This most traditional of British Sunday roasts uses goose fat to add extra crispiness to the roast potatoes. The red wine-based gravy makes the perfect complement to this main course and has everybody wanting ‘seconds’!
Ingredients
Beef
- 5½ lb (2.5 kg) fresh cut rib of beef on the bone
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp English mustard powder
- A glug of olive oil
- Pinch of salt to taste
- Roast potatoes
- Roast vegetables
Gravy
- 12 oz (350 ml) of red wine
- Roasting juices from the roasting tray
- tsp plain flour
How to Make It
- Initially, make the Yorkshire pudding batter. Sift the flour, add a pinch of salt into a bowl, add the eggs and gradually stir in enough milk to make a creamy smooth batter thick that remains on the back of the spoon. Now cover and leave to rest for at least four hours or preferably overnight.
- Meanwhile, Preheat the oven to 190C (375F). Allow the beef to come back to room temperature after taking from the fridge.
- Now mix a few teaspoons of water with the mustard powder making a creamy paste. Rub the mustard paste all over the beef and season with salt and pepper.
- Next, heat the olive oil or goose fat in a large frying pan. Once up to heat, add the beef and sear all sides, until it goes a lovely golden brown all over. Now place the beef in a deep roasting tin and cook in the oven for one hour for rare meat, a further 15 minutes for medium-rare, or a further 30 minutes for well and truly done.
- Meanwhile, as the beef is cooking, prepare the roast potatoes and roast vegetables.
- Now, take the beef from the oven, place on a carving board and cover with foil. It needs to rest in a warm room for 20-30 minutes.
- Finally, to make the Yorkshire puddings. Pour 5ml (1 tsp) of olive oil into the bottom of each Yorkshire pudding tin in total. Place the tins in the oven to heat for about 3-4 minutes to heat the oil.
- Once the oil is hot, remove from the oven. Stir the batter then carefully pour it into each of the tin cups. Fill each cup about half full.
- Now place the tins back in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes alongside the roast potatoes, until they are golden and well risen.
- With the potatoes and Yorkshire puddings now in the oven, you can make the gravy. Place the roasting tin with its gorgeous juices on to the hob on a medium heat. Whisk in the flour and the red wine. Scrape all the bits of goodness from the bottom and sides of the roasting tin, into the gravy. Simmer for ten minutes, then season with freshly ground salt and pepper.
- Carve the beef into thick slices and load on to warm plates with the Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes and vegetables. Add the delicious red wine gravy to taste. Enjoy.