Roast 28 Day Matured Sirloin Of Beef Recipe

Bring to room temperature

Remove the sirloin from the refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before cooking so it comes close to room temperature. Pat dry with paper towels.

Preheat oven and season

Preheat oven to 220°C (430°F). Rub the beef all over with olive oil, then season evenly with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Press halved garlic cloves and thyme sprigs around the joint; tuck them into any crevices. Place small knobs of butter on top.

Roast

Place the beef on a wire rack in a roasting tin (rack helps air circulate and allows juices to collect for gravy). Roast at 220°C (430°F) for 20 minutes to develop a crust, then reduce oven temperature to 160°C (320°F). Continue roasting for approximately 12–15 minutes per 500 g for medium-rare (for a 2 kg joint this is ~48–60 minutes total after the initial high-heat blast). Use a meat thermometer: target 52–54°C for rare, 57–60°C for medium, 65–70°C for well done.

Rest

Remove the roast from the oven when 3–5°C below your target temperature, transfer to a warm carving board, tent loosely with foil and rest for 20–25 minutes. While resting, the internal temperature will rise and the juices will redistribute.

Parboil

About 40 minutes before serving (so potatoes finish while the beef rests), put the peeled and evenly sized potato chunks into cold salted water, bring to a boil and simmer for 8–10 minutes until the edges are just tender. Drain thoroughly in a colander and shake to roughen the surfaces — this creates crispness.

Heat fat and roast

While potatoes are draining, place the goose fat or dripping in a large roasting tray and put in the oven while it preheats to 220°C (use the high-temp phase for the beef or increase oven temp after). When the fat is smoking hot, carefully add the potatoes, turning to coat. Season with sea salt and black pepper and spread into a single layer. Roast for 40–50 minutes, turning every 10–15 minutes, until deeply golden and crisp.

Make batter

At least 30 minutes before baking, whisk the flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well, add the eggs and whisk until smooth, gradually whisking in the milk to form a thin batter. Rest the batter at room temperature for 30 minutes (this improves rise).

Heat tin and bake

When the roast is nearly finished and the oven is very hot (220°C), add a small amount of oil or dripping (about 1 tsp) into each cup of a muffin tin or a small roasting tray and place in the oven until smoking hot, about 5 minutes. Pour batter evenly into the hot oil-filled cups (fill each about one-third full). Return to the oven and bake at 220°C for 20–25 minutes without opening the oven door, until the puddings have risen, are deep golden and crisp.

Collect pan juices

While the beef rests, tilt the roasting tin and spoon off excess fat into a heatproof container, reserving about 2 tablespoons of fat in the tin. Place the roasting tin on the hob (or pour reserved fat into a saucepan) over medium heat.

Deglaze

Add the red wine (if using) to the hot tin and scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Reduce by half (1–2 minutes).

Make roux or slurry

Sprinkle the flour into the fat in the tin and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes to remove raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the beef stock and the collected roasting juices. Alternatively, mix cornflour with cold water to make a slurry and whisk into the reduced liquid to thicken. Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened.

Finish

Whisk in the butter off the heat to give the gravy shine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain through a fine sieve if a smooth gravy is desired. Keep warm until serving.