It’s impossible to do a straw poll with friends about who makes the best roast in Brisbane. The answer is invariably “my mum”.
Naomi Watts even famously rejected dinner with Tom Cruise for her mum’s lamb roast (which may have been a good choice in retrospect).
One of the most adaptable meals around, the ubiquitous Sunday roast has had quite a makeover in recent years.
No longer do we suffer through dry chicken, grey watery veggies and lumpy gravy.
Different cuts of meat are being explored, and sides such as fried sprouts and braised red cabbage are giving potatoes a run for their money. And speaking of the humble spud, how do you like yours cooked? Duck fat, olive oil, rosemary, salt?
Who does the best roast?
Now that the weather is turning, we’ve found the bests roasts in Brisbane to warm you up.
Statler & Waldorf
Statler & Waldorf have a Roast of the Day that changes 2-3 times a week. Using seasonal produce, recent examples include slow cooked “Milly hill” lamb shoulder with Tallegio polenta and charred broccolini, Holgate braised Beef ribs with brioche crusted pumpkin, organic ruby chard Kampot pepper sauce, and blackened pork neck with hierloom carrots, parsnip mash and jus. Statler are serving up one of the best roasts in Brisbane at the moment — definitely one to check out.
The Fox
The Long Bar at Fox Hotel have a rotating Sunday Roast and have featured roasted rib fillet of Kilcoy pastoral beef with duck fat roast potatoes, green beans and roasted cauliflower, Bangalow pork belly with roasted apple, parsnips and cavalo nero, free range corn fed half-chicken with garlic spinach, charcoal corn cob and sweet potato mash and roasted New England lamb leg with buttered beans and sautéed kipfler potatoes.
Brewhouse
A serious contender for Brisbane’s best roast, Brewhouse have a traditional Sunday roast that changes each week (ranging from beef/lamb/chicken/pork) and comes with all the trimmings. According to the team, their broccoli bake is so good, you’ll think your Nanna is in the kitchen. And the best bit is that it includes dessert and a drink!
Pig n Whistle
Pig ‘n’ Whistle Riverside serves a spit roast of the day every Friday lunchtime with duck fat roasted potatoes, cauliflower cheese, carrots, peas, broccoli, Yorkshire pudding and cabernet jus.
Where: 123 Eagle Street, Brisbane City
We’ve all watched enough Jamie Oliver Christmas specials to have a pretty good idea about how to roast a potato. So here we’ve included a couple of recipes for awesome sides to serve up with your favourite cut of meat and potato.
Crispy brussel sprouts with bacon recipe
450g brussels sprouts
4 strips of bacon, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
Pepper to taste
Pre-heat your oven to 220 degrees.
Trim the ends off your brussels sprouts and remove the outside layer.
Chop each sprout in half and put them in a bowl along with the oil and pepper to taste.
Toss through so that the sprouts are coated in oil, then lay out on a baking tray.
Top with bacon, then cook for 30 minutes or until slightly charred.
Braised red cabbage recipe
½ red cabbage, sliced
1 red onion, diced
2 granny smith apples, peeled cored and diced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp butter
In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter then add the apples and onion. Cook over a medium heat until softened.
Add the spices, vinegar and sugar. Finally, add the cabbage and mix through.
Place the lid on the saucepan and cook over a low heat for around an hour.
Article sourced: The Urban List, words by Penny Kidd: http://www.theurbanlist.com/brisbane/a-list/who-does-best-roast-brisbane
