Roast Beef

Roast beef is a classic British dish consisting of a whole piece of beef roasted in the oven. However, I can’t help but suggest a small Italian touch to accompany this dish, such as a side of rosemary potatoes or a reduced red wine sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of beef (sirloin is usually used)
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)
• Garlic (optional, some cooks prefer not to add it)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 240 °C (about 475 °F).
2. Let the meat come to room temperature for about an hour before starting to cook it, so it cooks evenly.
3. Rub the meat with extra virgin olive oil, then with plenty of coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. If you like, you can also add crushed garlic and fresh rosemary on top of the meat to flavor it.
5. Place the beef in a roasting pan and, if you have a meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest part.
6. Roast the beef and cook for about 20 minutes at 240 °C, then lower the temperature to 190 °C (about 375 °F) and continue cooking. The total cooking time will depend on your personal taste: about 15 minutes per pound for medium rare.
7. Once the desired doneness is reached, it is important to let the meat rest outside the oven, covered with a sheet of aluminum foil, for about 15-20 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute inside the meat, making it more succulent.
8. Slice the roast beef across the grain to obtain more tender slices and serve.

Trivia

Roast beef is often accompanied by Yorkshire pudding and gravy, a sauce made from the meat juices. This dish is considered almost an emblem of English cuisine and is often served during Sunday lunches.

If you want to stay true to the Italian accompaniment, you can serve the roast beef with rosemary potatoes or make a red wine sauce by simply reducing red wine in a pan with a base of chopped shallot, seasoning with salt and pepper, until you get a slightly syrupy consistency.