The Cook's Book

Menus

Sunday Roast

Serves
6
Dishes
5

Roast beef rested pink, potatoes crisp in dripping, glossy carrots and gravy made in the roasting pan, followed by a fruit crumble. The trick is the oven: the beef cooks low, then rests while the oven goes up for the potatoes and Yorkshire puddings.

Sunday Roast: Roast beef rested pink, potatoes crisp in dripping, glossy carrots and gravy made in the roasting pan, followed by a fruit crumble.

On the menu

  1. Roast Beef with Yorkshire Puddings: A rosy, evenly cooked roast from a low oven, finished with a hot blastMainRoast Beef with Yorkshire PuddingsMake ×0.75

    A 1.5 kg joint roasted low, with Yorkshire puddings.

  2. Roast Potatoes: Glass-crisp outside, fluffy inside — parboiled, roughed up and roasted hotSideRoast PotatoesMake ×1.5

    Use beef dripping if you have it, and one very large pan or two smaller ones.

  3. SideButter-Glazed CarrotsMake ×1.5
  4. SauceGravy

    Made in the beef's roasting pan, with red wine and beef stock, while the meat rests.

  5. Fruit Crumble: Bubbling seasonal fruit under a crunchy oat-and-butter topDessertFruit Crumble

    Apple and blackberry; it bakes while you eat the main course.

To drink

A medium-bodied red such as Côtes du Rhône or Rioja Crianza. Non-alcoholic: sparkling apple juice cut with soda water and a slice of lemon.

The day before

  • Season the beef all over with 15 g fine sea salt and the pepper and leave it uncovered on a rack in the fridge overnight.
  • Make the Yorkshire batter and keep it covered in the fridge (bring it to room temperature before baking).
  • Parboil the potatoes, rough them up, cool and refrigerate uncovered.
  • Make the crumble topping and keep it in the fridge (or use some from the freezer).
  • Peel and cut the carrots; keep them in a bag in the fridge.

Game plan

Counted back from the moment you serve.

  1. 4 h 30 min before serving

    Beef out of the fridge. Yorkshire batter out of the fridge.

  2. 3 h 35 min before serving

    Heat the oven to 120°C (250°F). Toss the fruit for the crumble, scatter over the topping and refrigerate (up to 4 hours).

  3. 3 h 30 min before serving

    Beef in on the halved onions. A 1.5 kg joint takes about 1¾–2¼ hours to reach 50°C (122°F) in the center for medium-rare; start checking at T-120.

  4. 1 h 10 min before serving

    Beef out, loosely covered with foil, to rest (it can wait up to 60 minutes; if it was ready early, it rests longer). Turn the oven up to 230°C (450°F) with the potato fat pan inside.

  5. 58 min before serving

    Potatoes into the shimmering fat; roast 20 minutes without touching. Make the gravy in the beef pan on the stove (about 15 minutes); keep warm.

  6. 38 min before serving

    Turn the potatoes, add the garlic and rosemary and move them to a lower rack for 25–30 minutes more.

  7. 32 min before serving

    Yorkshire pan with dripping onto the top rack to heat for 8 minutes.

  8. 24 min before serving

    Pour in the batter; bake 18–22 minutes without opening the door.

  9. 15 min before serving

    Start the carrots (about 13 minutes). If there is room, return the beef on a tray for the last 8–10 minutes to re-crisp the crust.

  10. 2 min before serving

    Everything out; carve the beef thinly. Turn the oven down to 190°C (375°F), leaving the door open for a minute.

  11. Serve

    Serve the main course with the gravy and horseradish. Put the crumble in, on a baking sheet, for 40–45 minutes.

  12. 45 min after serving

    Crumble out; rest 10 minutes and serve with cream or custard.

Shopping list

Produce

  • 2 onions
  • 1 head garlic (6 cloves)
  • 900 g carrots
  • 2.25 kg floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper, Russet or Yukon Gold)
  • 1 lemon
  • 800 g tart apples (such as Bramley or Granny Smith) and 200 g blackberries
  • 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 bunch rosemary (5 sprigs)

Meat & fish

  • 1.5 kg beef roasting joint (topside, sirloin or rib), tied

Dairy & eggs

  • 3 large eggs
  • 200 g unsalted butter
  • 150 ml whole milk
  • 300 ml pouring cream or custard, for the crumble

Pantry

  • 50 g rolled oats
  • 300 g all-purpose flour
  • cornstarch (2 tbsp)
  • 80 g sugar
  • 100 g light brown sugar
  • baking soda (1 tsp)
  • soy sauce (1 tsp)
  • redcurrant jelly (1 tsp)
  • 200 ml beef dripping, duck or goose fat (or olive oil)
  • 600 ml beef stock (Brown Stock or store-bought)
  • 40 g flaked almonds
  • horseradish sauce or mustard, to serve
  • Pantry check: neutral oil (sunflower or rapeseed), fine sea salt, flaky sea salt, black pepper

Spices

  • ground cinnamon

Drinks

  • 100 ml dry red wine