I have tried and tried

[fundj&e]

I have been trying to make an edible roast dinner for 30 years now . Tomorrow i am going to try the slow cooker  if it fails, that will be the straw that broke the camel's back and i will be sing to DH Hit the road frank and don't you ask  no more, no more, no more, no more.).  Any tips
What is your thing that you can’t get right?

[judydawn]

Roasts are the easiest thing in the world fundj - don't know what you are doing wrong.  The hardest part is getting it all to come together at the same time. What type of meat are you roasting?  My favourite has to be standing rib roasts, either pork, veal or beef and these days I buy cryovaced pieces which have the cooking times and instructions on them.  I do all my roasts outside in the weber, hate messing up my oven and keep that for bread and cakes. If you stick to what they say, it is cooked to perfection. Your slow cooker roast should be perfect though so perhaps dear Frank won't get his marching orders after all 

Have to give it some though about what I can't get right - probably plenty but the first thing that came to mind was pastry pre-TMX and a little bit after TMX as well.  Today though I nailed it with the shortcrust pastry for the pie bottoms - as Hally said, it is easy so why buy ready made. I don't know why today worked out better than other times.  I think you have days like that, either everything is a success or a failure.

Good luck with tomorrow's roast.

[fundj&e]

just one of those things i guess ,and the beef knows it  frank is at home tomorrow maybe he should give it ago 

[jeninwa]

Crackling on roast pork, can never get it all the cackle. Tried salt oil, vinegar. They have to fight over the little bits that do crackle.

[Lellyj]

Ha ha! Fundj (I still think of you of "fun DJ"--you do sound like a lot of fun!)  Roasts are my most hated and least successful dinner to cook too!! I find it sooo tricky to get the meat and veg all ready and make the gravy and have everything hot.  Not to mention dishing it all out.

The only roasts I do now are whole fillet of beef--for special occasions only--very expensive! or butterfiled lamb which was been marinated; both of these I do on the bbq and also at Christmas time I get turkey kievs from the butcher and stuff them under the skin--I would love to be able to cook a roast chicken, can usually manage to cook a decent bird, but I find it an enormous hassle.

[Wonder]

it's funny how everyone is so different. Roasts are something I learnt to cook from a young age and am more than happy cooking for a crowd. My Mum isn't a great cook but she still cooks best roast I've ever tasted and makes the best pan juices gravy.

There's lots of things I struggle to cook but the one that springs to mind that I'm never happy with is lasagne.

[fundj&e]

Crackling on roast pork, can never get it all the cackle. Tried salt oil, vinegar. They have to fight over the little bits that do crackle.

pork belly i can do and do very well ,but will not do any more it really makes a mess of the oven
next time will do in my wood fired oven
this is what i do
Score the pork skin with a very sharp knife and rub with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place the pork on onions, a little water to the bottom of the dish, and bake at 210 °C for 30 min then on 15o°C for 3 to 4 hours after 4 hours turn heat back up to 210 for 10 to 15 mins
Don’t be shy with the olive oil and salt

[fundj&e]

Crackling on roast pork, can never get it all the cackle. Tried salt oil, vinegar. They have to fight over the little bits that do crackle.

pork belly i can do and do very well ,but will not do any more it really makes a mess of the oven
next time will do in my wood fired oven
this is what i do
Score the pork skin with a very sharp knife and rub with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Place the pork on onions, a little water to the bottom of the dish, and bake at 210 °C for 30 min then on 15o°C for 3 to 4 hours after 4 hours turn heat back up to 210 for 10 to 15 mins
Don’t be shy with the olive oil and salt

[fundj&e]

Don’t  get me started with roast chicken Lelly

[CreamPuff63]

we have a roast every week. I've done it in the TM, but probably my fave is the roast lamb leg in the pressure cooker

[Lellyj]

Scones are the other thing I could never cook, but Clancy (tmx) fixed that together with Nay-nay's scone recipe!  Didn't think Clancy can help me with the roasts, although TMX gravy was the first thing I made on Christmas day with my new toy!

[fundj&e]

Wonder if you are in syd you can cook a roast for me and i will cook lasagne for you 

[thermoheaven]

What type of roast are you having problems with fundj?

It would be fun to get together and have a cooking day.

[Bedlam]

Don't say to hit the road just yet. I think most good cooking takes time. The best roast I ever cooked was when the power went offf 1/2 way through. It was juicy and tender. Same with meat sauces for lasagna,you really can't rush it.
I didn't think I could bake bread but having Thermie and all the forum advice I am successful more often.

[Frozzie]

I have never had a problem with roasts but I think JD hit it on the head ie following instructions which is very basically weight of meat to cooking time and temps...if you do that you cant really go wrong...maybe get a good recipe from somewhere and follow it to a tee???