Sunday Lunch.

[LadyBelle]

Do you cook a traditional roast on a Sunday? If you do is it always the same or do you change something every week?

I’m from a family where my Mum cooked a full Sunday lunch every week. When I got my own home I resisted as it seemed a waste of time/money for just two people.

In the last year or so I’ve started making a pared down Sunday lunch. Generally a roast chicken, roast potato, carrots and peas. Sometimes stuffing, sometimes gravy, sometimes not. As I’ve got older I’ve found this easier; leftovers for Monday night supper and chicken leftovers for my lunch during the week.

Would love to hear what your Sunday tradition is.

 

[CraigC]

I think that would be an individual families tradition. Like something you always have on specific holidays. We always have a turkey for our Thanksgiving and prime rib for December 25th. We don't have a customary Sunday lunch/supper.

 

[Morning Glory]

@LadyBelle your photos have me wanting a roast dinner! I used to cook roast chicken most Sundays, before my son turned vegan. My daughter was vegetarian so she would have everything except the chicken. But like you, it didn't seem worth cooking a chicken for just the two of us. But you are right that it can be eaten cold or even turned into a curry or chicken pie over the next few days, so perhaps I will do this

 

[Karen W]

During the summer, my aunt, uncle, cousins and my immediate family would go to my grandmother's house after a day at the beach. She would serve course after course. The meal lasted for hours LOL. Like yourself, sometimes it was roast beef with vegetables or roasted chicken and vegetables, homemade baked items from cakes to cookies, homemade soup. Everything was made from scratch. I don't think I could eat a heavy meal like that anymore, but I miss the memories of food and family together.

 

[MrsDangermouse]

There's only two of us, but we almost always have a Sunday roast during the colder months (not so much during the summer) - I call it a Sunday roast rather than lunch because we normally eat it in the evening rather than at lunchtime. I don't usually do all the trimmings eg. stuffing, gravy etc, unless we have guests, but there are always roast potatoes, yorkshire puddings and one or two types of veg. And the meat of course! My favourites are roast chicken and slow roast lamb or pork shoulder. I do like roast beef too, but the good roasting cuts are rather expensive so we don't have beef that often.

Even though its only the two of us, I still think a Sunday roast can be pretty economical as the leftovers can easily be made into other dishes over the next couple of days or frozen for later.

I wonder though if other countries have the same understanding of what British people mean when they say "Sunday Lunch" or "Sunday Roast"? Even if they don't eat it regularly themselves, I think virtually everyone in the UK knows that you mean a specific dish/meal (of roasted meat, roast potatoes, veg and various trimmings) rather than just a meal that happens to be eaten on a Sunday. It seems to me that other countries maybe don't have this tradition?

 

[Morning Glory]

It seems to me that other countries maybe don't have this tradition?

I don't think they do - I believe in the US the roast dinner is something more associated with holidays.

 

[Karen W]

There's only two of us, but we almost always have a Sunday roast during the colder months (not so much during the summer) - I call it a Sunday roast rather than lunch because we normally eat it in the evening rather than at lunchtime. I don't usually do all the trimmings eg. stuffing, gravy etc, unless we have guests, but there are always roast potatoes, yorkshire puddings and one or two types of veg. And the meat of course! My favourites are roast chicken and slow roast lamb or pork shoulder. I do like roast beef too, but the good roasting cuts are rather expensive so we don't have beef that often.

Even though its only the two of us, I still think a Sunday roast can be pretty economical as the leftovers can easily be made into other dishes over the next couple of days or frozen for later.

I wonder though if other countries have the same understanding of what British people mean when they say "Sunday Lunch" or "Sunday Roast"? Even if they don't eat it regularly themselves, I think virtually everyone in the UK knows that you mean a specific dish/meal (of roasted meat, roast potatoes, veg and various trimmings) rather than just a meal that happens to be eaten on a Sunday. It seems to me that other countries maybe don't have this tradition?

I was a little confused about the term Sunday lunch. However, Sunday seems to be the large meal day of the week. Sunday brunch used to be popular, especially in Las Vegas. Back in the day, they used to have an all you can eat Sunday brunch, including champagne, for about $3.99. LOL. Brunch started at about 11 a.m. and lasted until about 2 pm. There were chef's carving stations for roast beef, ham etc., salad bars, dessert bars, and all you can drink cheap champagne.

My grandmother's big Sunday meal, or Saturday meal, probably consisted of some repurposed dishes from the week, like mashed potatoes were repurposed into potato pancakes, Etc.

 

[buckytom]

I don't think they do - I believe in the US the roast dinner is something more associated with holidays.

Untrue.

It really depends on the culture. Maybe not a proper roast of poultry or beef every week, but a big Sunday family meal is very common, from Italian Sunday Gravy, to Southern BBQ, to mid-western steaks and burgers on the grill, and so on.

 

[Morning Glory]

Untrue.

