Food - Drink
Sunday Roast: The UK's Beloved Weekend Tradition
By ERICA MARTINEZ
What Is Sunday Roast?
In the United States, Sunday may be brunch day, but in the United Kingdom, it’s a day for family and friends to get together and enjoy a large, comforting Sunday roast. The meal typically consists of roasted meat, potatoes, various vegetables, gravy, and Yorkshire pudding, and can be made at home or enjoyed at a local pub.
History
Some say that the Sunday roast was created in 1485 under the reign of King Henry VII when England was a Roman Catholic nation. At the time England’s citizens would ritually abstain from eating meat on Fridays, so by the time the fast broke on Sunday after church, people would indulge in meat along with other foods.
Menu
As the name suggests, a Sunday roast revolves around roasted meat, like turkey, duck, pork, or lamb. Aside from the meat, roasted potatoes are pretty omnipresent at all Sunday roasts, along with roasted veggies like carrots, parsnips, peas, brussels sprouts, or cauliflower, as well as the essential Yorkshire pudding and gravy.
Tradition
Sunday roasts are still as popular as ever, and on Sundays, pubs, restaurants, and houses are full of hungry people coming together, almost like a weekly Thanksgiving. While tradition is the name of the game, many chefs offer nontraditional Sunday roasts incorporating flavors from the nation's blend of cultures.