James' Roast Cuts Of The Week

As Autumn sets in we specialise in knowing our roast cuts, and in my house we love the ritual of a big Sunday sit down. We have so much to offer though - off the top of my head I think we might sell 40 different cuts that could form the centrepiece of a great roast - but sometimes the overwhelm sets in and I stick to our old favourites. One of the benefits of working from our Somerset base is being around the great product that comes into us daily from our farmers, so on Wednesday last week I thought I’d take some inspiration from a wander around our very large fridge. I was pulled into picking and packing some orders, so I took ideas from a peek inside some of your boxes too... 

Here’s what caught my eye, a commitment of sorts not to put roast chicken on the table for the next five weeks (although it is just so good)...

My next five roasts:

1. Belly Porchetta with Brandy, Apple & Sage Stuffing 1kg

We have recently introduced a belly porchetta and a loin porchetta. As we head to Christmas these roasting joints become increasingly popular, so much so we had to list them all year round. These roast fantastically well as they’re robust, provide sumptuous crackling and the centre is packed with a great combination of local cider brandy, apple and sage. We roll the stuffing into the meat which creates a fantastic swirl.

2. Beef Top Rump 1kg

Often overlooked, the Top Rump comes from the top of leg, not far from the silverside and topside. Slightly leaner, so we make sure to cap the joint with fat that will melt through the joint on roasting. Whilst it can be roasted in the traditional way, a Top Rump can also be pot roasted. This joint is good value for money when you get marbling like this.

3. The Humble roast chicken 1.75kg

Versatile and ever popular, this free-range chicken makes the grade this month (who am I kidding, we could easily eat one of these a week). As I mentioned in last month’s email these whole chickens from Alec and Chris can go as far as three meals. A roast chicken, leftovers into sandwiches, curry or pie and then a broth or soup. If you just want to hoover it all up with gravy and mayonnaise, then that’s also okay!

4. Boneless Half Shoulder of Lamb in Thyme & Garlic 800g

This lamb shoulder has lots of fans and none more so than me. I recommend slow roasting on a rack allowing the juices to drip and baste into seasonal roasted vegetables below. The hard work has been done by deboning the shoulder so that once it’s been roasted it can be easily carved into juicy slices of grass-fed West Country lamb.

5. Pastrami Spiced Turkey Thigh in Pepper Gravy 450g

This leftfield entry was included as it’s one of my favourites from our sous vide range (this means it’s been cooked and needs ‘finishing’ for a short period to warm through), so cooking it is fairly foolproof. This might also help make the transition from summer to autumn too if you want something lighter for your first roast, or you’re a single or small household.

Hopefully this gives you a little inspiration as you head into roast season!