PERFECT ROAST BEEF

 Traditional Sunday Roast Beef

There is something very special about cooking a family Sunday roast, a relaxed afternoon with the family all helping out and a glow of love around the table where all the trimmings are being passed around the table and over each other in some form of dance, this is my favourite day of the week.

I like to roast off the bone ribeye I find the flavour is outstanding and it makes a no fuss carving for serving.  What’s more it only takes 45-54 minutes to roast to medium rare.

I always cook to the core temperature and use the minutes per pound as the guide time to reach that core temperature, generally they are always spot on.

Roasting Times

2 kg / 4.4 lb

Blue very rare 9 minutes per lb = 40 minutes cooking and core temperature 45 C

Rare 10 minutes per lb = 45 minutes cooking time and core temperature 50 C

Medium Rare 12 minutes per lb = 54 minutes cooking and core temperature 60 C

Well done 16 - 18 minutes per lb = 72 minutes cooking and a core temperature 70 C

The Beef

Approx 2 kg / 4.4 lb ribeye of beef off the bone

1 glug olive oil

1 tbsp sea salt

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

The Mirepoix 

1 bottle good red wine

500ml beef stock

2 carrots roughly chopped

2 ribs celery roughly chopped

1 leek roughly chopped

1 onion roughly chopped

1/2 bulb garlic bashed

1 small bunch parsley with stalks

2 bay leaves

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

The Best Ever Roast Beef Gravy

750ml red wine roasting stock

200ml Madeira

All the resting juices from the beef

2 tbsp butter

Sea salt and black pepper

Roast Beef

Pre-heat your oven 220 C / 428 F

Rub the olive oil all over the beef and in a hot pan sear all sides of the beef nicely brown, remove and reserve to one side.

Place all the mirepoix ingredients, except the wine and water, in a large roasting tin and toss to combine.

Season the beef with salt and black pepper all over and place in the center of the roasting tin on top of the mirepoix, add the bottle of red wine and 500ml of beef stock.

Turn the oven down to 180 C / 358 F place the beef in the oven for your required cooking time (calculations above).  Once your preferred cooking time or core temperature is reached take the roast beef out of the oven and cover with baking paper and a tea towel to keep warm while resting.

Rest for at least 20 minutes but as a rule I rest fora minimum of half the cooking time and more.

To Make the Gravy

Strain the red wine roasting stock all the juices in to a fat separator jug that also has a sieve top to catch the Mirapoix pour off the stock  into a saucepan leaving the beef fat drippings behind, this fat can be stored in the fridge and used next time for beef dripping roast potatoes, reduce the stock gravy by half, add the Madeira and reduce by a third, add all the resting juices from the beef and using a whisk stir in the butter for this gorgeous old fashioned honest gravy.  

If you want a thicker gravy…

Add 1 tbsp of plain flour to the butter and mix well, (this is called a beurre manie) this will thicken the gravy to your choice, start with half the mix and add to the simmering gravy, whisk in well until smooth, taste and season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper if needed, if you want a thicker gravy add more of the (beurre manie) butter flour roux.

Alternatively for gluten free gravy reduce the gravy slightly thicker and whisk in the butter which will slightly thicken the gravy and add a lovely gloss sheen, you can also blitz a little of the mirepoix and add to thicken the gravy further.