Really good roasting

Autumn weekends mean crisp walks and cosy roast dinners shared with the whole family. Follow our top tips for making every element of your Sunday roast taste great.

How to get… The crispiest roast potatoes
1. Choose the right potato – you want a floury, textured spud that still holds its shape when cooked, such as Desiree, Maris Piper or King Edward.
2. After parboiling, toss in the colander to fluff up the surface and sprinkle with a little flour – this adds texture to the outside of the spud, which will give them extra crunch when cooked.
3. Heat your oil on a baking tray, then add the parboiled potatoes, making sure they are in a single layer, well spaced out, so they fry rather than steam. Turn a couple of times during roasting to ensure even cooking.

How to get… The perfect rise on Yorkshire puds
1. Use a flavourless oil that can tolerate a high heat, such as sunflower oil. If you are using a 12-hole tray, pour 1 tsp oil into each hole; for a 4-hole tin, pour 1 tbsp oil into each hole; and for a roasting tin, pour in 3 tbsp of oil.
2. Make sure the oil is really piping hot before you add your batter. This should take 5-7 mins in a hot oven, and the batter should sizzle when you pour it into the tin.
3. Try to only open the oven door briefly as you carefully return the tin to the oven, to keep the temperature as consistently hot as possible inside.

How to get… The tenderest roast chicken
1. Make a pocket between the chicken skin and the flesh on each breast. Push some softened butter under the skin on each side – this will help to keep the breast meat juicy.
2. You can cook a chicken at various temperatures, but slow and low will give the most mouthwateringly tender results. Just make sure the bird is fully cooked through by checking that the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the leg with a skewer.
3. Resting your bird is key to achieving succulent meat, as this allows all of the cooking juices to reabsorb back into the bird. Cover loosely with tin foil and leave to stand for 15-20 mins before carving.

How to get… the tastiest gravy
1. Add veggies to the roasting tray as you cook your meat then, when you set your cooked joint aside to rest, use the veg and juices in the tin as the basis for your gravy.
2. Spoon off any fat to avoid a greasy finish. You can do this by angling the tray away from you and scooping up the fat that settles on the top of the liquid.
3. Once you have simmered the juices and veg in the tin with water or stock, try adding a splash of soy or balsamic vinegar to make it a rich colour and add another layer of flavour.