But today I had a new challenge!
My Dad isn't very well at the moment, and he's the one who takes care of the more "complicated" cooking, such as Sunday dinner. So on Friday he took out some slow roast beef with the intention of making it this weekend. We forgot on Saturday, and Sunday he just wasn't feeling up for it, and volunteered me for the job! Panic overload!!
I've never made a roast dinner before, for some reason I view it as this really complicated, scary task that I've always wanted to attempt, but not had the nerve. And now I was doing it unsupervised. O...M...G. (or in my Dad's case - O.M.B. lol)
After pysching myself up for the task, I went to give it a go. If I messed it up, well it'd be a learning curve, right?
I came across a slight problem when I found I couldn't get the sticker off with the instructions on. Why do they put the instructions UNDER the sticker?! How does that help?! I did finally get the wrapping off, leaving the sticker intact and read it from the inside.
The instructions said "cook the roast in wine or stock". Um...Daaaad? I was told that what I actually needed to do was put the beef in the roasting tin, and put a thin layer of cooking oil over it. So I sprayed the Flora Light cooking spray into the pan, put the meat in and sprayed that too. I find the spray oil easier to use, and it ends up more even.
But for taste purposes I decided "Let's put a little Virgin Oil on there too". Pulled out a bottle from the cupboard, and poured a little on. Hmm...didn't quite smell right...let's look at the bottle...
"Rice Vinegar"
Oh CR*P!!
My family hates vinegar, what is some doing in the cupboard looking like oil?! Argh!!
I then poured a little ACTUAL oil on, as well as some ground black pepper, garlic granules and mixed herbs. Hopefully it'll drown out the taste....!
I wasn't too worried because Dad had said he didn't want any. I think so highly of my Dad's cooking that it means a lot to me what he thinks of mine.
Then he announced that he would have some after all.
Double cr*p!
Well, it was done now. I just wouldn't tell them until they'd all tasted it (and maybe not even then) and just see how it goes.
Into the oven on 170degrees Celcius, covered in tin foil, for 2 hours.
Every time I went into the kitchen (which was quite often) I could smell the slight tang of vinegar. I was pretty worried now!
After the 2 hours were up I took it out, took the tin foil off and put some roast potatoes in with the meat. Back in for another 40 minutes.
A few minutes before it was all done Dad told me the meat was meant to sit for 10 minutes (you tell me when there's 3 minutes to go?!), so I went and took the meat out quick, put the roast potatoes back in, along with a yorkshire pudding each (Aunt Bessies - 4 minute yorkie puds! Love it!).
Dad came in to cut up the meat, and as he started to carve it, announced it very tender "So it's either done just right, or it's undercooked". A slice came off and it was the moment of truth...
"Cooked to perfection!"
Big praise from my Dad, who is normally quite withdrawn with his compliments. Very happy :)
It all got served up - the roast potatoes did fall apart when I tried to take them out of the roasting tin, but never mind!
Everyone came and got their plates and now it really WAS the moment of truth...
It was roundly pronounced ....
"Very nice!"
Woohoooo!!!
It was fall off the fork tender, didn't taste of vinegar (lol), and was generally absolutely loooovely (if I do say so myself). Even the mushed looking roasties were yummy tasting, if not yummy looking :)
So I am very happy to say that my first ever AND unsupervised Sunday Dinner was a SUCCESS!!
I'm feeling so confident in my roast dinner abilities that I've offered to host Thanksgiving Dinner for my family and my Hubby in our new house!
But my family can host Christmas Dinner lol
Seems fair to me :)
Sadly no photos today, was too busy eating!!
Hope to be blogging again soon - from our sweet little house! :)
