Basic Roast Beef and Vegetables

Serves: 6

Preparation Time: 20 Minutes

Cooking Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
6 teaspoon olive oil
1 2kg beef scotch fillet (rib eye) roast
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1.5kg (about 10) sebago (brushed) potatoes, peeled, halved lengthways, patted dry with paper towel
2 bunches Dutch (baby) carrots, trimmed to 1cm, washed, scrubbed, patted dry with paper towel
1 tablespoon plain flour
375ml (1 ½ cups) beef stock
Steamed spinach or green beans, to serve

Method

1. When purchasing beef to roast, look for a fairly even-sized piece. You want a piece that has a little bit of marbling throughout and fat on the top. The marbling will help keep the beef moist and tender during cooking while a thin layer of fat on top will help protect the beef from drying out. There are plenty of beef cuts which are suitable to roast (see right). Preheat oven to 220°C. Heat 2 tsp of the butter and 2 tsp oil in a large shallow flameproof roasting pan over high heat. Cook the roast, turning occasionally, for 5 minutes or until well browned. (If you don't have a flameproof roasting pan, you can use a frying pan to brown the beef and then transfer to a roasting pan.)
2. Remove roasting pan from heat and season beef all over with salt and pepper. (The beef is seasoned after browning because salting may draw the moisture out of the beef, making it tough.) Place the potatoes, 3 tsp of the remaining butter and 1 tsp of the remaining oil in a bowl. Use your hands to rub the butter and oil evenly over the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer around the beef.
3. Cook beef and potatoes in preheated oven, basting beef with the pan juices once during cooking to keep it moist, for 30 minutes.
4. Place remaining oil and butter in another roasting pan. Place in oven for 5 minutes or until butter melts. Add carrots and toss to coat well. Turn potatoes and baste beef. Add carrots to oven and cook, shaking pan occasionally, for 25 minutes until beef is medium or until cooked to your liking.
5. Transfer beef to a carving tray and cover loosely with foil. Set aside for 15 minutes to rest. It is important to rest before serving as it allows juices and heat to redistribute. While beef is resting, transfer potatoes to a tray lined with baking paper. Increase oven temperature to 250°C. Return potatoes to oven and continue to cook while beef is resting. To make gravy, strain pan juices from the roasting pan into a heatproof jug. Return 2 tbs of pan juices to the roasting pan (alternatively, if you don?t have a flameproof roasting pan, transfer to a saucepan) and heat over high heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until mixture bubbles.
6. Gradually add the stock and cook, scraping the pan with a flat-bottomed wooden spoon to dislodge any bits cooked onto the base of the pan. Boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until the gravy reduces and thickens slightly. Strain gravy into a warmed serving jug.
7. Carve the beef across the grain and serve with the gravy, roast potatoes, roast carrots and steamed spinach or beans.

Tips

 Always rest beef after cooking. This gives the meat juices a chance to redistribute, giving a moister and tender result.

 Note: Not all images displayed on this page utilise Cape Grim Beef.