John Rutter, the new Executive Head Chef at Kyloe Restaurant and Grill, gives his top tips for the perfect roast beef.
Cut is key
Everyone has their favourite roast but you can’t beat roast beef. The ideal cut, in my opinion, is a rib of beef as it has a nice amount of fat to keep the meat moist when roasting. If you’re out to impress, choose a rib on the bone- the bone gives the meat even more flavour and looks great for presentation!
Silverside and topside are great budget options making them ideal for a purse-friendly family roast. Make the most of cheaper cuts by slow cooking to help break the meat down, making it tender and succulent.
Don’t underestimate the supporting cast
There is no doubt that the meat is the main event but a top roast is rounded off by its accompaniments and what roast would be complete without the great British staple - Yorkshire puddings! The knack here is in the cooking and the key is heat! A hot oven, hot tray and hot oil keep the batter in tip top condition for baking.
Don’t forget, do not open the oven door until you’re sure they’re done or they will sink!
Roasted to perfection
For royally delicious roast potatoes, I use King Edward’s every time! It is always worth going the extra mile to find them as they are, by far, the best to roast and give you the fluffiest, crispiest potatoes with bags of flavour.
Par boil them in salted water, drain, shake, then add to a roasting tin with (hot, hot) vegetable oil and roast for 45minutes. Turn once or twice along the way until the outside is crisp and golden brown.
Best dressed veggies
Lay to rest the days of soggy over-boiled Brussel sprouts and make sure your vegetables are dressed to impressed. A tasty and simple option is creamed Savoy cabbage; it works with all types of roasts, is perfect for all seasons, and in my house it even goes down a storm with the kids! All you have to do is finely shred the cabbage, sauté in butter and season to taste before adding a good glug of cream. Let it simmer away until it reduces and you’re done- it’s that simple.
Feed the masses
Cooking for a group is always daunting but it needn’t be a stress for the host to bear alone. My top tip is get everyone involved! Cooking food should be as social as eating it and it can be a great ice breaker for dinner parties to help guests integrate. Give everyone a task and a glass of wine and conversation will be flowing in no time. An added bonus is that those with less cooking experience can learn some neat tricks to show off the next time they have a party of their own!
The morning after the night before
Once everyone has devoured as many delicious morsels as they can, the question then is what to do with all of the leftovers. Everyone has their favourite recipes but for me nothing is as tasty and easy as bubble and squeak. You can use everything that you have- potatoes, vegetables, yorkies, stuffing- dice everything up and throw it in a frying pan until the edges start to brown and come to a nice crisp. Top it off with a fried egg and you have the ultimate comfort food to soothe those Monday blues.
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