Everything You Need for a Proper Sunday Dinner

There’s something special about a proper Sunday dinner. A beautifully cooked joint, crispy roast potatoes, plenty of seasonal vegetables and rich gravy – it’s the kind of meal worth taking your time over.

Whether you’re cooking for the family, having friends round or simply making the most of your Sunday, getting the right ingredients makes all the difference.

Here’s everything you need to put together a Sunday dinner worth gathering around the table for.

The roast is the star of the show, so choosing a great-quality joint is a good place to start.

For a traditional roast, you can’t go far wrong with beef, particularly a rib of beef or sirloin roasting joint. Cook it until beautifully browned on the outside and pink in the middle, then give it plenty of time to rest before carving.

Prefer something different? A whole chicken is a Sunday classic and a great option for the whole family, while lamb works brilliantly with rosemary, garlic and seasonal vegetables.

For something particularly comforting, choose a succulent smocked roasted gammon joint and aim for tender meat with plenty of crisp, golden crackling.

Explore our other incredible meats to find the centrepiece for your Sunday table.

A Sunday dinner wouldn’t be complete without roast potatoes: crisp and golden on the outside, light and fluffy in the middle.

For an extra-rich roastie, cook them in goose fat or use the fat and juices from your roasting joint. Parboil the potatoes first, give them a shake to rough up the edges, then roast them in hot fat until crisp.

A little sea salt, rosemary or thyme before serving is all they need.

If roast beef is on the menu, Yorkshire puddings are practically compulsory, although we’d happily serve them with any roast.

Make your own with flour, eggs and milk, getting the oil or dripping in the tin piping hot before adding the batter. That initial heat is the secret to a good rise and beautifully crisp edges.

And, most importantly, make more than you think you’ll need.

he best Sunday dinners balance all that richness with plenty of vegetables.

Keep things traditional with carrots, parsnips, greens, cauliflower or broccoli. Roasted carrots and parsnips work particularly well alongside beef, lamb and chicken, especially with a little honey or fresh herbs.

For another Sunday favourite, add cauliflower cheese, rich, bubbling and golden from the oven.

Browse our fresh vegetables to complete your Sunday spread.

Good gravy can bring the entire plate together.

Use the juices from your roasting joint as the base, scraping all those caramelised bits from the roasting tray before adding stock. Let it reduce until you have a rich gravy ready to pour generously over everything.

You can also pick up stocks, sauces and accompaniments to make preparing your Sunday dinner that little bit easier.

The finishing touches depend on what you’re serving.

Horseradish is the natural partner for roast beef, mint sauce works beautifully with lamb, apple sauce is a classic with pork and bread sauce is made for roast chicken.

Don’t be afraid to put a few different options on the table and let everyone choose their favourite.

If you’re going to make a proper Sunday dinner, you might as well finish it properly too.

Go traditional with a fruit crumble, sticky toffee pudding or another comforting dessert served with plenty of custard, cream or ice cream.

Before you start cooking, make sure you’ve got:

• Your chosen roasting joint
• Potatoes and fresh vegetables
• Goose fat or cooking oil
• Fresh herbs
• Yorkshire pudding ingredients
• Stock for the gravy
• Your favourite sauces and condiments
• Something sweet for dessert

Here at Parson’s Nose, you can find everything from expertly prepared meat and poultry to fresh produce and the finishing touches for the table.

Shop everything for your Sunday dinner and get ready for a proper Sunday feast.