We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culinary

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Sunday Roast?

By Caitlin Shih
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 8,921
Share

Sunday roast is a type of main dish generally consisting of roasted meat, potatoes, and any of several traditional accompaniments such as gravy, vegetables, and more. Common additions to a typical Sunday roast generally depend on the type of meat used, with different sides and sauces to correspond to different meats. Its origins are commonly traced back to the churchgoing families of 18th century Yorkshire, England, but another theory roots the dish in the medieval era, in which serfs were rewarded on Sundays for their work. The meal goes by several other names, such as Sunday lunch or Sunday joint, corresponding to different aspects of the tradition, and while most known as a British tradition, it is popular in several other countries around the world.

The meat used for Sunday roast is most often beef, but chicken, lamb, and pork can also be used. In certain seasons, ham, turkey, duck, or goose are occasionally used. Besides common meat substitutes, nut roast is a popular vegetarian alternative to Sunday roast meat. In addition, bacon is often cooked in strips on top of the meat as it roasts.

Roast potatoes are almost always present in a Sunday roast, usually accompanied by mashed potatoes and gravy made with juice from the meat. These most often come with the beef versions of the dish, in addition to Yorkshire pudding. Carrots, peas, cabbage, and broccoli make up part of the assortment of vegetables that are usually added to the dish, which is cooked plainly or lightly seasoned. Other common vegetables include swede, turnip, and parsnip, which may be prepared in a variety of ways, such as mashed or roasted.

Horseradish sauce is usually present if beef is the main meat. English mustard is commonly used with beef or pork, and lamb is often accompanied by redcurrant jelly. Chicken may have many accompaniments, such as sausages, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Many families of the era in which Sunday roast began are understood to have left their meat in the oven while attending morning church services. It was then roasted and ready upon their return around lunchtime. Serfs of the medieval era may have started the tradition by eating roasted oxen after church on Sundays, which was their day off.

Sunday lunch and Sunday dinner clearly correspond to the time of the meal. While the historical Sunday roast was a lunchtime affair, more contemporary generations also eat it for dinner. Sunday joint is a metonymy for the joint of the meat being used. In general, Sunday roast is heavily British, but the tradition has also expanded to many other areas of the world, including North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-a-sunday-roast.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.