Bacon Wrapped Roast Beef With Sweet Potato Mash

I used to find the process of roasting meat very intimidating. Why? Because I always feared overcooking it, and when I did, it was very dry and difficult to eat. However, I have since come up with a recipe that keeps the roast very moist, and best of all, it is super simple. There is very little preparation involved, and you will most likely have all the ingredients handy.

You’ll want to make sure you visit your butcher for a good cut of fresh grass-fed beef roast. No recipe will taste its best otherwise. Any roast will do, but I find the top sirloin to be perfect because it’s tasty and not too pricey. Also, be sure to let the roast temper to room temperature, as, like in cooking the perfect steak, the cut of meat will cook more evenly and will be more tender in the end. I really found that the following combination of flavors worked well together. All the ingredients have strong flavors; however, once combined, they do not in anyway overpower one another. The mustard and horseradish work well together to give a great savory taste to the roast. The fat from the bacon strips, the wine and the stock keep the roast tastefully moist. To top it all off, the bacon adds just the right amount of a salty flavor, so much so that I would avoid adding any salt to the dish. You’re also going to be left with a good amount of the wine and stock, along with juices from the roast in the bottom of the dish. Use it as a simple sauce for the roast and sweet potato mash and save the rest as a marinade for meat you cook at a later date. I used it with pork chops last night and it was amazing.

Once I got the roast in the oven, I began work on a side dish. The two recipes go so great together that I had to share them both with you at the same time. The mashed sweet potatoes were also very easy to prepare, and again, they do not require ingredients that you probably don’t already have, which I find to always be a plus. When eaten alone, sweet potatoes are truly quite sweet. However, the green onions certainly add a bite, and the pecans give a great nutty taste and a nice crunchy texture profile.

In the end, I think the reason as to why these dishes complement each other so well is because the strong flavors from the roast are subdued by the sweetness of the sweet potato mash. Of course, the sweet potatoes will also act as a great side for many other dishes.

Bacon wrapped roast beef with mustard and horseradish

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 lb top sirloin roast beef;
• 6 slices bacon;
• ¼ cup softened butter, clarified butter or other cooking fat;
• 3 cloves garlic, minced;
• 1 tbsp of Dijon or homemade mustard;
• 1 tbsp good quality or homemade horseradish;
• 3/4 cup red wine;
• 1 3/4 cups homemade beef stock;

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F.
2. In a small bowl, combine the butter or other cooking fat, garlic, mustard and horseradish. Mix until smooth.
3. Rub the roast all over with the mixture.
4. Lay the bacon pieces out flat so that they are slightly overlapping. Then place the roast on top of the bacon and wrap the pieces around the roast. If needed, use toothpicks to hold the bacon in place.
5. Place the roast in a roasting dish and cook at 400 F for 20 minutes.
6. Once the roast has been in for 20 minutes, add the wine and stock to the roasting dish. At the same time, adjust the heat to 350 F.
7. Roast for about 70 minutes, depending on how well-done you like your meat. 20 minutes per pound is a good rule of thumb for a medium rare to medium well roast. There is a good reference chart included in the cookbook to know the exact roasting times of the different cuts of meat.

Sweet Potatoes mash with pecans

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs of peeled sweet potatoes;
• ½ cup soften butter, clarified butter or other paleo fat;
• 2 green onions, chopped;
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon;
• ¼ cup toasted pecans;

Preparation

1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook potatoes until soft enough to mash.
2. Strain the potatoes and return them to pot. Add the butter and mash until all butter is melted and potatoes are smooth.
3. Add onions and cinnamon and mix thoroughly to ensure the cinnamon is dispersed evenly.
4. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast pecans. Once finished, add to the potatoes.

Do enjoy, as I sure did!