mushrooms.

I always parboil potatoes the night before and leave them out in a colander overnight to dry out. They get much crispier done that way. You can completely cook the cauliflower cheese the day before too and then reheat in the oven the next day. Roasted veg you can prepare and mostly roast the day before and then finish off in a very hot oven before serving.

You can also time roasting the meat so it's done an hour or so before you plan to serve it. Then wrap it in foil and leave to rest while you roast the potatoes and cook the Yorkshires and finish your roasted veg. With hot plates and hot gravy find the meat will be well rested and should be a good temperature to serve when the last minute things are done.

Everything, it’s why it’s a traditional rest day/sabbath/celebration meal, because it’s easy, doesn’t require the cook to be present in the kitchen and everything can be done in advance bar turning a few knobs on the oven and sliding some trays in and out.

You can either do everything as you normally would but stop before the cooking part. Eg, unpackage and stuff/marinade the meat (NO SALT) in its roasting dish. Make the Yorkshire pudding batter and prepare the pan with the dripping. Peel and chop all vegetables and place into the roasting dishes or steamers. Prepare whatever pudding you are having. Then just turn everything on at the right times and make a gravy.

Or you can parcook/fully cook and reheat, I wouldn’t recommend for meat, yorkies or roasties which should be as above but everything else sure.

If you're doing roast beef then this recipe has changed my life. Done in the oven mine is always overdone and I'm hovering like a crazed wasp wondering when and whether I should be taking it out. It doesn't shred like brisket done in the slow cooker it slices like a dream and tastes amazing. You can use the liquid to make fab gravy which I do by adding granules but could be done properly too!

www.slowcookerclub.com/slow-cooker-roast-beef/

I'd also parboil my roasties and other root veg so they can just go in the oven drizzled with oil and herbs for half an hour or so on the day.

Good luck, I am sure it'll be fab and hope all are grateful for your effort 💗

Definitely cook the Yorkshire puds in advance and keep them in the freezer. They reheat beautifully from frozen in 10mins.

And set the table in advance! I always do early afternoon if having dinner, or the evening before if possible.

Great tips here thank you everyone, much appreciated 💐

Par boil, shake so they’re roughed up and freeze your potatoes then give an extra 10 or so minutes. Crunchiest roasties ever.

You can roast the beef today or first thing tomorrow, allow to cool, slice and reheat in a little gravy. Works well.

With all the other suggestions, tomorrow only need be reheating. Just to add, too, the Christmas thread has loads of tips.

TheSandgroper · Today 12:22You can roast the beef today or first thing tomorrow, allow to cool, slice and reheat in a little gravy. Works well.”

Yes, it does. Remember to shorten cooking time a little if you like it rare as the hot gravy will cook a little more.

For cauliflower cheese, I roast the cauliflower (still a little firm) and make the cheese sauce, allow both to cool and then assemble in a dish. It can then be cooked from the fridge. It also freezes pretty well this way.

There are always guests here that don't like gravy so I wouldn't do that.
Also not that you asked for menu comments. It sounds great but lots of roast veg and roast pots take a lot of oven space. I'd veg in the steamer but that does require attention towards the end of course

I don’t like it when meat is reheated but if you do cook it in advance then slice it, let it go cold before you slice or it will be dry. You can’t get the right rare finish by heating in gravy as the gravy will cook the middle of the meat.

Day before; wash/peel/cut all the veg the day before; keep the potatoes covered in cold water. Make and chill the stock for the gravy. Grate the cheese for the sauce.

I wouldn't make the YP batter or the cheese sauce the day before.