Cooking Roast Beef & Yorkshires

Buying:

You will want a joint of approx 1kg (or more) if you are feeding 6-8 people be prepared to spend about 7.00-8.00 minimum. You want to look for TOPSIDE, TOP RUMP or SILVERSIDE. NOT Brisket its for slow-cooking (casseroles)

You will also want:

Some kind of cooking oil or fat. As you know, I use White Flora (quite healthy) but if you have Vegetable Oil/Sunflower Oil (but NOT Olive Oil) then this will do. You can also use Lard its cheap but not very healthy. Have you got 2 roasting tins? One for the meat, one for the potatoes. Some people put the potatoes around the meat in one tin but I find the potatoes go soggy. Also, have you got a carving knife? You could probably get away with any sharp knife if you dont want unnecessary expense it just might not carve as well. Patty tins (little cake tins) for your Yorkshire puds.

TO COOK THE MEAT

Get the oven on first and put the roasting tin in with some fat/oil in the tin. Put in a hot oven. Gas Mark 7 (220 c) About 5 mins later take the tin out remember your oven gloves!! and put the beef in. You will need to find out what everyone likes well done/medium or rare. Best idea is to compromise - medium then the outside is well done and the inside is pinker. Its no good doing rare/med rare if people wont eat it too pink because that will be a waste.

I base mine on 20 minutes a pound, plus 20 minutes over for beef that is quite pink. To be on the safe side (especially as I dont know your oven), I would be tempted to do 25 minutes a pound plus 20 minutes over. If you buy beef in a packet, it sometimes gives a suggested cooking time. Eg. A 900 gr (2lb) piece of beef I would cook for approx 1 hr 10 minutes. After 15 minutes at gas 7 (220 c) turn it down to gas 5 (190 c) for the remainder of cooking time. Make a note of when it went in oven and remember to baste the juices over the meat every so often. Half way through, turn the meat over so it gets evenly cooked.

YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS (SEE OVER)

About 6-8 minutes before the beef comes out turn it back up to gas 7 (220c) then put in the patty tins (the ones with 12 sections for cake cases). You will need to put a small amount of fat or teaspoon of oil into each section. Put this in to get REALLY HOT for about 6-8 minutes NO MORE. Then, as you take the beef out, take the patty tin out pour the batter mixture evenly into each section. If it is hot enough it should sizzle as you pour the mixture in. If it doesnt, then next time it will need to be hotter perhaps leave in longer. Get straight back into oven, dont delay. ONCE IN THE OVEN, DO NOT OPEN DOOR. Leave Yorkshires for approx 10-15 mins. Put the beef to one side, on a plate and cover with tin foil. THIS NEEDS TO REST FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES. If you try to carve earlier you will not have such a good flavour and it will be difficult to carve. So in other words, the time the Yorkshire puddings take to cook, is the same amount the beef needs to rest. If you start carving the beef and it doesnt look to your liking ie. Too rare, then simply pop it back into the oven for 5-10

mins. As long as everything else is kept warm it wont harm. If it appears too well done, as long as its been cooked nicely, it should still have a good flavour. Every oven is different and you will get to know your one. Practice makes perfect.

YORKSHIRE PUDDING
This is how I make ours at home: For 12 small Yorkshire puddings: 1 Patty Tin Oil or Fat 1 Egg 50g PLAIN flour 150 ml Milk Sprinkle of Salt Get a medium or large bowl NOT a small measuring jug. Measure out (have you got scales?) 50 g of flour and put into bowl. Add a little bit of salt. Make a hollow in the centre with a wooden spoon and break egg into the hollow. Using a wooden spoon or whisk, gently break up the egg and start to bring in the flour into the egg. Then add SOME of the milk. Continue to whisk or stir this mixture together. Add the rest of the milk. Beat well so there are no lumps.

If you have got a smooth mixture, which has air bubbles floating then you have done it right! Pour into measuring jug (I got you one)

Get this done well in advance and just leave to one side either

in the fridge or on a work surface until its needed later.