A little history
Many people have a vague idea of what roast beef is in cooking. This ancient English dish dates back several centuries. According to historical sources, it became widespread in the 16th century. To prepare it, they took a juicier piece of beef, rubbed it with salt and black pepper and fried it over an open fire. Hence the name roastbeef, which translates as “fried beef”. The subtlety lies in the fact that the outside of the meat is covered with a thin crispy crust, but the inside remains juicy and pinkish. According to the classical canon, blood should ooze on the cut.
Winston Churchill was a big fan of roast beef. Rumor has it that sometimes he prepared this dish with his own hands, while allowing himself unheard-of liberties. The fact is that the British Prime Minister fried pork roast beef, always adding a pinch of rosemary.
Roast beef with carrots and light sauce
This is regular roast beef cooked to perfection. A wonderful Sunday lunch for the whole family.
Ingredients:
- Flour 2 tbsp
- Mustard (powder) 1 teaspoon
- beef 950 g
- Onion 1 piece
- Carrots ½ kg
- broth 2 tbsp
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 220°C. Mix flour and mustard powder with seasonings and rub the beef.
Place onions and carrots in a roasting pan, top with meat and fry for 20 minutes.
Reduce temperature to 140°C and continue cooking for 40 minutes.
Remove beef from oven.
Grind the onions and carrots with a blender, add broth and 1½ tbsp flour. spoon, spices. Bring to a boil.
When the beef is cooked, cover it with foil for 15 minutes.
Choosing the perfect meat
A fundamentally important point is what part of the beef is used for roast beef. Meat after freezing is not suitable for any reason. But you shouldn’t take fresh, fresh meat either. The British use aged meat for this dish. In the old days, the carcass was hung in cool cellars and left to “ripen” for 10 days. Today, refrigeration units are used for this. There is also a more practical method - wet aging, when a piece of pulp is placed in a vacuum package. This allows you to retain all the juices inside so that they help bring out the taste of the meat in all its glory.
Most often, fresh marbled meat is chosen for roast beef. Namely, the flesh from the thick or thin edge of beef, with a large number of fatty streaks. During cooking, they produce an appetizing juice, which soaks the pulp, acquiring a unique taste and the desired texture. It is quite acceptable to take a good piece of meat with ribs.
Preparatory stage
A distinctive feature of roast beef is that it is baked in one piece. On average, the weight ranges from 1.5 to 4 kg. A piece that is too small will quickly release all the juices, and therefore it will turn out tough and dry.
First, the meat is marinated. Just rub it on all sides with black pepper and leave it in the refrigerator for several hours. If you have long-aged meat, you can grease it with odorless vegetable oil and cook immediately. For a more expressive taste, add more spices - garlic, basil, barberry, your favorite dried herbs. Some cooks even coat the beef with honey.
Roast beef with greens
A very bright expressive dish with a fruit and vegetable side dish. The dish is easily digested by the stomach and is beneficial for the body.
Ingredients:
- Beef ½ kg
- Bell pepper 2 pcs
- Prunes 1 tbsp
- Garlic 4 teeth.
- Dill
- Parsley
- Basil
- Vegetable oil
- Butter
Preparation:
Chop the garlic, grind it with salt, add chopped herbs and 1½ tbsp. spoon of olive oil.
Rub the meat generously with pepper and half of the prepared mixture. Marinate for 1½ hours.
Cut the pepper into strips and fry in oil. Add chopped prunes and simmer for 10 minutes.
Mix the remaining herbs and garlic with the paneer. breadcrumbs Dredge the meat in the mixture. Fry it in butter until cooked.
To obtain juicy roast beef, it is not recommended to use frozen meat.
We bake with precise calculations
To prevent the meat from losing its shape, it is evenly wrapped with twine and quickly fried in a deep frying pan on all sides. Do not use a fork or other stabbing equipment under any circumstances. Turn the meat only with special tongs or two wooden spatulas. It is extremely important not to damage the flesh at this stage. When roasting, the thin crust will reliably seal the juices inside, after which you can send the beef to the oven.
