Roast beef slowly cooked to the perfect tenderness with a drizzle of rich savory gravy atop or a dollop of sour cream horseradish sauce will be the main meat entree at many a holiday gathering this year.
The trick is to start with a good cut of meat. If you are in doubt, especially with the cost of meats this holiday season here is some simple advice….talk to the butcher. At the grocery store, food coop or at the local meat market. Make him/her your ally and tell them you are planning on roasting the meat. This is NOT a pot roast.
Several cuts to consider are eye of round, sirloin tip center, standing rib roast or a tenderloin.
A good rule of thumb is 1.5 lbs of beef per serving. Some might take more, some less. If its the latter all the better for you and those resulting cold beef sandwiches or roast beef hash during the next week.
For this article I suggest using an eye of round.
ROAST BEEF
Serves 6
9-10 lb eye of round
2 chopped large yellow onions
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/ 2 teaspoon salt (Kosher or sea)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 c water
Preheat oven to 5000
In a roasting pan place meat.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper
When oven has registered 5000 place meat in for 15 minutes.
This will sear the meat (literally lock in the juices)
Place onions and garlic in the room temperature water
Take the meat out and reduce heat to 3250
Pour the water with onions and garlic around the meat (not over it)
It should only ring about 1/8″ around the meat. It is to add some moisture, and draw out a bit of the meat’s natural essense for gravy making – not poach it.
If in the course of cooking – the water all evaporates add just a bit more. Unlike a turkey – roast beef does not need to be basted or looked at frequently. In fact it does better just sitting in a closed oven and letting the enticing aroma escape from it.
How long should you let it sit in the oven?
For perfect medium rare roast beef – the kind that is pink all around and very flavorful – I am passing along my rule of thumb, and my mother’s and grandmother’s and countless other women in my family.
Ready?
Plan on 22 minutes to the pound. So for a 10 lb. roast the average cooking time is 220 minutes divided by 60 minutes is just over 4 hours in the oven.
How to check if the meat is done?
A thermometer registering at 1200 in the center of the cut is the best way.
Another way is to cut into the middle of the meat and check. I will confess after years of cooking – I am blessed with being able to smell it. Hopefully your schnooze will soon be as developed.
After removing the meat – let it rest. I place mine on the cutting board loosely covered with aluminium foil for at least 10 minutes. It gives the meat time to let all the juices circulate and me time to finish items like Yorkshire pudding or rolls in the oven.
When it comes time to cut the meat – remember to cut in the direction of the grain on the meat.
I usually garnish with an outside row of creamed spinach followed with an inner row of the tasty roasted onions and garlic.
Serve with a fine red wine – I like Merlot and a happy holiday will be had by everyone – including the chef!
