Roast Beef With Thyme, Garlic And Red Wine

Preparing a roast should not be complicated nor very time consuming, unless you want it to be. I thoroughly enjoy devouring a tender roast; however, since it requires quite a bit of cooking time, I prefer the preparation to be straightforward and simple. That being said, you cannot fall short when it comes to purchasing the meat. Try to find a good quality butcher or local farmer that will sell you a roasts from grass-fed and free-range animals. It’s both more delicious as well as better for you and the environment and if you shop around you might find that it’s not that much more expensive than a roast from a factory farmed animal. For this recipe, the butcher I frequent provided me with a great piece of top sirloin and leaved a generous amount of fat on it. Avoid trimming any of this fat off as the fat is one of the main sources of flavor and is a healthy source of energy.

A good rule of thumb for beef roasts of all kind is to cook them at 350 F for a total of 20 minutes per pound plus 20 minutes for a a medium-well roast with the first 15 minutes at 425 F to create a golden exterior. In the following recipe though, we sear the meat in a pan on all sides before placing it in the oven, allowing us to cook it at the same temperature, 350 F, for the whole cooking process. This provides a great deal of flavor and texture on the surface of the meat. For more details about the right cooking temperatures and times, you’ll find easy cooking reference charts in the cookbook.

The flavors of the beef blend with great fashion with those of the thyme, garlic and red wine. All the ingredients used in the recipe have their own distinct and strong flavors so nothing ends up overpowering the dish. As additional cooking fat to sear and roast the meat, clarified butter or rendered beef tallow are absolutely delicious.

Serve this roast with a simple salad on the side to contrast with the bold flavors of the beef, garlic, thyme and red wine. Homemade pesto or horseradish are two condiments pair really well with the meat and they give an extra touch to the final dish.

Roast beef with thyme, garlic and red wine recipe

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

• 1 4lbs top sirloin roast;
• ½ cup clarified butter or beef tallow;
• 3 tbsp homemade Worcestershire sauce, optional;
• 3 cloves garlic, minced;
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme;
• ¾ cup red wine;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
2. In a large skillet over high heat, melt 1 tbsp of the cooking fat. Sear the roast on all sides for just a few moments, or until the sides are a beautiful golden brown.
3. Place the roast in a large roasting dish, along with the cooking fat used to sear it. Scatter generous knobs of the cooking fat on top of the roast, followed by the Worcestershire sauce, if using, and red wine. Sprinkle the garlic over the meat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the thyme sprigs.
4. Allow to cook for 50-60 minutes, or until the meat is cooked, but still slightly pink in the middle. You can baste the meat with the cooking juices from time to time during the cooking process to ensure that the meat stays really moist.
5. Remove the roast from the oven and set aside for about 10 minutes before serving, allowing the meat to relax before carving it.
6. Remove the thyme springs from the pan and use the rendered liquid in the pan as a sauce for the roast.