Here's the Beef!

Fire up the grill—or the oven, or the rotisserie—and whip up one of these meaty main courses on June 21. It may turn out to be one of Dad's future favorites.

 

Rotisserie of rib eye beef

Serves: 8
Prep: 20 minutes, plus marinating
Cook: 45 minutes – 1 hour

 

Ingredients

• 3¼ lbs. beef rib eye

For the marinade

• 1 Tb. coarse freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tb. chopped rosemary leaves
• 3 garlic cloves, ground into a smooth paste
• 2 tsp. celery seeds
• 3 Tbs. canola oil
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Sea salt

For the sauce

• 3 Tbs. sour cream or crème fraîche
• 5 Tbs. horseradish sauce
• 1 Tb. heavy cream
• 1 tsp. sugar
• Squeeze of 1 lemon
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Instructions

1. Roll the beef into a neat round shape and tie at intervals with a butcher’s string. For the marinade, mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Rub into the meat, covering the whole roast, and leave to marinate for 1–2 hours. Set the rotisserie at its medium setting. (If you do not have a rotisserie, you can cook this dish on a barbecue grill.)
2. Thread the beef onto the rotisserie skewer and place on the rotisserie. Season and cook for about 1 hour for a rare piece of beef. Reduce the heat if the meat browns too quickly. Leave to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.
3. For the sauce, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and season well. Cut the beef into thin slices and serve along with the sauce.

 

 

Maple and mustard crusted rib of beef

Serves: 4–6
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 2 hours, plus resting

 

Ingredients

• 2-rib fore rib of beef, about 4½ lbs.
• 3 Tbs. canola oil, plus extra for greasing
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup fine bread crumbs
• 1 Tb. finely chopped rosemary
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Small bunch of thyme leaves, finely chopped
• 3 large carrots, roughly chopped into small rounds
• 1 lb. 2 oz. shallots
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1¾ cups red wine
• 2 Tbs. maple syrup
• 3 Tbs. Dijon mustard, plus 1 tsp. extra
• ½ cup port wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 4 tsp. cornstarch, mixed with a little warm water
• 2 tsp. red currant jelly

 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Rub the beef with 2 tablespoons of oil and season well. Fry the beef in a large frying pan until just brown all over. Remove from the heat.
2. Place the bread crumbs, rosemary, parsley and half the thyme in a large bowl. Season, mix well and press the mixture over the fat on the beef until evenly coated.
3. Place the carrots, shallots, celery, garlic and remaining thyme and oil in a large roasting pan and mix well. Place the beef on top of the vegetables and cover with an oiled sheet of foil. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
4. Then remove the pan from the oven and add half the red wine and a splash of water. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and roast for an additional 40 minutes, adding more water if necessary.
5. Meanwhile, mix the maple syrup and mustard in a small bowl. Remove the pan from the oven and take off the foil. Coat the crust with the maple and mustard mixture and press down lightly.
6. Return the pan to the oven for an additional 30 minutes, until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 140°F. Remove from the oven. Place the beef on a serving dish and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
7. Remove and discard any excess fat from the pan. Add the port wine, stock and remaining red wine. Place the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Then strain and discard the vegetables. Reduce the heat, add the cornstarch mixture and cook the sauce until thickened. Then add the jelly and remaining mustard, season and serve with the beef.

 

 

Dry-rubbed steak with chimichurri sauce

Serves: 4
Prep: 15 minutes, plus chilling
Cook: 8 – 20 minutes, plus resting

Ingredients

• Tb. light brown sugar
• 1 Tb. chopped thyme leaves
• ½ tsp. mustard powder
• ¼ tsp. garlic salt
• ¼ tsp. smoked paprika or ancho chile powder
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 beef skirt, about 1½ lbs.

For the chimichurri sauce

• Tbs. olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• 1½ Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 1 Tb. lemon juice
• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbs. cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 Tb. oregano leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp. dried red chile flakes

 

Instructions

1. Place the sugar, thyme, mustard, garlic salt and smoked paprika in a food processor. Season with pepper and grind to form a fine powder. Place the steak on a large piece of plastic wrap and rub the mixture all over. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
2. For the sauce, place all the ingredients in a large serving bowl and mix well to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop.
3. Remove the steak and the sauce from the fridge and bring to room temperature. Set the barbecue at its highest setting. Brush the steak with a little oil and grill on both sides until cooked to your liking—4–6 minutes on each side for rare, 6–8 minutes on each side for medium, and 8–10 minutes on each side for well-done.
4. Remove the steak from the heat, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Cut the steak into thick slices and serve with the chimichurri sauce.

 

Photographs and text reproduced by permission of DK, a division of Penguin Random House, from The Meat Cookbook by Nichola Fletcher. ©2014 by DK. All rights reserved.