Curry Recipes Online
Curry Chat => Talk About Anything Other Than Curry => Topic started by: George on May 30, 2010, 11:00 PM
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Does anyone here like roast beef? More specifically, do you know a way to cook a small joint, to get it to taste half decent? i know you really need a fair-sized boned joint but, when cooking for one or two people, it's too much.
I cooked the following joint at gas Mk6 (no cover, foil or anything) as suggested on the pack. All I did was smear some sunflower oil all over, and sprinkle on some salt and pepper. It came out OK but can you suggest a better way to cook such a small joint?
(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/fd5e73f10888a14b77b234326e61bab3.jpg)
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George,
2.49? bargin ;D
For me, and this is only my opinion, gas mk 6 is too high.
What I do, I put a large frying pan on the hob, full heat until it's smoking. I then, smear the joint with olive oil, give it a good grind of sea salt, a good grind of black pepper, and sprinkle half a beef oxo cube all over it.
I then sear it in the frying pan, all over until it is well sealed.
I then transfer it to the oven, preheated at gas mk 4 and cook for 30 mins per 0.5kg and 20 mins over. Take out of the oven and let it rest for at least 15 mins.
This method never fails me. It gives me a medium cooked, juicy joint, packed with flavour.
Hope this helps :)
Ray :)
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Cooking it at the temperature it states seems on but i would seal it before hand it helps keep the moister in and don't forget to let it rest so the meat relaxes.
happy eating ;D
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It all depends on the meat and how good it really is. If the grain separates when raw, then it only needs a small amount of cooking. If not you need to slow roast it.
There are several ways to cook it, but I would go for a slow roast for cheaper meats. Take some flour and add salt and pepper and a good spoonful of mustard powder. Coat the meat well in the flour mix and add to your oven for its slow roast.
If you have a better grain that seperates well, then you can either use a hotter oven or even a griddle pan. If you use the griddle pan, keep the joint moving constantly. This is an Ainsley Harriot tip. I always buy a rib even though it pains my wallet. Sometimes there simply is no alternative.
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Thanks everyone for the tips so far. I look forward to trying another one of these mini joints soon, with some of your ideas. I just rechecked the cooking time recommended on the label. Mk6 seemed high to me but that's definitely what it says, with no pre-fry in a pan, or anything. So I did what they said as my first attempt, as some kind of reference point. They say 200C/Gas Mk6 medium (i.e. between rare and well done) 25 mins per 500g + 25 mins more. I did that and it certainly came out looking right - the centre was still slightly pinkish in the middle, getting darker towards the edge. Does anyone use a covered dish, slow cooker or anything for a joint that small?
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Hi George,
I have a fan assisted oven at home, so I always have to reduce the cooking temps to suit. If not, everything does get over cooked.
As for the pre frying, it's very rare to see this called for on the cooking instructions but it's a good tip, as it certainly keeps the meet moist. If there is plenty of marbelling present in the joint, then theres not as much need to sear/seal the joint but out of habit, I still do it :)
Ray :)
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George,
no real expertise on this. i always cover any joint with foil (Delia tip) and uncover for the last 20 mins to brown. for beef cook at 190C.
my wife has a deep glass covered dish for roasting which she does chicken (180C )& brazing steak (140C). she part coveres with water - works pretty good given the low effort. i think it stands a chance of working for a beef joint.
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Slightly pinkish in the middle sounds okay to me, though I do prefer my beef rare or medium rare. One of the most important parts of roasting a joint is resting it. Pop the joint on a plate and loosely cover with foil and rest in a warm place for at least 15mins. This allows the meat to relax and loosen up and by doing so, it draws in the juices and and becomes much more tender.
I always do pork rolled in foil after removing the crackling and then slow roast. It always turns out perfectly moist and tender. I don't if this will work for beef btu certainly pot roasting is another effective method.
You could also cut the joint into steaks and braise or grill them. Even dicing and casseroling. I usually buy a large gammon joint to roast cutting a couple of steaks from it first.
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I was just about to post a rebuttal of the 'searing' and 'time per kg' myths of cooking meat but figured that no one would believe me, so I'll let Heston do it for me!
http://www.yourdiscovery.com/science/kitchen_chemistry/kitchen_myths/index.shtml (http://www.yourdiscovery.com/science/kitchen_chemistry/kitchen_myths/index.shtml)
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I remember watching those BBC2 Open Uni Chemistry in Food programmes a few years ago. They went into some detail about the Maillard Reaction, it was really interesting.
Made me very hungry too as they demonstrated it with a beautiful piece of rib. Needless to say we had beef that weekend.
I prefer to think of it as 'Sealing in the Flavour' ;)
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Good old Heston, adding the science to cooking. ;)
Far be-it from me to disagree with the culinary alchemist, but to take issue with his cooking time:
Yes, if you cut a joint in half, the radius will remain the same and yes, the length of time it will take for the heat to penetrate the meat along the length will remain unchanged, however, the distance between the two ends of meat will be shorter, and because the heat attacks from ALL sides, then surely, the cooking time would be reduced somewhat?
Putting meat in a hot frying pan seals in the juices.