It really depends on the culture. Maybe not a proper roast of poultry or beef every week, but a big Sunday family meal is very common, from Italian Sunday Gravy, to Southern BBQ, to mid-western steaks and burgers on the grill, and so on.

Oh, OK. I stand corrected!

 

[MrsDangermouse]

Actually I think @morning glory is right....there's a misunderstanding of what British people mean when they say Sunday Lunch Vs what other people think we're talking about

It really depends on the culture. Maybe not a proper roast of poultry or beef every week, but a big Sunday family meal is very common, from Italian Sunday Gravy, to Southern BBQ, to mid-western steaks and burgers on the grill, and so on.

Divided by a common language In the UK the phrase "Sunday Lunch" or "Sunday Roast" refers to the name of the meal served, its not the day and time at which it is served. So it cannot (by it's very definition) be anything other than a proper roast. It doesn't even need to involve other people....when I was living on my own I quite often cooked a Sunday roast for just myself.

Of course there's absolutely nothing stopping people eating something different on a Sunday, or having a big family meal....and of course you'd also call this Sunday lunch (because you ate it at lunchtime on Sunday). One phrase with two different meanings But if a British friend ever invites you over for Sunday lunch you can be fairly certain that you'll be served roast meat, roast potatoes etc. (unless they say they'll be serving something else).

From the feedback on this thread so far I think the tradition of a roast dinner every Sunday is probably quite a British tradition (fairly good history here) that probably doesn't exist in other countries.

 

[CraigC]

Some folks in the US refer to a meal served around 2 PM on Sunday as "Supper". I used to have this when I still participated in organized religion. Stopped doing so around age 12.

 

[LadyBelle]

Well I’m glad I asked the question now! Loved reading about all the variations and interpretations.

Christmas dinner is I guess a mega Sunday roast (we’ll it is here! Go completely over the top with number of dishes). Incidentally we also eat in the evening but I still call it lunch on a Sunday. Habit I guess.

 

[buckytom]

So, it's a roast beef and potatoes every Sunday?

That would get a bit boring after several hundred weeks, no?

 

[MrsDangermouse]

So, it's a roast beef and potatoes every Sunday?

That would get a bit boring after several hundred weeks, no?

Maybe not every Sunday, but certainly in the colder months its most Sundays (for us anyway). It doesn't get boring because its not always roast beef....in this house roast pork/ham, lamb, chicken, venison, duck are also on the menu. And there are so many different cuts (which require cooking in different ways) that there's quite a variation really. Then you can add in things like roasting the joint on the BBQ or rotisserie instead of in the oven, rubbing the meat with different herbs and spices, plus if you add in the sauces: mint sauce with lamb and mutton, apple sauce with pork, gravy, it creates even more variations.

The veg tend to be seasonal - a combination of whatever we have ready from the garden/allotment, or the local market if we want something a bit different. Sometimes we'll also have stuffing (sage & onion is my favourite) or yorkshire puddings - but not every week.

The only thing that pretty much stays the same from week to week are the roasties. But I happen to love roast potatoes so its no hardship having them regularly....they've got to be cooked in goose/duck fat, dripping or lard though....never oil! Nice and crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.

Christmas dinner is I guess a mega Sunday roast (we’ll it is here! Go completely over the top with number of dishes).

Yes I'd totally agree....Christmas dinner is basically a Sunday roast but with lots (and lots!) of added extras. Except for us it has to be turkey or goose - it just wouldn't be right with anything else.
And the best thing? If you're used to cooking a Sunday Roast regularly, then Christmas dinner is a doodle

 

[Morning Glory]

Maybe not every Sunday, but certainly in the colder months its most Sundays (for us anyway). It doesn't get boring because its not always roast beef....in this house roast pork/ham, lamb, chicken, venison, duck are also on the menu. And there are so many different cuts (which require cooking in different ways) that there's quite a variation really. Then you can add in things like roasting the joint on the BBQ or rotisserie instead of in the oven, rubbing the meat with different herbs and spices, plus if you add in the sauces: mint sauce with lamb and mutton, apple sauce with pork, gravy, it creates even more variations.

The veg tend to be seasonal - a combination of whatever we have ready from the garden/allotment, or the local market if we want something a bit different. Sometimes we'll also have stuffing (sage & onion is my favourite) or yorkshire puddings - but not every week.

The only thing that pretty much stays the same from week to week are the roasties. But I happen to love roast potatoes so its no hardship having them regularly....they've got to be cooked in goose/duck fat, dripping or lard though....never oil! Nice and crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.


Yes I'd totally agree....Christmas dinner is basically a Sunday roast but with lots (and lots!) of added extras. Except for us it has to be turkey or duck - it just wouldn't be right with anything else.
And the best thing? If you're used to cooking a Sunday Roast regularly, then Christmas dinner is a doodle

Very well described @MrsDangermouse.