Jamie Oliver presents a joyous celebration of roasting in this lively collection of cooking, easy recipes. In a video full of bold flavours and clever techniques, he shows how to turn a weekend roast into something extraordinary — from a grand platter of mixed birds to a show-stopping chicken wrapped in pastry, a cheeky beer-can roast and comforting pot roasts (meat and meat-free). This guide distils those ideas into clear steps, times and tips so anyone can recreate the dishes at home.
Aristo Misto: A Grand Platter for Friends
Designed to feed a crowd, Aristo Misto is all about timing and generosity. Jamie recommends roasting a duck and a lemon-stuffed chicken together so their juices mingle into a base for an incredible sauce and to caramelise the vegetables beneath.
What to roast
- Whole duck — rub with oil, salt, pepper and a grating of cinnamon; place sage inside.
- Whole chicken — bloom herbs in boiling water for 5 seconds, blitz with salt and garlic, muddle with oil and rub over the bird; pop a lemon inside.
- Small game birds (pigeon, quail, partridge) — marinate with rosemary and olive oil.
- Cumberland-style sausage — skewer with rosemary and bay.
- Caramelising veg under the birds: small onions (skins on) and fennel.
Timing and method
- Oven at 180°C. Chicken ~1 hour 20 minutes, duck ~2 hours.
- Place birds on the oven bars so juices drip into the tray below — these juices become the sauce base.
- After the chicken rests (30 minutes), return duck and the smaller birds to roast for ~30 minutes with the sausage on top.
Finish with polenta and gremolata
- Cook polenta per packet instructions and enrich with butter and parmesan — think mashed potato texture.
- Make a rich sauce: pour away most fat, deglaze with Chianti, scrape the sticky bits, add a tin of plum tomatoes and chicken juices and reduce.
- Hack up the meat and arrange on a big board with polenta, caramelised veg and spoonfuls of sauce. Finish with gremolata (lemon zest, garlic, parsley).
Two Ways to Reinvent Roast Chicken
Jamie offers two showy, flavour-packed approaches to the humble roast chicken — both perfect examples of cooking, easy recipes that pack drama and reward.
Beer-Butt Chicken (Beer Can Chicken)
- Dry rub: smoked paprika, cayenne, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, a touch of cumin, dried chillies, brown sugar, salt and pepper — blitz and taste.
- Rub chicken with oil, press the rub into every nook to form a flavourful bark.
- Place an inch of beer in a can, sit the chicken over it in a roasting tray and roast at 200°C for 1 hour 20 minutes. Baste with barbecue sauce 10 minutes before the end.
Jamie says this method keeps the chicken super moist and gives a light beer-infused lift to the meat. Finish with shredded spring onion, coriander and a touch of chilli.
Chicken in a Crust (Show-Stopper)
- Make a simple pastry (flour, water, pinch of salt) rolled ~1cm thick.
- Intense butter: sauté mushrooms (fresh + rehydrated dried), garlic, thyme and marjoram; chop and mix with parsley, truffle oil and butter. Slip this under the breast skin and into pockets.
- Tie the bird, seal in the pastry, crimp the edges and roast at 180°C for 1 hour 30 minutes.
The reveal is theatrical — slicing straight into the pastry keeps the juices and the mushroom-infused butter locked into the meat for a tender, dramatic centerpiece.
Pot Roast Pork Wrapped in Cured Meat
This is rustic comfort with technique: a trimmed pork loin is rubbed with a sage, garlic, olive oil and red wine vinegar paste, wrapped in cured meat (coppa/Palma ham) and tied tight.
Method highlights
- Brown the wrapped pork in olive oil and butter, add sliced celery, red onion wedges and rosemary then splash a little Chianti to create a glossy basting liquid.
- Pot roast at 180°C for ~40 minutes, turning and basting every 10 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes in its juices.
Sides to pair
- Celariac roasted until crackling-like.
- Compot of apple and rhubarb with brown sugar, red wine vinegar and a knob of butter for a sweet-tart counterpoint.
- Quick greens: baby spinach wilted in residual steam.
Meat-Free Pot Roast: Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Jamie treats vegetables like a star ingredient. A whole cauliflower becomes the centerpiece of a fragrant stew — olive oil infused with lemon peel, a whole bulb of garlic slowly softened, de-stoned olives, oregano, red onions, new potatoes and tomatoes. Add 500ml water and nestle the cauliflower in, tip a small cross in the stalk to let the steam in, and roast at 200°C.
- Cook covered for the first 30 minutes to steam it, baste with its juices and then roast uncovered another 30 minutes for colour.
- Finish by stirring chard, frozen broad beans and peas into the pan for 5 minutes, mash the roasted garlic into the stew and spoon it around the cauliflower, with a squeeze of lemon to brighten.
Tips, Timing and Final Thoughts
- "There's no polite way to get flavour — you have to get your hands in": be bold with rubs and fillings.
- Use the juices from roasting — they become the backbone of deep, rich sauces.
- Rest all meats for at least 10–30 minutes depending on size to keep them juicy.
- Adapt flavours to what’s in season or local: game birds, cured meats and wine will change the character but not the success of these cooking, easy recipes.
These recipes celebrate flavour-first roasting and are perfect for entertaining or turning a simple weekend into something memorable. Jamie’s approach is generous, playful and practical — try one (or all) of these ideas next time friends come over and enjoy the rewards of a well-roasted dish.
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