Sunday Roast Dinner with a Rich Jus
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Sunday Roast Dinner with a Rich Jus

Ahhh…. Sunday Roast Chicken… Music to my ears! A beautifully Roasted Chicken, with a side of roast potatoes and veggies??? Yes please! And to top it off, a thick jus! You couldn’t ask for anything better to end the week!

Since I was a kid my parents loved to entertain, and my family had the Sunday Roast Tradition. Depending on who was joining us, there would be a full spread on the table, with food starting with roast chicken, beef, roast potatoes, mash, roasted veggies and Yorkshire Puds. It was always spectacular. Even to this day, although I’m married and live far from my parents, my parents will always make special roast dinners when I’m back home with them.

Unfortunately, this year due to the Corona Virus, I will not be making it there to see my parents. I know it’s sad, but I decided to start our own Sunday roast tradition. Come with me as I show you how I make the perfect Roast Chicken, with all the bits and pieces too.

The jus is made with the juices released from the meat while cooking.  It has such a depth of flavour, that regular gravy or packaged food won’t even come close to.


Preparation time 40 minutes

Cook time 90 hours

Total time 2 hours 10 minutes

Serves 6


Ingredients

2 medium chickens- with skin

2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons cajun seasoning

Juice of one large lemon

5 tablespoons oil- for chicken

4 tablespoons oil- for veg and potatoes

2 large onions- peeled and quartered

4 cloves garlic- peeled

6 large potatoes- peeled and cut into cubes

1 green pepper- deseeded and cut into large chunks

1 large carrot- peeled and sliced

2 courgettes- cut into chunks

A punnet- 300 grams mushrooms- whole

2 cloves of garlic- minced

1 teaspoon cornflour

Salt and pepper for seasoning

4 Tablespoons butter


Instructions

  • Make small cuts into the chickens without tearing the chicken skin. You want to manoeuvre your fingers beneath the skin and make small incisions with the knife to allow better marination.

  • For the marinade: combine the cajun seasoning, salt, lemon juice and 5 tablespoons oil in a bowl.

Spice mix for the chicken

  • Rub the chickens in the marinade, making sure you get the mixture beneath the skin and even inside the cavities too.

  • Stuff the chickens with the quartered onions and garlic cloves.

  • Tie the legs together, cover the chickens and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or better yet, overnight.

marinate at least 4 hours… or even better, overnight!

  • When you are ready to bake the chicken, preheat the oven to 180-200c for half an hour.

  • Place the chickens onto a baking tray and put them in the oven.

  • For the roast potatoes, put them on a baking tray, toss them in 2 Tablespoons oil and salt. Pop them in the oven until they are golden and crispy

  • Roasted vegetables: place 2 tablespoons oil in the wok, heat it up and drop in the carrots, cook then for 3 minutes, tossing them occasionally.

  • Add the mushrooms next, fry a couple minutes then add the courgettes and green peppers. toss them in the wok until they change colour slightly but remain crispy.

  • Put them onto a baking sheet and straight into the oven with the chicken and potatoes. The potatoes can share a pan with the veg, but I recommend that you place the veg in a foil boat, so that the juices released from the veg don’t make the potatoes soggy.

  • Rest the chicken on the shelf for 10 minutes before cutting into it.

  • Let’s make some jus: remove the chicken from the tray and set aside. remove any oil from the tray and place the chicken juices into a pan. place 1 teaspoon cornflour in 1/4 cup water and whisk together to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the pan juices. Bring this to a boil and thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  • Melt the 4 Tablespoons butter in a skillet, add the chicken pieces and sear it off, just until the colour changes and the smell of the butter begins to change.

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