Roast Beef

[guajolote]

There was a thread about cooking a rib roast Alton Brown style just before Christmas. Everyone who tried (including me) liked it. He cooks it at 200 degrees F (about 95 C) until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 118 degrees F. Let it rest for 15 minutes, then blast it in a 500 degree F oven for 15 minutes.

http://www.foodtv.com/foodtv/recipe/0,6255...5,19292,00.html

He says to cook it in an upside down flower pot, which I didn't bother with.

[maggiethecat]

Have we had the horseradish vs mustard debate?

Can't we all be friends?

Both, please.

[Miss J]

Mixed together, or on opposite sides of the plate so they don't even touch each other?

Sorry Maggie, you've got to put your foot down about these things.

[mogsob]

I second the 5-7 rib roast.

To add more controversy to how to cook a very simple dish, I generally sear the roast on the stove for about 2 minutes per side (or as many sides as I can get -- my largest pan is only so big).

Then, I roast at gas mark 5 until rare, then baste with butter and season with salt and pepper, and return for another 5 minutes or so (I use the antiquated touch test, so my timing is not exact) and let sit for 15 minutes.

[jackal10]

Horseradish for me..

Incidently horseradish make a surprisingly good substitute for garlic...

Following the modern trend, I served Roast Onion Ice cream with the beef this last Sunday, a small scoop in the middle of each yorkshire pud.

Roast Onion Ice Cream

4 medium onions peeled and chopped

lump of butter

2 tsp sugar

Fry together over a low heat until lightly brown - 1/2 hour or so

Whiz together with 1/4pt whipping cream, salt, pepper

Churn in an ice cream maker, but the volume is a bit small. Alternatively

Put into a small basin in the freezer, an mash up when half frozen and returnto the freezer

Take out of the freezer to soften up about an hour before serving.

[Duncan]

I believe you can also brown the meat with a blowtorch should you feel that way inclined.

You have no idea how tempted I am to get a blow torch just for this purpose. Performance art and Sunday lunch, all in one glorious package. (I think the pinny-and-welder's-mask look is a winner.)

I had a look at my tape of 'Kitchen Chemistry' and he was recommending blowtorching the joint before cooking, so your guests might have a bit of a wait.

On the 507-rib cow - I had an image pop into my mind of something that looked a bit like a bovine centipede. Spooky. But if it can feed an entire city block... 

You'll be wanting a flamethrower then...

Edited February 12, 2003 by Duncan (log)

[Bashful3]

Only one caveat for standing rib roast. The best part is gnawing on the ribs. So, invite only serious carnivores who will not be freaked at you doing this. They will want theirs.

This sounds a tad heavy for "lunch". Maybe I'm too traditional, but I think of this as a nighttime meal.

[Jinmyo]

Bashful3, this kind of roast is great for a traditional British Sunday lunch. Followed later by Tea. Light supper.

I keep the bones for myself.

[Miss J]

Jinmyo is correct, of course. One of the great cultural shifts I've embraced since moving here is to realign my Sunday "dinner" time to around 2pm. Here, if you suggest serving the big heavy Sunday meal in the evening, people think you're mad.

[Jinmyo]

Well, you would be.

[Miss J]

Thanks to everyone for contributing to yesterday's smashingly successful roast beef lunch. Particular mention goes to:

Sam, Duncan, Steve P and jakal10 for suggesting rib of beef

Sam for suggesting Waitrose (from whom I bought it in the end)

Duncan for the link to Blumanthal's slow-roast instructions in The Guardian (I did not use a blowtorch, sadly)

LML for his tip to leave the beef out for at least 8 hours to come to room temperature

The beef was perfectly pinky-red (just the way I like it), disarmingly succulent and outrageously "beefy" in flavour. I stirred together a last minute horseradish sauce (Greek yoghurt, grated horseradish, double cream, lemon juice, chopped chives, bit of salt) to go with it along with a sauce based on heavily reduced meat juices and red wine.

Once again, egullet has made me look incredibly good. Thanks, guys.