Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding, roast potatoes, veg and good gravy, the ultimate Sunday Roast! Cooking a roast can be tricky getting the timings right, so here you'll find timings for everything, right down to when to make the gravy. Remove the joint from the fridge about one hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature, otherwise it may take longer to cook.
900gpotatoesDesiree, Kind Edward or Maris Piper, organic
750gcabbagecut into 1cm ribbons, organic
4carrotsdiced, organic
Yorkshire pudding batter
120gplain flourorganic
3eggslarge, free range, organic
350mlmilkorganic
10tablespoonsunflower oilorganic, so puddings don't stick to the tray
Gravy
7gplain flourorganic 7g = 1 tbsp
350mlred wineoptional, organic, fairtrade or low alcohol cooking wine
200mlbeef stockorganic
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/360°F/ gas mark 6. Rub olive oil and salt and pepper over the joint then place on top of the onion halves in a roasting tray. Check the timings of your joint according to its weight (see notes below) and place in the oven.
Peel the potatoes and cut to about egg size. Par-boil in gently salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes. Drain through a colander and leave to cool. Give the colander a shake to roughen the edges. This helps the fat to stick and makes them more crispy. Add 4 tablespoons of sunflower oil to a roasting tray and put into the oven to heat up ready for the potatoes.
To make the yorkshire pudding batter, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and break the eggs into it. Beat the eggs, gradually mixing in the flour and the milk, whisking it together all the time. Leave the batter to rest for at least 15 minutes.
45 minutes before eating
Add the potatoes to the roasting tray and carefully turn them in the hot fat, making sure they are well covered. Pour 1cm of sunflower oil into a muffin tray for the yorkshire puddings and place the tin in the oven to heat up.
30 minutes before eating
Turn the heat up to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7. Remove the meat from the oven, check it is cooked to your liking. Cover it with several layers of foil and leave it to rest. Turn the potatoes over
Fill one third of each section of the yorkshire pudding tin with the batter and quickly put the tin back in the oven on the middle shelf making sure there is enough room for the yorkshire puddings to puff up. Leave for 20 - 25 minutes until brown and puffed up. Remember, do not open the oven door during this time!
10 minutes before eating
Put the cabbage on to steam for about 5-6 minutes, then remove to a warm dish. You may need to do this in batches, depending on the quantity. Place the carrots in a pan of water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes until tender.
To make the gravy, get the hot stock ready. Put the joint onto a carving dish. Place the tray over a low heat and when the juices begin to sizzle, add the plain flour and whisk quickly. When you have a paste, begin to add the stock a little at a time and keep whisking. Turn up the heat to medium and add the wine (if using). If the gravy is too thick, add a little more liquid, if it is too thin, let it bubble and reduce. Drain it through a sieve and pour into a warm jug.
Ready to eat
Carve the meat, remove the potatoes and yorkshire puddings from the oven and serve with all the vegetables and gravy.