Sunday Roast Beef with Yorkshire Puddings & Gravy

• 1.6 kgboneless beef sirloin roasting joint
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1½ tspsea salt
• 1 tspfreshly ground black pepper
• 3sprigs fresh thyme (optional) (optional)
• 140 gplain flour, sifted
• 4large eggs, beaten
• 200 mlcold milk
• 6 tbspsunflower oil, divided: 4 tbsp for the Yorkshire tin and 2 tbsp for the potatoes
• 500 mlhot beef stock
• 100 mlred wine (optional) (optional)
• 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
• 800 gMaris Piper potatoes (for roast potatoes)
• 1 tbspplain flour, for the gravy

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. Pat the beef thoroughly dry. Rub all over with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper; the joint is big, so be braver with the salt than feels comfortable. Tuck the thyme sprigs underneath if using.
2. 2Roast the beef for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 160°C/140°C fan and roast for about 50–60 minutes more for medium-rare, or longer to your liking. Timing depends on the shape of the joint. Lift onto a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for about 40 minutes while the potatoes finish and the Yorkshire puddings bake. Turn the oven up to 220°C/200°C fan.
3. 3During the final 30 minutes of the beef roasting, parboil the potatoes for 8 minutes until the edges soften. Drain, steam-dry, then shake in the pan to rough up the edges. Toss with 2 tbsp sunflower oil and spread on a separate roasting tray. Roast alongside the beef for its final 20 minutes, then continue for about 40 minutes at 220°C/200°C fan while the beef rests. Turn before the Yorkshire puddings go in.
4. 4While the beef roasts, whisk the 140 g flour, eggs, milk and a pinch of salt into a smooth batter and rest for 20–30 minutes. Once the beef is resting and the oven is hot, put 1 tsp sunflower oil into each hole of a 12-hole Yorkshire or muffin tin and heat for 10 minutes.
5. 5Pour the batter into the hot tin and bake at 220°C/200°C fan for 20–25 minutes until tall, golden and set in the centres. Keep the oven door closed while they rise. The potatoes finish on the other shelf.
6. 6While the Yorkshire puddings bake, make the gravy: pour off the excess fat from the beef roasting tin, leaving the dark sticky juices and browned bits behind. Place the tin over a medium heat, stir in the tablespoon of flour reserved for gravy and cook for a full minute until it smells nutty rather than raw. Deglaze with the red wine, if using, scraping up every browned bit from the base with a wooden spoon, then whisk in the hot beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until glossy and slightly thickened. Taste; then strain into a warm jug if you like it smooth.
7. 7Carve the rested beef thinly against the grain; it should be rosy pink inside with juices that smell richly roasted. Plate the slices of beef, sit two Yorkshire puddings alongside straight from the tin, pile the roast potatoes high, and bring the jug of hot gravy to the table to pour over the lot.

Per serving

kcal

865

protein

78.8g

fibre

3.7g

carbs

45.6g

fat

40g