There is nothing quite like a good roast beef. This is a classic British dish, the name coming straight from “roast beef,” which is essentially a slow-roasted cut of beef, very commonly cooked on a Sunday. The whole idea is simple but brilliant, you want the outside beautifully seasoned and caramelized, with the inside still gloriously pink and tender. Get that right, and you’ve got something truly special on your hands.
In Portugal, roast beef is traditionally made with tenderloin, while in the United Kingdom sirloin is more common, and in Brazil cuts like eye of round or top round are the popular choice. But honestly, whatever cut you go with, what really matters is that it’s a quality, noble cut of beef so you end up with those tender, juicy slices on the plate. This is, of course, a perfect dish for any celebration, whether you’re hosting a holiday dinner, a birthday feast, or just want to impress on a regular weekend, roast beef always delivers.
This recipe is also a perfect guide to roasting meat in general. The seasoning and the time and temperature in the oven are everything here. Keep in mind that different cuts, different thicknesses of meat, and different ovens will all affect the timing, so you’ll need a little bit of experience and feel to know exactly when to pull the meat out. Think of this recipe as a solid collection of techniques and tips to help you nail a perfect roast beef every time. And don’t forget, roast beef is incredible fresh out of the oven, but it also shines the next day thinly sliced as an elegant appetizer or piled high in a sandwich. It’s truly one of those rare dishes that gets better with every reinvention. Let’s get to the recipe! 🙂
The Ultimate Sunday Roast Beef with Crispy Garlic Potatoes
This a great recipe but also a really nice guide on making a lovely roast beef, perfect for any celebration or if you just wanna eat something more fancy hehehehe ;D
Ingredients
- Beef – 1kg (Sirloin Steak)
- Potatoes – 5 Large
- Garlic – 4 Cloves
- Red Pepper Paste – 1 Tablespoon
- Olive Oil – A Drizzle
- Oregano – A Pinch
- Thyme – A Pinch
- Pepper – A Pinch
- Salt – A Pinch
Directions
- First, wash the potatoes and place them in a small saucepan with water and a pinch of coarse salt, just enough to cook them slightly so they roast perfectly.
- Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper with the pork loin in the center. Preheat the oven to 220ºC (425ºF).
- While the potatoes are cooking, season the beef loin with red pepper paste and crushed garlic cloves, halved in half. Arrange these on top of the meat and let it rest for a bit.
- When the potatoes are almost cooked, you can check by piercing them with a fork, if it goes in easily but offers a little resistance in the center, then it’s time to remove them and drain.
- Now, halve the potatoes and arrange them around the beef loin. Finish by seasoning everything with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of oregano, thyme, pepper, and a generous pinch of coarse salt.
- Roast the pork loin at 220ºC (425ºF) for 25 minutes, then lower the temperature to 190ºC (374ºF) and leave for another 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown and the meat is cooked through. A good trick to check if the meat is done is to insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat; if it registers 62ºC (143ºF), another trick is to “stab” the meat with your finger; if it’s soft, then its raw, if it’s overcooked it will be hard as a rock. When you “stab” it, you want the meat to offer some resistance but still spring back.
- Remove the baking tray from the oven and transfer the meat to a cutting board. Remove the garlic cloves from the top, chop them, and add them to the serving tray. Remove the potatoes as well, and after letting the meat rest for about 3 minutes, slice it thinly.
- And that’s it, ready to serve! Enjoy!
A good rule of thumb for timing: add 15 minutes of roasting time per every 500g of beef. So for a 2 kg piece, that means the initial 25 minutes plus about 60 more minutes to get a nicely pink inside. If you like it more pink, drop it to around 12 minutes per 500g. If you prefer it slightly more cooked through, nudge it up to about 17 minutes per 500g.
If the meat thermometer reads 48°C (118°F), the beef is rare. At 62°C (144°F), it’s a beautiful medium. At 73°C (163°F), it’s well done. This is the most reliable way to know exactly what you’re getting.
Not sure if it’s done? Make a cut in the thickest part of the beef and take a look. If it needs a little more time, simply turn both halves cut-side up and pop them back in the oven. This way you cook the center without squeezing out too much juice from the rest of the meat.
Don’t skip the resting time. Letting the beef sit for 3 minutes before slicing is not optional, it’s what keeps those juices in the meat and not running all over your cutting board.
Feel free to add more vegetables around the beef, like carrots or sweet potato, and don’t be shy about experimenting with different seasonings to make this recipe your own.
Roast beef is fantastic warm and fresh, but the day after, thinly sliced cold roast beef makes an outstanding sandwich, or arrange a few delicate slices on a plate with a little mustard and some greens as a refined appetizer. This is truly one of those dishes that keeps on giving.
Red pepper paste, or massa de pimentão is a staple of Portuguese cooking, it’s a thick, salty, deeply flavored fermented red pepper paste. You can find it at Portuguese or Spanish grocery stores, or online.
This recipe for The Ultimate Sunday Roast Beef with Crispy Garlic Potatoes was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Rosbife com Batatas Assadas foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.
Nutrition
Per Serving: 897 calories; 47 g fat; 53 g carbohydrates; 65.5 g protein.Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how it turned out for you! You can leave a comment below ;D
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