Are you a roast dinner novice or keen to find out how to cook the perfect roast meats?

Here are some tips on how to make the best of the nation’s favourite joint – beef. And some reassurances for those who love a roast but are put off by the thought of a grease-bespattered oven.

For a beef roast, a rib of beef or a fillet are the best cuts if the budget will allow. Otherwise, topside has a good flavour, best roasted at most to medium. You can ask your butcher to roll the joint with a layer of fat on the outside, which you will be able to use to baste the meat while cooking. A 1kg piece will feed four people.

Start by rubbing salt into the meat and spreading over the fat, in a thin layer, 1 to 2 tablespoons of mustard.

Heat your oven to 220˚C/Gas Mark 7, then cook the meat in a roasting tin for 20 minutes in order to brown the outside.

When you’ve done that, turn the heat down to 180-190°C/Gas mark 4-5, and then allow 20 minutes per 450g for rare; 25 minutes per 450g for medium; and 30 minutes per 450g for well done. Remove the meat from the roasting tin and allow it to rest in a warm place while you make the gravy. Finally, carve the meat into thin slices to serve.

Enjoy your Sunday roast knowing that you can limit mess by using a roasting bag, which keeps all the juices in for easy binning. Or alternatively, how you can best cope with the clean-up. As soon as you’ve finished with the oven, ratchet up the temperature to high and place inside a heat-resistant bowl of water. Leave for 20 minutes. This helps steam off accumulated dirt and grease. Switch off the oven, allow it to cool and then wipe down the interior with paper towels. Finally, use a specialised oven cleaner.

Treat burnt-on mess in your pan by filling it with water into which you dissolve a dishwasher tablet or 2 tablespoons of biological washing detergent. Simmer on the hob for around 15 to 20 minutes and the debris will lift away. Rinse the pan and you’re done.

If you’ve the ghost of many Sunday roasts past in your oven, naturally you’ve got a bigger job on your hands. Fear not, though, oven cleaning is what we do to a professional standard. Give us a call and let us return your oven to its former glory.