We all know the power of a great roast dinner. Having piles of people around the table, fighting terribly politely over the last Yorkshire pudding, is one of the things that makes weekends worthwhile. Don’t forget to cook more beef than you need for some scrumptious sandwiches later.
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
Beef Ingredients
3 x rib of beef on the bone, weighs about 5kg
½ tsp olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper
3 onions, peeled and each sliced into four circles
Roast Potatoes Ingredients
1.3kg potatoes, such as Maris Piper
Oil, goose fat or beef dripping
Yorkshire Pudding Ingredients (Makes 12)
115g strong plain flour, sieved
2 free range eggs, beaten
300ml milk
Pinch of salt
Black pepper
Oil or beef dripping
Method
Roast Beef:
1. Take the meat out of the refrigerator an hour before cooking this will allow it to come to room temperature.
2. Massage the olive oil into the fat of the meat, which will help the seasoning to ‘stay put’. Grind seasoning over the fat. Place the onion slices into the base of a large AGA Roasting Tin and the meat on top of the onion.
3. Slide the roasting tin onto the lowest set of runners in the roasting oven (or oven on R8 setting). Cook the ribs for 12-15 minutes per 500g plus 30 minutes – this size roast should take about 2-2½ hours. The shorter time gives a rarer inside. When cooked remove from the oven, place on a warmed plate, cover with foil and leave for 30 minutes to rest.
4. If you prefer the meat can be moved down to the baking oven (or oven on B4 setting) after cooking for 1½ hours so that roast potatoes, parsnips and Yorkshire Puddings can be cooked in the roasting oven.
5. Make the gravy by adding two tablespoons of flour to the fat and onions in the roasting tin, stir well then add 600ml stock or a mixture of red wine and stock. Whisk together. Pour the liquid into a saucepan and bring to boiling on boiling plate or hotplate on boiling setting, whisking continuously, strain through a sieve and serve separately.
Roast Potatoes:
1. Peel the potatoes and cut into even sized pieces.
2.Parboil in salted water on the boiling plate or boiling setting for 3-5 minutes then drain well. Fluff the potatoes up slightly by shaking them in the saucepan with the lid on.
3. Heat the fat in a roasting tin or baking tray on the flat floor grid of the roasting oven (or oven on R8 setting) until very hot. Add the potatoes and roast, turning occasionally, for about 1-1¼ hours, depending on their size, until they are golden and crisp.
Yorkshire Puddings:
1. Sift the flour into a bowl, make a well in the centre and pour in the eggs and half of the milk, whisk until all are incorporated then whisk in the remaining milk, the batter should resemble the consistency of single cream.
2. Place into a jug and leave to stand until you are ready to use it.
3. Heat a little fat in a 12-hole muffin tin in the centre of the roasting oven (or oven on R8 setting), until very hot.
4. Whisk the Yorkshire pudding batter again then pour it into the hot fat. Return to the roasting oven (or oven on R8 setting) on the third or fourth set of runners down and cook for about 20 minutes or until risen and golden.
Tip: if you prefer these can be made in the morning then reheated for a few minutes in the roasting oven.
Roast Parsnips 8-10 medium size:
1. Peel the parsnips and cut each into 3 even size pieces, cook in hot fat in the roasting oven (or oven on R8 setting), for about 30-40 minutes depending upon the size.
Steamed Carrots 1 kg:
1. Peel the carrots and cut into batons.
2. Place in a saucepan with barely enough water to cover, add 1 tsp salt if desired. Bring to the boil on the boiling plate or hotplate on boiling setting and boil for 3 minutes, drain off the water and transfer to the simmering oven on floor grid for about 20 minutes. Serve with a small knob of butter and garnish with chopped parsley.
Use this method for all steamed root vegetables when the simmering oven is in use.
Green Vegetables 1kg cabbage or broccoli
Bring water, only enough to barely cover the vegetables to the boil on the boiling plate or boiling setting and then place in the green vegetables. Boil quickly for a few minutes until tender.
