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There is no better known British meal than Roast Beef and Yorkshire Puddings, it is the national dish and loved by everyone. I am often asked how to cook perfect roast beef, and making the perfect roast is easy with these handy tips for perfect, easy, roast beef.. Making the perfect roast beef is easy with these handy tips for perfect easy roast beef. Choosing the Beef The best joints for roast beef is a Rib of Beef, Sirloin or Fillet. Rib works well as usually it will be cooked on the bone. Keeping the bone in makes for a tastier piece of beef when cooked but both Sirloin and Fillet are very good. The beef should be Dark in colour - meaning it has been hung well and mature. A thick covering of fat which adds flavor and prevents the joint from drying out during cooking. Marbled. Marbling is small slivers of fat running through the flesh. Again this adds flavor and prevents drying out during cooking. How Much to Buy 5½ lb/2.5kg bone in will feed 6 3 lb/1.5kg boned will feed 6 Don't worry about buying too much. Cold roast beef makes great sandwiches or added to a plate of cold cuts. Cooking Temperature There are varying opinions about what the perfect temperature to cook a roast beef but in my experience starting the beef in a very hot oven 425F/220C/Gas 7 for the first 30 mins then lower the temperature to 375F/190C/Gas5 for the remaining cooking time. How Long How long to cook beef depends on your preference for how 'pink' or not you like to eat beef. Calculate Rare 11 mins per lb/450g Medium 14 mins per lb/450g Well done 16 mins per lb/450g Another way to work out the cooking time is to use a meat thermometer pushed into the thickest part of the beef. 60°C/140° F - rare 70°C/160F - medium 80°C/175 °F - well done How to Cook The beef should be at room temperature. Stand the beef joint in a roasting tin then cook to the temperature and time as above. Rest, Rest, Rest An important part of cooking any meat is once it is removed from the oven the meat must rest. Wrap the meat loosely in aluminum foil and put to one side. The fibers in meat tighten up during cooking and resting allows the fibers to relax, release some of the meat juices (great for the gravy) and results in a soft tender piece of meat. 20 minutes should be long enough but up to an hour won't do any harm. The joint is then ready to carve. |
| Yorkshire Pudding ( Add to shopping list ) : |
Directions: A classic Yorkshire Pudding is quick, easy to make and with this, my best Yorkshire Pudding recipe, guarantees success every time. A traditional Yorkshire Pudding fresh from the oven should be well-risen, golden brown with a crisp exterior and soft middle. Yorkshire Puddings are a classic British recipe and one of the major components of England's national dish, Roast Beef and Yorkshire Puddings, a regional dish with national (and international) appeal. Watch My Video of How to Make Perfect Yorkshire Puddings Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Yield: Depends on size of tin used. Ingredients: 4 large, fresh eggs, measured in a jug Equal quantity of milk to eggs Equal quantity of all purpose/plain flour to eggs Pinch of salt 2 tbsp lard, beef dripping or vegetable oil Preparation: Serves 6 Heat the oven to the highest temperature possible, however, do not exceed 450F/230C or the fat may burn. Pour the eggs and milk into a large mixing bowl and add the pinch of salt. Whisk thoroughly with an electric hand beater or hand whisk. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. Gradually sieve the same volume of flour (as the eggs) into the milk and egg mixture, again using an electric hand beater or hand-whisk to create a lump free batter resembling thick cream, if there are any lumps pass the batter through a fine sieve. Leave the batter to rest in the kitchen for a minimum of 30 minutes, longer if possible - up to several hours. Place a pea-sized piece of lard, dripping or ½tsp vegetable oil into your chosen Yorkshire pudding tin, or a 4 x 2"/5cm hole tin or 12-hole muffin tin and heat in the oven until the fat is smoking. Give the batter another good whisk adding 2 tbsps of cold water and fill a third of each section of the tin with batter and return quickly to the oven. Leave to cook until golden brown approx 20 minutes. Repeat the last step again until all the batter is used up. Serving Yorkshire Pudding In Yorkshire serving the pudding is traditionally with gravy as a starter dish followed by the meat and vegetables. More often smaller puddings cooked in muffin tins are served alongside meat and vegetables. Yorkshire pudding isn't reserved only for Sunday lunch. A large pudding filled with a meaty stew or chili is a dish in its own right. Cold left-over Yorkshire Puddings make a lovely snack with a little jam or honey. Yorkshire Puddings do not reheat well, becoming brittle and dry. |