A good roast beef

It is winter. To be quite honest, I am not a fan of the season. However, there are some culinary delights which pair well with this cold and frosty time of year. For instance, a roast beef. Picture this, a plate of thinly sliced roast beef with wonderfully creamy parsley potatoes and fresh vegetables on the side to balance the richness. Oh, and we must not forget the jus! So pour yourself a glass of cabernet and indulge in this recipe.

This is a roast that neither requires hours of preparation nor hours in the oven. From start to finish an hour and a half, or less depending on your preference of redness of your beef.

Choosing the size of your roast. An average is half a pound per person, however, as I am avid lover of leftovers, I always figure I want at least two good sandwiches from the roast for the next couple of days. The roast I used neared two and a half pounds (a little over a kilo). A good step to follow is to take it out of your fridge an hour before you begin because it allows the meat to come to a room temperature internally. Preheat your oven to 350F.

We will begin with the herb mixture. Our roast uses a buttery herb compound as seasoning. I used a fourth of a brick of butter with a gollop of olive oil. If it it too hard, warm in the microwave for a nano sec to soften it. Fresh herbs can be used or dry. As I prefer to use as much from my existing pantry, I used dry herbs. Parsley, oregano, thyme, rosemary are all examples of the herbs we can use combined to create a savory butter. As I had a small jar of herbs of Provence, I went with it. I added a couple garlic cloves to the butter. Nicely mince the clove by knife, but I use my press. Mix the butter compound together and set aside.

As it is warming, pat the roast dry and season with salt.

Searing! I recommend using a pan which can go into the oven because I am not a fan of recipes with a lot of dishes! Preheat the pan over medium high with a couple good dashes of olive oil. Let it really heat up because we want a beautiful sear. A test I use is to sprinkle water on the oil. If those sprinkles pop, then we are ready to roll! Sear the roast all around and don’t forget the ends! Once done, remove from the pan and set on the cutting board. Don’t forget to turn off the burner and move the pan aside. As we are using the same pan, we don’t want to burn the bottom of it. Now, we butter the roast. Yes, it will melt a little over the roast but once back in the pan simply spoon what fell off back on top.

For myself, as I am by no means a culinary savant, I swear by the thermometer. An oven proof thermometer with the descriptions on it of roasting times is for me a must. I insert the thermometer into the thickest part. Now place in the oven. Cooking times with vary according to your preference. Remember minimum 130F for a rare roast.

At this point, I washed up the kitchen and began the potatoes and the veggies. Cleaned up the kitchen once again. Set the table and nearing an hour later, I pulled the roast out of the oven at 140F. Remember, the roast continues to cook for a few minutes once removed. Let it rest for ten to fifteen minutes tented to keep it warm. And tah-dah, you are ready to slice!

Bonne appetit mes amis!

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