You don’t need to schedule the whole day for roast dinner preparation, it’s all about keeping things simple and planning ahead. Here are some top tips for mastering the mid-week roast
Slow cook the meat
The meat is the centrepiece of any good roast, and there’s no simpler way to cook it than with a slow cooker. Using as much energy as a light bulb and usually requiring limited ingredients and prep time, you can rely on slow cookers to deliver a deliciously tender piece of meat.
Chicken and beef are typically go-to meats for roast dinners, but pork and lamb work just as well. They essentially marinate in their own juices for eight or so hours, while the end product is just as incredible as it sounds. Some Crock-Pots are even big enough to cook a whole chicken, which you can chuck in along with your chosen spices before heading off to work.
Be prepared
A large part of hacking the mid-week roast is minimising the prep time, so there’s as little as possible to do once you arrive home. This can be done by doing as much prep work as you can the night before.
You can peel vegetables for roasting ahead of time and, when sealed in plastic bags and kept in the fridge, they’ll stay fresh until the next day. The same goes for mixing up a Yorkshire pudding batter. It’s actually recommended by some chefs that you make the mixture the day before, as the puds will have a lighter texture once cooked.
Don’t be afraid of ready-made
Another top tip for those mastering the mid-week roast is making use of frozen sides. Think of them as pre-prepared dishes just for your convenience, so that all you have to do is whack them in the oven and wait for the timer. After all, considering how many elements go into a classic roast it’s always handy to have one less thing on your plate.
Roast potatoes are the easiest and most delicious frozen side dishes to make. Once cooked, McCain Roast Potatoes still maintain their crispy edges as if you’d just raised them from little spuds yourself. Yorkshire puddings are another side dish that cook amazingly from frozen if needed – and with an average cook time of about five minutes, you can’t go wrong.
Pair with the perfect sauce
It’s all well and good to have a hunk of gorgeously tender meat, fluffy potatoes and expertly-roasted vegetables, but in order to crank up your mid-week roast it must be topped with a just-right sauce. If you’ve got the time to prepare gravy from scratch, the process can be as simple as heating up the juices from the meat and adding some flour for thickening. If you don’t have time, mix up some Bisto granules and the family will be none the wiser.
The sauce rule of thumb generally goes as follows – pork is paired with apple sauce, turkey with cranberry, lamb with mint sauce and beef with just about whatever you want — though just adding lashings of gravy usually does the trick.
Tell me do you have a roast mid week? Have you any tips on how to make get a roast on the table in super quick time?
*Collaborative post
We love a mid week roast too and definitely think roasts shouldn't just be saved for the weekend. Some fab tips on how to make it happen here!
ReplyDeleteI certainly think roasts shouldn't be saved for the weekend :)
DeleteOoh I love a mid week roast! Weekends are all about relaxing and I don't find cooking a roast relaxing in any way!
ReplyDeleteI love a roast dinner but often thinks it takes too long to have as a midweek supper. your tips are great so maybe we can have it more often and not just on the weekends. Beef is my fave closely followed by lamb
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong with having a few shortcuts to make it quicker to make.
DeleteI could eat roast every day if I had the time haha great tips! xx
ReplyDeleteWow I wish I could do this. Will give it a try. Sounds yummy.
ReplyDeleteOh I love roast dinners, we always have one on a Sunday. This looks delicious and has made me want a roast x
ReplyDeleteI use my slow cooker so much in the week whilst we are working. You can't beat a mid week roast, our favourite is beef with horseradish x
ReplyDeleteI think slow cookers are brilliant too.
DeleteOk, so not I am hungry and craving a roast. I need to invest in a slow cooker.
ReplyDeleteI do love a good roast dinner but we tend to have ours on a sunday
ReplyDeleteWe always have a roast in the week, as we are just too busy at the weekends these days. Love these tips, some ready made things save a lot of time
ReplyDeleteRoast potatoes are my favourite - crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside :)
ReplyDelete