Seasoning/Rub for Angus Ribeye Roast

[Wimpy]

I'm hosting dinner for 8-10 this coming Friday. Centerpiece will be an Angus ribeye roast (boneless) weighing approx. 3.5kgs (that's a tad over 7 lbs). I need suggestions for a very flavorful dry rub/seasoning I can apply for it.

It's such a huge hunk of meat that i doubt the flavor will permeate very deeply, but if the seasoning forms a nice crust on the outside, it will taste good in combination with juicy cuts from the center. I usually just use large grain seasalt and garlic (after brushing oil on surface), but it usually just runs off into the pan.

What works best for you?

Also, am always challenged when planning menus. I was thinking of a mesclun salad with port/fig dressing with pine nuts and a piece of pan fried foie gras, but the wife is saying that it may be too heavy given my roast beef main course.

Also, the choice of starch and vegetable accompaniment is under debate. Am not a big fan of yorkshire pudding. As for veggies, I thought Joel Robuchon's ratatouille would give a nice tomatoey/fresh contrast to the beef.

Suggestions welcome!

Oh yeah- and dessert....I suppose Creme Brulee or Panna Cotta is too heavy? This menu planning shit is hard!

Edited March 2, 2003 by Wimpy (log)

[jackal10]

aargh!! Please no flavouring. If its decent beef you *really* don't need it. Possibly salt and pepper but you don't need it.

You must be American. No one else, without the southern BBQ tradition, could think of polluting good beef that way. BBQ is quite different altogether. Different cut, different cooking technique.

Brown the beef all round in a hot pan. Cook the beef eitherlong and slow or short and hot - its internal temperature should be to 55C/135F. for rare. Best way to do this is to put it in a low (75C) oven for several (say 6) hours. If you are in a hurry put it in a hot oven (220C/400F) for 1 hour. A meat thermometer is essential. Let it stand for half an hour in a warm place after you take it out of the oven, especially if you went the hot and fast route.

Blumnethal on roasting beef

I'd serve roast root veg (potatoes, parsnips, sweet potatoes, squash), glazed young carrots, and whatever greens were in season - curly kale is good at the moment. Roast Onion ice cream, mustard, horseradish. Good Jus.

I would agree that foie gras is too heavy beforehand. Part of the attraction is that it is a great lump of beef, so the main course will not be a small delicate morsel, but a decent slice. Maybe a light consonme, or something light and fishy, unless the nibbles were also fish. If its cold or warm, then then there is less hassle and panic in the kitchen. If you have some good amuse. you don' t need anything except a well dressed salad.

Afterwards something light, fruity and seasonal. Here new season Rhubarb is in, and would make a nice compote (maybe with some hot house strawberries) to go with the creme brulee. Alternatively, an adult jelly, such as Port wine jelly would also be good, or something with apples or pears, like an apple charlotte or pears in red wine. If you can't get food fresh fruit, Hunza apricots are always welcome.

Stilton and biscuits in the remote possibility anyone is still hunry, or to enjoy with the Port or sweet wine.

Edit: spelling

Edited March 2, 2003 by jackal10 (log)

[tommy]

You must be American. No one else, without the southern BBQ tradition,  could think of polluting good beef that way.

that's most likely untrue, and a bit offensive.

Edited March 2, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Anna N]

.... Roast Onion ice cream, mustard, horseradish. Good Jus....

Tell me about Roast Onion ice cream....please

[Wimpy]

QUOTE (jackal10 @ Mar 2 2003, 10:28 AM)

You must be American. No one else, without the southern BBQ tradition, could think of polluting good beef that way. 

that's most likely untrue, and a bit offensive.

Without starting another colonial fracas between you Yanks and Poms (and now I am assuming Jackal that you're an eater of limes, based on the UK link), Tommy is right in that the statement is untrue, at least with respect to my being American.

But back to what really matters.... thanks for your input re. not to use seasoning. I've never tried it without some salt at least, but suppose it all runs off anyway in the cooking process.

I suppose if you make do without any seasonings, the accompanying sauce becomes that much more important. I've never been happy with au jus sauces, as I find them rather thinly flavored. Need to see if there's something a bit more substantial i.e. more demi glace based, as a sauce....

Edited March 2, 2003 by Wimpy (log)

[Anna N]

...

But back to what really matters....  thanks for your input re. not to use seasoning.  I've never tried it without some salt at least, but suppose it all runs off anyway in the cooking process.... 

" Generously season the meat and smear with oil."

That's a direct quote from the Blumenthal article so I'm wondering how we went from no spice rub to not even salt! Just interested and following along envying your guests...

[Wimpy]

You're right Anna. I noticed Jackal advocates not using flavoring, by which I suppose he meant my heretical use of garlic (which is not unusual with other cuts of beef in Provencal dishes such as peberonata) and not my use of salt...

