Happy New Year! And I guess also a belated Merry Christmas. I’ve been a bit out of the blogging game over the holidays and I’ve got nothing but excuses. Excuses such as: I was busy – we had family in town. I was lazy – Making a Murder isn’t going to watch itself. And I was having fun – at all the parties with my friends. But I’m here and back to business with a recipe for roast beef, plus I’ve got big news.
Let’s start with the news: Ryan and I are moving back to Washington, DC at the end of the month. After nearly two years we felt it was time to go back. I’m excited to be closer to my family, back with old friends, and living in a city that feels like home. However, I’m sad to leave London. I have loved getting to see so much of this city, learn about a different culture and history, and I have made some of the best friends of my life. I’ll stop there for now, as I’m sure I’ll get mushier as our move date approaches.
For now, let’s just say this month I’m going to pay tribute to my time in the UK by posting all British recipes this month. In the US we have the incredibly wrong stereotype that British food is bad. And sure, there’s a lot of boiling vegetables (soggy and gross) and a friend of mine has described British food as “beige” (hardly appetizing) but there’s a lot of good stuff out there and we’re starting with roast beef.
Sunday roasts are an incredible British tradition that made me love British food. Big piece of meat, potatoes, gravy, Yorkshire pudding, and some veg? What is better than that?! It’s cozy and filling and a perfect meal for a lazy Sunday inside. Not only is this good weekend food, it’s great holiday food too. Ryan and I made this for our family for Christmas and I think it was a hit.
I think that roasting a big piece of meat can be intimidating. First, It can be expensive to buy (though doesn’t have to be). I’ve been using beef top rump joints. Sometimes I also see meat in the store labeled as beef roasting joint. Ask the butcher if you don’t know! And the second worry about cooking meat is knowing when it is done. Here’s my two cents: check the meat a few minutes before you think it’s going to be done and then trust your gut.
Check it with either a meat thermometer (I got a Thermapen for Christmas and I’m in love with it! I’ve been taking the temperature of glasses of water just because). Or check it by making a small cut and seeing if the juices are bloody or clear. And then trust your gut meaning, if it seems done take it out of the oven. Ryan and I have over cooked meat more than once by putting the meat back in because the “internet” or “recipe” told us to. Trust yourself and it will all be fine.
Messy level: Surprisingly neat and straightforward. Minimal amount of cutting, then season the meat, pop it all in the oven and the let it be until it’s done. No muss no fuss. How great is that?!
- 2 yellow onions
- 2 carrots
- 2 stalks of celery
- fresh rosemary
- fresh time
- 6 cloves garlic
- Beef joint
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Preheat oven to 475°/250°.
- Cut the onions in half and remove the skin. Place in the bottom of a roasting pan.
- Cut the carrots (no need to peel) and celery into large pieces (it's not so serious the size). Throw them into the pan too.
- Add the garlic cloves (no need to peel) and 3-5 sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Throw those in the pan with the rest. These herbs and vegetables are going to help season your meat and create great flavor in the juices, which you can use to make gravy.
- If your beef came tied in string, leave the string on. It will help it keep shape while cooking.
- Rub the beef all over with a thin layer of olive oil. This helps keeps things moist!
- Season the beef generously with salt and pepper (if you have other seasonings you like on beef you could sprinkle a bit of that on too)
- To add a bit of an exterior crust, rub the flour evenly all over the exterior of the beef. You might not need the whole tablespoon.
- Put the beef on top of the vegetables in your roasting pan.
- Lower the heat in the oven to 400°F/200°F.
- Put the beef in the oven. Cook for 20 minutes plus 15 minutes per pound, for rare beef. Add 15 minutes more for medium and add 30 minutes more for well done. So a 2 pound beef cooks for 50 minutes for rare, 65 min for medium, and 80 minutes for well done.
- When the meat is cooked to your liking, remove the pan from the oven. Cover it with aluminum foil or a kitchen towel and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Resting is important! Cut it too early and all the juices fall out.
- Once the meat has rested, slice and serve. Best with lots of gravy, potatoes, and vegetables!
