UK's favourite roast meat revealed

The roast dinner is an iconic part of British culture. Whether you're a Sunday roast traditionalist or a roasting maverick, this idulgent feast with all the trimmings is loved by people countrywide. Now, with just two days to go until Christmas – which, for most, beholds the most extravagent roast dinner of the year – the UK public has voted on what has been a contentious issue for many decades: what is the best roast dinner meat?

Well, the people have spoken, stating their their favourite type of carvery meat is beef in a survey conducted by Farmhouse Inns, with just under half (44%) of respondents confirming it as their preference. Roast chicken claimed second place, while turkey, the classic Christmas centrepiece, claimed third.

Interestingly, a clear gender divide came to light in the study, with men generally preferring a beef carvery over women, who opted for chicken. Women were also more likely to choose a nut roast, with one in 10 choosing the vegetarian option over a meat-based roast. 

It's no surprise that Brits overwhelmingly voted gravy as the best roast dinner 'sauce' accompaniment, with 72% of respondents naming it as such. Mint sauce (29%), the classic comlement to lamb, came in second, with the turkey condiment cranberry sauce (24%) coming third. 

There is one thing, however, that the country firmly agreed on: roast potatoes are the single most important part of a roast dinner, winning over half the vote (56%). Yorkshire pudding (15%) came second, followed by stuffing in third (5%). 

Talking of Christmas; it seems that the Brussels sprout is still dividing the nation, with the Scottish city of Aberdeen claiming the crown of the biggest sprout-loving UK destination, with one in 10 choosing the love-it-or-hate-it veggie as their ultimate carvery side dish. 

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