How to make the perfect roast dinner

Roasties are the glue that holds a roast dinner together, in our humble opinion. To make truly excellent roast potatoes, you'll need to par-boil your potatoes for at least 5 minutes, drain and leave to dry for a few minutes before fluffing them up by tossing them in the colander. Another top tip from us is to make sure you pre heat whatever fat you're using on the tray in the oven before you toss in your potatoes. It makes for super crispy edges and gorgeous gnarly bits.

Meat is a staple of most roast dinners, although these days there are loads of great veggie options too. Expert Sunday roaster Lucy Smith from Closer's writing team has some top tips for making the most of your meat: "With chicken, I'd say put butter under the skin of the chicken and smother it with salt and thyme. With pork you want to cook it in a tray with about 2cm of water, it'll steam up the oven and keep it moist." For beef, Lucy says searing is key. "Sear a fillet of beef in a pan before roasting it in the oven to keep the moisture in," she says. As always, your meat will taste better if it's higher grade, so consider buying a smaller piece and adding more veggies for a better quality roast centrepiece.

Gravy is essential for any great roast, it marries together the different elements and adds glorious juices to your meat. For super flavoursome gravy, make sure to deglaze your meat tray with some red wine, sherry or cider. Seasoning is also super important, so make sure to keep that salt and pepper handy.

Carrots are some of the most popular veggies to have alongside your roast, and they're super versatile too. You can boil them, roast them or even mash them. Our favourite way to serve carrots is to roast them in the oven with a little salt, pepper, thyme and olive oil low and slow. In the last ten minutes of cooking add a little honey or balsamic vinegar for added sweetness or sharpness.

Yorkshire puddings are often the subject of debate when it comes to a roast: should you eat them with every meat, or just beef? One big one or several little ones? However and whenever you eat them, we think they're the hallmark of a great roast. One top tip from us is to leave your batter for at least ten minutes before pouring it into your tin, and make sure that oil is piping hot!

Broccoli is the king of green veg and we love a simple steamed side. The best way to get more flavour out of your green is to season them well and add a little bit of lemon juice. It makes the veg super fresh and cuts through the richness of the meat and gravy.

Now, a cauliflower cheese isn't on everyone's roast hit list, but we think it makes for a delicious veg-based addition. It'll please any vegetarians coming over too. For extra flavour, add a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard to your white sauce, as well as plenty of strong cheddar cheese.

Parsnips are a staple of any wintertime roast, and we love ours roasted. With a little bit of honey or maple syrup and plenty of salt, you can transform these earthy roots into gorgeously soft, sweet Sunday roast additions.

Another winter classic is the Brussel sprout. Steamed, boiled or sliced and pan-fried, the sprout is both beloved and berated by many. Our favourite way to serve sprouts is steamed and tossed in butter, lemon and salt. If you're feeling fancy you could add some toasted almonds or crispy pancetta on top.

Stuffing is a great addition to any roast, particularly lean, white meats like chicken and pork. Use fruits like apricots, cranberries and apples in yours for a sweet flavour alongside woody herbs like sage and thyme.