Sunday Supper
Did you have a Sunday supper tradition growing up? When I was a kid we almost always had a big dinner on Sunday afternoon. Modern life has us so busy running around from obligation to obligation that this longstanding ritual is more important then ever. It’s a way to reconnect with immediate and extended family and friends over a more leisurely paced meal and a chance to catch up while enjoying good home cooked food in the company of loved ones.
The Sunday supper tradition is strong in lots of cultures since Sunday is considered a day of rest in most Western countries. Going along with the British tradition, my family usually had a roast of some sort; my mom would follow in my paternal grandmother’s footsteps cooking what was traditional to my dad’s Swedish and British descended family. We would almost always have potatoes alongside this hearty meat dinner. My favorite was a cheesy scalloped potato, which I think I enjoyed more than the roast beef!
The British Sunday roast consists of roasted meat and gravy, potatoes, and two vegetables, and is popular in the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. The meat is any cut (or joint as it is referred to in British dialect) that is suitable for a long roasting time such as beef, chicken, leg of lamb or pork roast. Sometimes the meat is accompanied by Yorkshire pudding, a type of popover that can be cooked with the pan drippings. We would have those non-sweet puddings from time to time, and boy were they good.
The Sunday Roast tradition stems from the Industrial Revolution, when families recognized that if they left a larger cut of meat in the oven or fire prior to Sunday morning church services, they would arrive home to a perfectly cooked meal by lunchtime. Less well off families, who did not have oven or fireplace space for a roast, would stop off at the local bakers, where bread was not cooked on Sundays, to utilize their oven space. Leftovers were used through the week in classic British dishes such as Bubble and Squeak (similar to hash), Beef Pie, Rissole (croquettes), and Shepherd's Pie.
Although we often had the more British style Sunday roast, my mom comes from Italian heritage, and Italian American’s Sunday suppers often consist of long cooked Sunday sauce or tomato "gravy" served with pasta along with many other courses. Italian Sunday supper can be an all day eating affair that takes advantage of Sunday’s slower pace and spans multiple generations.
Wherever your roots, Sunday Supper (or lunch) is synonymous with the comforts of home and family. In the modern era, families have become busier on Sundays, and so some families have switched their traditional big meal together to another time of the week, such as Friday night.
Some restaurants have caught onto the importance of this tradition, offering a Sunday supper that is served family style. Even if it doesn’t happen on a Sunday and even if it includes family you created yourself and not blood relatives, these types of meals are important rituals that create strong bonds. Thinking about this makes me think it’s time to revive the tradition of Sunday family dinner. After all, what can be better than spending an afternoon cooking great food and sharing it with those you love. The pause in your routine will be sure to refresh your spirit.
So take a break from some of your ordinary responsibilities to spend some time making memories, and feast with family and friends!
Made with Horseradish, beef rib eye roast, black pepper, garlic, Kosher salt, fresh thyme, new potatoes, root vegetables
Serves/Makes: 8
- 5 pounds beef rib eye roast, bone-in
- 1/4 cup Kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or other finely chopped herbs
- 1 pound new potatoes, halved if large
- 2 pounds mixed root vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, celery root, or turnips, peeled and sliced into 1 1/2 inch sized pieces
***To serve***
- Horseradish, if desired
Allow meat to come to room temperature, at least 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Place the meat, bone side down, in a shallow roasting pan. Add about 1/4 cup water to the pan. Combine salt and garlic and rub the roast all over meat, sprinkle generously with freshly ground pepper and chopped herbs. Roast the meat and vegetables for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees F; do not open oven. Continue to roast at 350 degrees F for about 20 minutes per pound for a medium to medium rare roast.
About 1 hour into cooking time, add potatoes and root vegetables to bottom of pan and stir with pan juices. When meat temperature measures approximately 145 to 150 degrees F on an instant read thermometer (for medium rare to rare, adjust according to preference), remove roast. Check vegetables for doneness and continue to roast vegetables if more cooking time is needed, until tender and brown. Allow meat to sit for 15 -- 20 minutes before slicing.
Serve sliced meat on a platter with vegetables alongside, accompanied by horseradish, if desired.
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