Roast Beef, Gravy Simple, Satisfying - Courant 2001

October 04, 2001 | By BILL DALEY and CHRISTOPHER PROSPERI

These are the times when we all crave familiar foods that bring a sense of comfort and warmth to the table. Think roast beef. The quintessential company dinner for generations of Americans, roast beef is a snap to cook. You just have to get the right cut, like a top round or a bottom round, and cook it in the oven until the desired degree of doneness. And despite all of the well­meaning warnings out there, we still want our roast beef rare, or medium rare at most.

Our method calls for an initial period of high­temp roasting at 450 degrees to help ``seal'' in the meat's juices, then the thermostat gets turned down to 350 degrees for the rest of the cooking. A 3­pound top round roast is ready in just a little more than one hour.

We like rubbing the roast with minced garlic, kosher salt and black pepper. Seasoning gives each thin slice of cooked meat a little extra spark. While this recipe is for beef, the same principles apply to a roast lamb or roast pork. Use a heavy­duty roasting pan or anything ovenproof with a heavy bottom. You'll want to turn the caramelized juices left in the pan into a gravy, and these juices could burn if the pan is too flimsy. You also want a roasting pan with at least an inch­ high rim all around to contain splatters.

Some folks roast their meats on a rack that fits into the pan. Lifting the meat up off the bottom of the pan is important because it allows the heat to circulate better and promotes more even cooking. Don't worry if you don't have a rack. Do what we do and rest the meat on a bed of sliced onions. Again, the onions perfume the meat as it cooks and lend flavor to the gravy.

One nice thing about a roast beef is that cooking times don't have to be too exact. You should time your roast so it's ready about a half-­hour before dinner. That rest will give the meat time to ``relax' ' and redistribute the juices.

Use that resting time to prepare the gravy. You can use whatever thickeners you like, from the traditional flour and fat mixture known as a roux to cornstarch mixed in water. Serve the roast beef with whatever side dishes are traditional in your family . Mashed or baked potatoes, green beans and hot buttered rolls are classic accompaniments.


BASICS ROAST BEEF * 3­ pound top round roast * 1 tablespoon kosher salt * 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper * 7 garlic cloves, for about 2 tablespoons chopped garlic * 1 medium onion, about 3/4 cup roughly sliced * For the gravy: * 1 tablespoon tomato paste * 1/2 cup red wine * 1/4 cup reduced­sodium chicken stock * 3/4 cup water * 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pat salt and ground pepper evenly over all surfaces of the meat. Rub the meat with the chopped garlic.

Peel and roughly slice a medium onion. Strew the onions across the bottom of a heavy­bottomed roasting pan. Rest the seasoned meat on top of the onions and place into the oven. Roast at 450 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the surface of the meat is browned and forming a slight crust at the edges. This browning will help seal in the juices, making for a moister, tender roast. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast the beef for about an hour. You'll want to start taking its temperature with an instant read thermometer after about 45 minutes or so.

Plan to remove the meat from the oven when the beef is about 5 degrees cooler than you'd like. In other words, if you want the roast beef to be medium rare ­­ about 130 to 135 degrees ­­ take the meat out of the oven when the thermometer registers 125 degrees. The meat will continue to cook outside the oven, gaining that 5 or so degrees.

Allow the roast beef to rest at least 10 minutes before beginning to carve. You want the juices that have been drawn near the meat's surface by the roasting to redistribute themselves through the beef. Carve the roast beef at the dining­room table or in the kitchen ­­ whatever is easiest for you.

Meanwhile, start making the gravy right in the roasting pan. Place the pan on the stovetop over high heat. You can, if you wish, remove the onions from the roasting pan, especially if they've browned too much. We like to leave them in, believing the onions begin to dissolve into the gravy, adding extra flavor and texture.

As the pan juices and residual fat begin to sizzle in the pan, spoon in 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and stir vigorously. You want the tomato paste to break up, bubble and begin to brown. You also want to use the tomato paste as an agent to lift the browned bits, or fond, off the bottom of the pan. (The acidity in the tomato paste does the trick.) Pour in the 1/2 cup of red wine and stir vigorously to scrape up the fond. Bring the red wine to a boil and reduce until the wine is almost syrupy.

Quickly so as not to let the tomato­wine­onion mixture begin to burn, pour in 1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken stock and 3/4 cups water. Stir to combine. Allow to come back to the boil and reduce slight

In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Pour about half of the mixture into the gravy and stir until the gravy begins to thicken slightly and sports a satiny sheen. Add more of the cornstarch and water mixture if necessary.

To finish off the gravy, stir in 1 tablespoon of butter, which will smooth the taste and help give the gravy a lovely shine. Pour the gravy into a bowl or gravy boat and pass alongside the roast beef.

Makes six portions.

Christopher Prosperi is chef­owner of Metro Bis restaurant in Simsbury. Bill Daley is a food writer and restaurant reviewer with The Courant.