Initially, the temperature is set to the maximum value, and after 15–20 minutes it is reduced to 160–170 °C. In some recipes, the temperature is reduced to 80–90 °C. As for the duration of baking, chefs recommend 45–50 minutes per 1 kg of tenderloin. That is, on average, roast beef is baked for 1 to 3 hours. In this case, you need to periodically water the meat with the juice that is released.
Another important subtlety. Roast beef is never served piping hot - it is first allowed to sit. A small piece of meat will take 10–15 minutes, a large piece will take about half an hour. However, experts assure that roast beef acquires its ideal taste only 3 hours after cooking. During this time, he manages to release all the juice and then completely absorb it. This does not diverge from general recommendations, because roast beef can be served cold.
The British complement their favorite dish with hot sauce or mustard. Green peas, stewed vegetables, French fries or mashed potatoes are served as a side dish. On the holiday table, roast beef invariably accompanies Yorkshire pudding.
Classic performance
It's time to move on to practice. Let's start with a classic roast beef recipe. A minimal set of spices will help maximize the flavor of the meat.
Ingredients:
- beef pulp in one piece - 1 kg
- vegetable oil - 3 tbsp. l.
- coarse black pepper - 1.5 tbsp. l.
- coarse salt - to taste
Rinse the piece of meat in cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Rub the beef with black pepper, place in a deep dish and cover with cling film. Leave to marinate for 8–10 hours. About an hour before cooking, take out the meat so that it has time to warm up to room temperature. Rub it with salt, grease it with oil and tie it with twine or thick thread made from natural materials. Heat a grill pan without oil, fry a piece of meat on all sides for about 3 minutes. Turn it over with precise movements and do not move it around the pan. Transfer the beef to a deep baking dish and place in the oven. We keep it at 220 °C for the first 20 minutes, then reduce the flame to 160 °C and cook for another 40 minutes. This is how we check readiness. We pierce the pulp with a sharp knitting needle - clear juice should appear from the puncture. Place the finished roast beef on foil, wrap tightly and let rest for at least half an hour. Cut the meat into pieces. A roast beef sandwich is a great treat!
Swiss beef roast
Ingredients for 6 people:
- 1.20 kg of meat;
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil;
- 60 g butter;
- salt, pepper, rosemary.
Cooking technology step by step with photos
Step 1, 2
- Remove the roast from the refrigerator 1 hour before. Preheat the oven with an ovenproof dish to 80°.
2. Melt the butter in a frying pan. When the butter is melted and hot, add the roast, fatty side down. Fry in a pan for about 3 minutes until the butter turns golden brown.
Steps 3 and 4
3. Transfer the meat to a heated bowl and season with salt and pepper. To monitor the temperature of the roast, insert a meat thermometer with the tip approximately in the middle.
4. Spread the butter and rosemary sprigs over the meat and place the dish in the center of the preheated oven. Set the thermometer to 55°.
Roast beef with baked potatoes and tartar sauce
After about 2.5 hours, the roast should reach the desired internal temperature of 55°. Remove the meat from the oven and cut into portions. Serve with a side of baked potatoes and tartar sauce.
Meat under the influence
If you simmer beef in red wine, the roast beef will acquire exquisite tart notes and will turn out especially tender. Here you can get creative with a bouquet of spices.
Ingredients:
- beef tenderloin – 1 kg
- dry red wine – 200 ml
- meat broth - 200 ml
- fennel - 4 pcs.
- dried thyme - 1 tbsp. l.
- shallots - 4 pcs.
- garlic - 2 cloves
- vegetable oil - 5 tbsp. l.
- salt and black pepper - to taste
We clean the meat from films, wash and dry. Rub with pepper, thyme and salt, grease with vegetable oil. Fry on all sides until golden brown. Cut the fennel and shallots in half and place the cut side in a hot frying pan for a few seconds. Place the meat in a deep baking dish, pour in the broth and wine, add fennel, shallots and chopped garlic. Bake the roast beef at 170°C for an hour, basting with wine sauce from time to time.
Roast beef in marinade
Roast beef in marinade
Alternatively, the meat can be pre-marinated before baking. And as a final chord add greenery. Thanks to fresh herbs, the exquisite aroma of the meat will be fully revealed.
