"The Best Roast Beef"

I suppose I'm cheating, as I already know the outcome of this recipe. Having found it a few months back, I've made it a handful of times and each time the results have been finger lickin' good.

I've also included the recipe and instructions for yorkshire pudding, as roast beef and yorkshire pudding were made for one another.

So, lets get started. First things first, a glass of wine and some cooking music. ;)

 

 I used my crock pot to cook my roast, which was completely thawed. I set it on the lowest setting and cooked it for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. If your roast is frozen, still set your slow cooker on the lowest setting, but let it cook for the suggested time, which is 6-8 hours. Keep an eye on it though, nobody enjoys an overcooked roast. You can also cook it in the oven, the package in which your roast came should have suggested cooking times.

Now that we've got the cooking method figured out, make a thin paste with the ranch, italian and gravy dry packet dressings. Pour the contents into the crockpot and add 1/4 cup water. Mix thoroughly.

Add your roast to the crock pot and spoon the liquid over the roast. Make sure the crockpot is on and at the correct setting, close the lid and forget about it for an hour or so, returning to baste the roast.

(I neglected to add the dry gravy because I didn't have any on hand, oops!) 

You're roast is done and resting, so lets get on with the yorkshire pudding. Turn the oven on to 400 and fill your muffin tray with about 1 - 1 1/2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil in each cup, the point is to ensure the bottom of each cup is covered in oil. 

(When taking the oil out of the oven, please use extreme caution, and ensure you don't have kids or pets near you.)

Put the muffin tray into the pre-heated oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes you should see bubbles in the oil, and there will be some smoke/steam when you open the oven door. That means you're good to go! (Putting the overhead fan on might serve you well, as would opening a window slightly). 

But, while your oil is getting good and hot, whip up your yorkshire pudding mixture. (Recipe below). 

Your oil is hot, and your pudding mixture is thoroughly whipped, so lets fill those cups up. Cups will be filled to about half or 3/4 full.

Keeping your oven set at 400, put the filled muffin tray back into the oven and set the timer for 15 minutes. Check on the puddings before the 15 minutes, if they're puffed and starting to brown, turn the oven down to 350 and reset the timer for 15 minutes.

While your puddings are cooking, peel and chop your potatoes and carrots, or get on with fixing whatever side you want to serve.

Slice your roast and let it sit in the juice while the puddings cook.

By the time you've got your sides well on the way to being cooked, and your roast sliced, your yorkshire pudding should be cooked. Take out the muffin tray, and flip the puddings to drain the oil. Your yorkshire puddings should be fluffy and wonderful. If you ended up with the dough version of hockey pucks, it's okay, we've all been there. The "hockey pucks" will still taste delicious, and the error was that the oil was not hot enough.

(Not my pictures. The top is what your puddings should look like, the bottom is result of the oil not being hot enough)

Whip up your gravy, by pouring the pan drippings into a saucepan. I like thickening it up with flour, by adding 1/4 cup hot water to a cup then 1tbsp flour to the water and stirring until all the clumps are gone. Add the flour/water paste to the pan drippings and stir until it thickens.

Et voila, a Traditional Roast Beef Dinner.

Overall, the roast beef recipe is a huge hit at our house. The gravy made from the pan drippings is the best I've ever had.

Enjoy!
~Alea


"The Best Roast Beef" Recipe

Ingredients
 - 1 Package Dry Italian Dressing
 - 1 Package Dry Ranch Dressing
 - 1 Package Brown Gravy

Directions
   1. Add to 1/4 water and make a thin paste, pour over the roast.
   2. Cook in the crockpot on low for 3 1/2 - 4 hours. Don't forget to baste the roast.


Yorkshire Pudding Recipe

Ingredients
 - 3 Eggs
 - 1 Cup Flour
 - Salt and Pepper To Taste
 - 1 Cup Milk
 - 1/4 Cup Melted Butter
      

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 400 degrees.
2. Put a little dab of oil in each muffin cup of the muffin tray. Put the tray in the oven for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile blend all the ingredients in a blender until well mixed.
4. Take out the muffin tray after 15 minutes and fill each cup 1/2 to 3/4 of the way with the mixture and return to the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
5. Pop out and place in bread basket and serve with gravy on top.

Rating - 20/20

Preparation - 10 - What's easier than throwing together some dry dressings in water and pouring it overtop a roast?

Taste - 10 - Stumbling across this recipe is probably the best thing to ever happen to my taste buds. You will not be disappointed.