Btw, Cooks Illustrated suggests aging it for up to 4 days in the fridge before roasting. Might give that a try.

Edited March 2, 2003 by Wimpy (log)

[Suzanne F]

Apart from the slap at USans, I agree with Jackal10. Mostly. DO salt and pepper heavily: it will be a lovely crust. And a light thin soup or fish app would be perfect. What's in season that you could use for soup?

The advantage to roasted root vegetables is that they can be done in the pan with the beef, and pick up flavo(u)r from it. The disadvantage, though, is that people might be sick of them by this late in the winter. Lightly sautéed greens would be excellent. And if you don't roast potatoes, what about just a simple mash, with lots of butter?

If it's really a good slab of meat, you'll get a good jus. Just make sure to use good wine to deglaze the pan, and a really strong beef or brown veal stock. I would not do much more, maybe throw in some herbs but then strain them out before serving.

Panna cotta, YES -- how about a buttermilk version, with rhubarb compote? Mmmmmmmmmmm.

[Wimpy]

Thanks for the tip Suzanne! I noticed you were reading my thread and so put off going to sleep till you posted (it's 12:30AM Singapore time) as I know you're a professional cook.

As for veggies, need to see what is available. I'm in the tropics so there's no such thing as seasonal veggies in the US/European sense. However, everything is flown in from Australia anyway and their quality is pretty good, despite the distance travelled.

Re roast potatoes, it seems simple to cook, but I never know what kind of potato to get (can't tell waxy from the mealy kind). I suppose a risotto would be too heavy (and non-traditional I suppose, but we live after all in rice-eating Asia)...

Edited March 2, 2003 by Wimpy (log)

[jackal10]

The roast onion icecream was in my post the Roast Beef thread. I copy it here

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.

Great dropped into the centre of a yorkshire pud.

I apologise if I was offensive. I meant to be controversial, not offensive. I was pointing out the difference in cultures.

Personally I don't think it makes much difference salting the outside or not. At best it affects the first slice, and I usually discard that as overcooked anyway. If you have enough to draw out significant moisture by osmosis, its too much.

Rubbing with paprika or mild chilli powder can give a visual effect, but I prefer to brown the outside by putting the roasting pan. Garlic on the outside falls off and burns, going bitter..

If you like a salty taste you can salt the beast when it has been cooked, or as you carve. Personally I prefer to let the guests salt to their own needs.

Some recommend marinating in a mild brine, and I can see why that might work, although the times I've tried it, I prefer the meat straight

Hanging for longer, for example an extra week in a sealed bag or conatiner in the fridge can help, but these days the beef is so tender already, and the slaughtering technique so improved, I don't think it makes that much difference if you got the beef from a decent butcher.

Roast potatoes; Doesn't really matter what variety, except that new potatoes don't roast well. Ideally should be ones with a high dry weight/sugar content. Peel and cut to serving size. I like King Edward or equivalent.

Parboil. Drain. rough up a bit, for example tumble in a cloth, or stir with a fork. Its the flaky bits that go crisp. If you add flour its a quite different effect.

Melt lots of good butter in a roasting tin. Add the spuds and an onion. Salt quite heavily.

An hour in a hot oven turning once or twice.

White-cooked Pak Choy would go well for a green veg.

Edited March 2, 2003 by jackal10 (log)

[Steve Plotnicki]

Here is how we do it for Thanksgiving and it comes out great. We chop enough garlic to coat the outside of the roast. We then mix the chopped garlic with kosher salt, or I guess, Malden Salt or some other type of medium coarse sea salt will do. We then melt butter in a pan (if you are so inclined you can spoon off the fat on top so you will have clarified butter) and then we paint the outside of the roast. Then we coat it with the garlic/salt mixture until it is completely covered. You can add anything you want to this mixture like pepper, rosemary. But for us, garlic and salt are enough. The result is staggeringly good. Especially if the roast has a slight layer of fat on the outside that crisps up.

[Jinmyo]

Soak lardons in red wine and garlic. Pierce the roast and push the lardons in. Rub olive oil, salt and fresh black pepper. Into the oven at 550 F for seven to ten minutes. No bones so I'd say eight. Turn off oven, leave roast for about thirty-five minutes without opening the door. Pull the roast, cover with foil and let rest.

[Anna N]

The roast onion icecream was in my post the Roast Beef thread. I copy it here

...

Thanks for the recipe - didn't see it in the roast beef thread - love onions, love butter, love cream, love icecream - what more could one want?

[elyse]

I apologise if I was offensive. I meant to be controversial, not offensive. I was pointing out the difference in cultures.

You lost me on the third sentence. I also believe that there should be nothing or only salt and pepper (which is my choice), so please don't generalize what Americans like, please.

I think salt and pepper make a big difference.