Mediterranean blends work especially well with marinated roast beef. For example, thyme and rosemary combined with oregano and basil. All you need to do is brush the roast beef with herbs five minutes before the end of baking. Read more about how to marinate roast beef in our special article.
Caramel notes
Here's an unusual version of roast beef for those who are ready to experiment a little. Meat in caramel and soy sauce turns out tender and juicy.
Ingredients:
- beef tenderloin – 1 kg
- vegetable oil - 500 ml
- soy sauce - 50 ml
- brown sugar - 50 g
- Worcestershire sauce - 2 tbsp. l.
- garlic - 3 cloves
- fresh rosemary - 1 sprig
- ground oregano - ¼ tsp.
- salt and black pepper - to taste
We clean the tenderloin from films, wash it in water, dry it and grease it with 5-6 tbsp. l. vegetable oil. We tear off the needles from the rosemary sprig and mix with the garlic passed through a press. Combine the remaining vegetable oil, Worcestershire and soy sauce, add garlic, rosemary and oregano.
Pour some water into the pan, add sugar and cook thick caramel. Pour it into the marinade and mix well. Rub a piece of beef with salt and black pepper, wrap it with thick thread and fry in a frying pan on all sides. Fill a deep baking dish with marinade, place the beef and place in the oven at 200°C for 5 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 150 °C and bake until done. Baste the meat with marinade periodically. Place the finished roast beef in a tall pan, pour in the marinade, cover tightly with a lid and leave for 3 hours. Then cut into pieces and add to the salad.
Roast beef with potatoes
Try this stunningly simple recipe that is a hit in English cuisine.
Ingredients:
- Beef meat 1 kg
- Potatoes, cut into pieces 6 pieces
- Onion rings 1 piece
- Carrots in strips 6 pcs
- Fresh thyme, rosemary 1 tbsp
- Broth 1 tbsp
- Worcestershire sauce ½ tbsp
Preparation:
Place the spice-rubbed beef in a wide, slow bowl. Surround it with potatoes, onions, carrots and herbs. Pour in the stock and Worcestershire.
Place in the oven and fry.
Multicooker to the rescue
If desired, roast beef can be cooked in a slow cooker. Try adding Svan salt and allspice. The meat will acquire a bright aroma and interesting flavors.
Ingredients:
- beef shoulder fillet - 1 kg
- black pepper - 1 tsp.
- allspice - 1 tsp.
- Svan salt - to taste
- olive oil - 2 tbsp. l.
Rub the prepared meat at room temperature with a mixture of peppers, grease with olive oil and leave for an hour. In the multicooker, set the “Frying” mode and the timer for 15 minutes. Fry the meat on all sides. Place the meat on the flat side in the multicooker bowl. Select the “Multi-cook” or “My recipe” mode, temperature 100 °C and cooking time 50 minutes. Close the lid and wait for the sound signal. Cool the finished roast beef, wrap it in foil and let sit for a couple of hours. If you put it in the refrigerator for another 2-3 hours, it will taste better.
Now you know in detail how to properly cook roast beef and please your family with a classic English dish. It will organically decorate the Christmas menu and the festive table for the old New Year.
Wine roast beef
An amazing recipe that will especially appeal to the stronger half of your family.
Ingredients:
- Thyme 1 teaspoon
- Olive oil
- Mustard 2 tbsp. lodge
- Soy sauce 2 tbsp. lol
- Beef ½ kg
- Flour 2 tbsp. lodge
- Wine ½ tbsp
- Broth 2 tbsp
- Onion 1 piece
- Carrot 1 piece
- Celery 2 pcs
Preparation:
Coarsely chop the onion, carrots and celery and place on a baking sheet. Add thyme and drizzle with olive oil.
Cut the meat into 6 pieces. Mix mustard, sauce, pepper. and brush the meat with it.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake the meat along with vegetables.
Sauce: Heat 2 tbsp. broth. Add flour, boil for 2 minutes. Add wine, vegetables, cook for 5 minutes. Strain or grind with a blender.
