Roast Beef and Yorkshire Puddings
The smell of a delicious roast beef in the oven is akin only to a roast turkey in our eyes! This recipe for traditional Roast Beef and Yorkshire puddings will delight every family member.
With the fire and your favourite Christmas movie on, a glass of fizz in your hand, this roast will give you the festive vibe!
Make extra for roast beef sandwiches, with lots of horseradish, or chop into a healthy salad. Or, if you really want to indulge, make extra roast potatoes and have a dinner two days in a row!
You’ll need
1.8kg rib of beef on the bone
3tbsp plain flour
Salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
2tbsp vegetable oil
4-5 carrots, quartered
1 red onion, cut into wedges
8 shallots
1tbsp chopped thyme
1 head garlic, divided into cloves
For the Yorkshire puddings:
150g plain flour
2 large eggs
300ml milk
3tbsp fat from the roast beef, or use beef dripping or vegetable oil
Method
1. Heat the oven to 220°C, Fan Oven 200°C, Gas Mark 7.
2. Put the meat in a roasting tin and rub 3tsp plain flour into the beef. Season with salt and pepper, rubbing the flour well into the flesh and fat.
3. Roast for 15min, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C, Fan Oven 160°C, Gas Mark 4. Roast the meat for 15-20min per 450g, plus 20min for rare/20-25min per 450g for medium, plus 20min/25-30min per 450g for well done, plus 20min.
4. For the Yorkshire pudding batter, put the flour and a pinch
of salt in a bowl. Add the eggs and then the milk a little at a time, beating to give a thick, smooth batter. Stir in 150ml
cold water. Cover and leave to one side until required.
Toss the vegetables, thyme and garlic in the oil.
5. After about 30min, place the vegetables and garlic around the meat and continue cooking until tender. While the meat is cooking, baste with the juices from time to time.
6. 30min before the end of the calculated cooking time, remove the meat from the oven and pour off all the roasting fat (if available, otherwise use melted beef dripping or vegetable oil) to make the Yorkshire puddings. Return the meat to the oven to continue cooking.
7. At the end of cooking time, remove the meat from the tin, wrap in foil, cover with a tea towel and allow to rest on a serving plate. Transfer the vegetables to a warmed dish.
8. Increase the oven temperature to 220°C, Fan Oven 200°C, Gas Mark 7 and pour 2tsp fat into each bun tin hole. Place tins at the top of the oven; the fat needs to be very hot before you add the batter.
9. Stir the batter, then remove the tins from the oven and carefully pour in the batter and return to the oven. The puddings will take 20-30min to cook.
10. To make the gravy, stir the remaining flour into the meat juices in the roasting tin and cook over a gentle heat until absorbed and browned. Whisk in 500ml cold water and simmer until lightly thickened. Add gravy browning if you like your gravy to be dark in colour. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the puddings from the oven, uncover the beef, pouring any juices into the gravy. Carve and serve with vegetables, Yorkshire puddings and gravy.
Preparation time:
20min plus resting
Cooking time:
1hr 35min-2hr 35min (beef)
20-30min (puddings)
10-15min (gravy)
Serves 4-6
Recipe: Maxine Clark
