In Search Of A Roast Dinner

[MikeyBikey]

You may recall my recent attempts to gat a roast dinner. Since then I was offered one at £20 but thought that OTT. They last time I had an expensive one out I was disappointed as it was about 120gm CHO (toasties, mash and two Yorkshires), and not that much decent veg (cabbage iscl no decent veg) or near.

Anyway in my search I have decided to try the various ready meal roast dinners and give my feedback back in them.

Other experiences are of course welcome.

 

[PhoebeC]

We never have roast dinners at home. I have had the Tesco finest frozen chicken and that is okay.
M&S is a very good one but is priced to match. Their frozen roasties are very good too

 

[MikeyBikey]

M&S Roast Beef Dinner £5

I followed the instructions to the letter. However, it didn't turn out to well. The roasties were overdone and burnt, the Yorkshire was underdone and pale and whilst the peas were fine the carrots were wooden (probably related to variety). It came with three slices of meat. One slice was excellent but the other two so tough they would have served as she siles for a school year! Will go for the chicken next time.

Quite disappointed. 2/5

 

[Bruce Stephens]

The diversity of ingredients makes it feel like it's not an easy product to cook all at once. No excuse for them selling it with instructions that don't produce a good result, of course.

I wonder if any of them will have slightly more complex instructions, maybe cooking/heating the veg in a microwave and the potatoes and meat in the oven (maybe one for longer than the other)? But maybe that would just be too complex to sell.

 

[John Gray]

M&S Roast Beef Dinner £5

Tesco do both frozen and fresh (more expensive) versions of beef roast dinners and chicken roast dinners, for around £2.50 and £3.95. Reviews online are fairly unenthusiastic, but I quite enjoy the frozen versions on rare occasions, when supplemented by decent-sized Yorkshire puddings and sprouts, and Bisto gravy enhanced by a small amount of Bovril.
(A veritable gourmet chef, me!)
All can be cooked either in an oven or in the meecrowahveh, but roast potatoes don't come out well in the latter, of course.

Undoubtedly all other supermarkets produce similar offerings, but for me Tesco is the most adjacent.
I occasionally have the M&S Christmas attempt at a roast chicken (turkey?) dinner as a Luxury Christmas Day Dining Experience, and consider it Adequately Yummy.

@MikeyBikey - have you a nearby Waitrose, or if in Central London, Harrods?!

 

[PhoebeC]

The diversity of ingredients makes it feel like it's not an easy product to cook all at once. No excuse for them selling it with instructions that don't produce a good result, of course.

I wonder if any of them will have slightly more complex instructions, maybe cooking/heating the veg in a microwave and the potatoes and meat in the oven (maybe one for longer than the other)? But maybe that would just be too complex to sell.

Yes this does seem like it would be difficult to do all in one. As I said the frozen M&S roasties are very good, not quick, I think they take half an hour but they are nice. Think they might be goose fat, or beef.

Will be in interested in your research.
I’m actually going for a very rare roast with some friends tomorrow. Will report back.

 

[Merluza]

You could try the M&S offering using individual packs for each ingredient. That way you get what you want and can cook them according to each ones requirements. As I recall their roasties are very good and I've cooked their pork shoulder successfully. This will obviously cost you quite a bit more but you will get more than one meal out of it. To be honest if you only pay £5 for something like this you aren't likely to get anything that's much good. As far as Yorkshire pudding goes I think you either do it properly or do without. Ready made yorkshires should be made illegal. Yes I do come from Yorkshire.