A Sunday roast is where you really want to pull out all the stops with laborious technique and dramatic presentation. Plan plenty of time ahead, get some comically large chunks of meat, and let's get started.
1. Yankee Pot Roast with Root Vegetables
A Yankee pot roast is all about letting the flavors of the meat and the roots integrate slowly over time. Chuck works great here, as does brisket, and feel free to mix up the roots to taste.
Ingredients
Method
- Season the roast with the salt and pepper, heat the oil in a Dutch oven and brown the meat for 5 minutes per broad side.
- Transfer the roast, brown the onion wedges for 5 minutes and stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
- Return the roast, add the broth and thyme, cover and braise at 325°F for 2 1/2 hours.
- Add the carrots and potatoes, cover and continue braising for 45 to 60 minutes until the beef is at least 145°F and fork-tender and the vegetables hold their shape.
- Rest the roast for 15 minutes, whisk the cornstarch and water into the simmering pot liquid and cook for 2 minutes before serving.
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2. Tomato-Braised Brisket Pot Roast
After this much low-and-slow cooking, the tomato contributes its acidity and umami, even if it doesn't taste especially tomato-y. I'd recommend doing this in a Dutch oven, so you can get browning on the brisket — besides, it's faster than the slow cooker, even if it's still slow.
Ingredients
Method
- Season the brisket with salt and pepper. Brown it in the oil for 5 minutes per side and place it fat-side up in a large slow cooker.
- Cook the onions in the skillet for 7 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, until a fork slides into the thickest part easily but the meat is not falling apart. Discard the bay leaves.
- Rest brisket 20 minutes; slice thinly across the grain. Skim sauce; spoon over slices.
3. Blue-Plate Meatloaf with Brown Gravy
Meatloaf is easy and fairly quick, but with a good gravy, it can be impressive. I'd personally do a mix of beef and pork, and if you can grind some beef heart in, all the better.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 350°F. Soak breadcrumbs in milk 5 minutes.
- Mix in beef, onion, eggs, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Shape a loaf on a rimmed sheet.
- Bake 55–65 minutes to 160°F; rest 15 minutes.
- Melt butter in a saucepan; stir in flour for 1 minute. Whisk in broth; simmer 5 minutes until thick. Serve over sliced meatloaf.
4. Baked Honey Garlic Pork Chops
Loin chops come together quickly but are easy to overcook. Be careful with the timing, both with regard to the chops and the easy-to-burn glaze.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 400°F; lightly oil a shallow baking dish. Pat chops dry; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in one layer.
- Brush half the glaze over chops; bake 5 minutes. Brush with remaining glaze; return to oven.
- Bake 3 to 8 minutes more until each chop reaches at least 145°F in its thickest part. Remove ready chops individually to avoid overcooking.
- Rest at least 3 minutes; spoon a little hot baking-dish sauce over pork to serve.
5. Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Pork Loin
Slow cooker creamy Tuscan pork loin is an easy pork roast recipe with a rich Parmesan cream sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and fresh arugula. Everything cooks together in the slow cooker with minimal prep, and an optional sear adds even more flavor.
Angela Latimer / Bake It With Love
6. Garlic and Herb Stuffed Pork Roast Recipe
The aroma of garlic blistering in a hot pan, of panko toasting to a beautiful golden brown, mixed with the meaty pungency of roasting pork crusted in herbs is one of my favorite hallmarks of the holiday season. And that combo of aromas is precisely what our Garlic and Herb Stuffed Pork Roast delivers.
Living the Gourmet / Living the Gourmet
7. Mushroom Loaf
This sagey mushroom loaf is savory, hearty, and so delicious! It’s a comforting vegetarian entree, perfect for fall gatherings or the holiday table.
Sylvia Fountaine / Feasting at Home
8. Whole roast chicken with herbs and lemon
A basic roast chicken is great as a base for any number of sauces and stuffings. A basic lemon-herb chicken is the perfect starting point and easy to modify to taste.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Pat chicken dry; rub with oil, salt and pepper.
- Put lemon, garlic and herbs loosely inside cavity. Place breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan; tuck wing tips under.
- Roast 70–85 minutes until breast and innermost thigh reach 165°F, without touching bone. Tent breast with foil if browning too quickly.
- Rest 15 minutes before carving.
9. Glazed ham
With a glazed ham, the meat should already be fully cooked, so you're mostly in control of the glaze. What you want is a low temperature to bring it up to heat, which should also help prevent the glaze from burning.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 325°F. Place ham cut-side down in a roasting pan with water; cover tightly with foil.
- Bake 90 minutes. Mix brown sugar, mustard, honey and vinegar.
- Uncover ham; brush with half the glaze. Bake 20–30 minutes, brushing again halfway, until a commercially packaged cooked ham reaches 140°F; reheat repackaged ham to 165°F.
- Rest 10 minutes before slicing.
10. Garlic and Rosemary Roast Leg of Lamb
A roast leg of lamb is one of my favorite ways to impress a big group. If you can, marinate the leg overnight with the herbs and maybe some yogurt as well.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Make small slits in lamb; insert garlic. Rub with oil, rosemary, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
- Place fat-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast 20 minutes; reduce oven to 325°F.
- Roast 70–90 minutes more, checking early, until the thickest part reaches 145°F without touching bone.
- Rest 15 minutes before carving across the grain.
11. Braised Lamb Shanks
Lamb shanks take a braise like nothing else, turning beautifully fork-tender. This recipe uses beef broth, but good lamb stock works even better.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 325°F. Season shanks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven; brown shanks in batches, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Cook onion and carrots in the pot 5 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste; stir 1 minute.
- Add wine; scrape up browned bits and simmer 3 minutes. Add broth, herbs and shanks.
- Cover; braise 2 1/2–3 hours, turning once, until meat is fork-tender. Remove shanks; discard herb stems.
- Skim fat from sauce. Simmer uncovered 5–10 minutes to thicken; spoon over shanks.
12. Rosemary Roast Rack of Lamb
I'll take a rack of lamb over prime rib any day, and man, does it look good on the plate: equal parts classical French and Fred Flintstone. I'd actually double the rosemary here, because even though rosemary is a heavy hitter, it interacts beautifully with lamb.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Pat lamb dry; rub with oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper.
- Place fat-side up on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast 20–30 minutes until the thickest meat reaches 145°F.
- Rest 10 minutes; cut between ribs to serve.
13. Rosemary Pork Tenderloin
Pork tenderloin comes together quickly and slices beautifully on a platter. I'd recommend pairing it with a simple Italian-style sauce of brown butter with a bit of sage.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 425°F. Rub pork with oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper.
- Place on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast 20–25 minutes until the thickest part reaches 145°F.
- Rest 5 minutes before slicing.
14. Lemon Baked Salmon
Salmon doesn't need much to be perfect. A little lemon, a little garlic, a little parsley, and you're there, although I wouldn't say no to a handful of capers.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 400°F. Place salmon on a large sheet of foil on a baking pan.
- Mix butter and garlic; brush over fish. Add salt, pepper and lemon slices. Fold foil into a sealed packet.
- Bake 15–18 minutes until salmon reaches 145°F and flakes easily. Open carefully; sprinkle with parsley.
15. Roasted Chicken Legs with Tomatoes, Mushrooms and Olives
These chicken legs are packed with Mediterranean flavor. Kalamata olives would be my personal choice here and are definitely worth the extra price.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat oven to 400°F. Mix mushrooms, leeks, tomatoes, broth, olives and garlic in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Rub chicken with oil, salt, pepper and oregano. Arrange skin-side up over vegetables.
- Roast 45–55 minutes until chicken reaches at least 165°F and vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley.