Sunday Roast – Round Two

So, do you remember that amazing Sunday Roast we shared not that long ago? And if you recall, I said to reserve about a pound of shredded beef for another recipe. Well here it is, the reason to cook a big roast on the weekend.

Once upon a time Sunday Roasts, especially in placed like England, were a thing. Some say the idea of a Sunday Roast stems from the once strictly observance of fasting or going without meat on Fridays by Catholics. When the fast broke, everyone from the Royal Court of England to the commoner would celebrate by indulging in meat on Sundays. Such an indulgence was easy for the upper class of society, but not so much for the peasants and those of lesser means since meat was a luxury.

My only question with the Friday-Sunday connection is what happened to Saturday? Perhaps people were working, and Sunday, as a day of rest, was a more approprate day to gather with extended family.

By the time the industrial revolution spread across the globe, the price of goods, including meat, dropped to the point that most people could afford to eat a roast once a week. Before leaving for church on Sunday, people placed their beloved roast in the oven along with the vegetables. By the time they returned from church services, lunch would be ready. Those who didn’t have ovens often dropped their roasts off at the local bakeries. Bakeries didn’t bake breads on Sundays, so the ovens were put to use with roasts. Families gathered for a big meal, and leftovers were divided up at the end of the day.

Convenience and shared cost were the reason to cook a roast that would yeild plenty of leftovers through the week. Cold Roast Beef Sandwiches were often packed in lunches for the factory workers and field hands. Today we have the convenience of microwaves for leftovers or better still, creating roast beef barbecue sandwiches from that extra large Sunday Roast.

Barbecue Roast Beef Sandwiches
3/4 lb shredded Roast Beef
3/4 cup Barbecue Sauce, divided
1/4 cup Beef Stock
3 Steak Sandwich Rolls

Place left-over shredded roast beef in a sauce pan. Add 1/2 cup barbecue sauce and the beef stock to the pan. Stir to coat meat in the sauce mixture. Gently warm over medium-low heat, stirring as needed.

Warm oven to 325-degrees. Cut foil to wrap the sandwich rolls, set aside.

Split sandwich rolls, brush inside of rolls with remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce. Wrap rolls in foil, place in the oven to warm for about 10 minutes.

Remove rolls from oven, split warmed rolls open. Divide barbecue beet between the rolls. Serve and enjoy. Great with Air-Fryer French Fries.

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I will praise Your name forever; my King and my God