Maybe this is nonsense as Heston suggests, however because I like my meat medium, but having the appearance of well done, this method works for me. If I was to just bang the joint in the oven, and cook it to medium, the outside of the joint wouldn't be cooked the way I like it. Plus, no matter what anybody say's, searing meat does add flavour, and that's what it's all about in my opinion!
Heston is a legend by the way, but he does over complicate things a bit.
Ray ;)
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Ray you'd like the griddle/BBQ method then. Got it from Ainsley Harriot, he had a rib of beef and simply popped it over a BBQ. The principal is to keep the meat moving to stop it from sticking to the grill. The advantage is you get that really cooked outside but gorgeous and not over cooked inside. I do this bone on and get rare at the centre which I like. If you like it medium, I would suggest cutting the bone out. But don't waste it, cook it alongside as cooks treat. ;)
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Plus, no matter what anybody say's, searing meat does add flavour, and that's what it's all about in my opinion!
That's precisely the point Ray, it adds flavour, it doesn't seal in the juices!
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I use Axe's seasoned flour with powdered mustard rub, a quick seal and whack it in the oven preheated to the highest temp for 20 minutes then turn the gas down to mark 5 and cook for 20 minutes per pound. The longer you can leave it to stand the better. I usually allow mine to stand for 40 minutes-1 hour whilst I do the taters and yorkies. I also add thick sliced onion and if the meat is not on the bone, I buy some beef ribs to stand the meat on whilst roasting for the gravy and for the flavour it adds to the meat itself...oh and a few sprigs of rosemary too. LUSH!
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Great thread people. I too sear it but cook it low and slow for hours. A Hunter here cooked the most fabulous beef I've ever tasted. It was more like Jerky than beef really but I don't mind I like my meat dead in any case ;D
Nothing like a bit of carbon and gravy, at least for me ::)
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can you suggest a better way to cook such a small joint?
Yes, chop it into small cubes, precook it according to some of the recipes on the forum, and turn it into a beef curry using some of the curry recipes on the forum! ;)
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Yes, chop it into small cubes, precook it according to some of the recipes on the forum, and turn it into a beef curry using some of the curry recipes on the forum! ;)
That's something completely different. I'm not saying it's bad but it's different. If you went to a restaurant for Sunday lunch and ordererd roast beef, you wouldn't be very pleased if they delivered beef curry.
I agree about the myth of 'sealing' a joint but I'm sure it adds flavour so I'll try that, together with various surface coatings like mustard. Doesn't anyone use a completely different cooking method like microwave, pressure cooker, slow cooker, wrapping in foil, or placing in a covered dish with a little water?
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That's something completely different.
But this is a CURRY FORUM George! Roast beef and Yorshire pudding are something "completely different"! :-\
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If you went to a restaurant for Sunday lunch and ordererd roast beef, you wouldn't be very pleased if they delivered beef curry.
You're obviously on the wrong forum then George! :-\
Or I am...... :-\
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Hi George,
My dear old mother used to always add water to the roasting tin.
I'm not quite sure why, or what it added, but she was to cooking, what Saddam Hussein was to world piece, god bless her :(
Another suggestion George, fry off the beef on high heat in a frying pan, by all means, then apply a rub. Wrap in tin foil, and cook on a low heat for as long as it takes to reach your preferred tenderness.
Ray :)
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You're obviously on the wrong forum then George! :-\
Or I am...... :-\
Now you're getting the idea! ;D
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Now you're getting the idea! ;D
::) No doubt you think the forum is all about roast beef and Yorkshire pudding then SS? ::)
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That's something completely different.
But this is a CURRY FORUM George! Roast beef and Yorshire pudding are something "completely different"! :-\
CA - I'm more and more convinced Domi was correct and you really are in a world of your own. I posted this topic in the section of the forum specifically intended for non-curry topics. I did nothing wrong and yet you've come in here to stir up trouble in yet another thread.
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I posted this topic in the section of the forum specifically intended for non-curry topics
George, go to another site focused on cooking beef! :-\
Your post (and most of your recent posts) has nothing whatsoever to do with BIR curries! So what and earth is this forum about! Cooking BEEF ROAST! (or pizza, or doughnuts, etc)? :-\
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Yes, chop it into small cubes, precook it according to some of the recipes on the forum, and turn it into a beef curry using some of the curry recipes on the forum! ;)
That's something completely different. I'm not saying it's bad but it's different. If you went to a restaurant for Sunday lunch and ordererd roast beef, you wouldn't be very pleased if they delivered beef curry.
I agree about the myth of 'sealing' a joint but I'm sure it adds flavour so I'll try that, together with various surface coatings like mustard. Doesn't anyone use a completely different cooking method like microwave, pressure cooker, slow cooker, wrapping in foil, or placing in a covered dish with a little water?
Hi George ;)
Different joints require different cooking methods...as Razor posted, my mother-in-law always roasts her beef with water in the roasting tin but I think that's more to do with the joints she uses (or her way of making gravy lol) but again, she's far from a Delia Smith ;D I wouldn't cook a rib of beef in the same way that I'd cook brisket or vice versa. :) I wouldn't use a microwave for cooking beef at all....I like it nice and pink in the middle which I don't think you could achieve in a microwave but having said that, I've never tried it, someone else may think differently.
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I would have thought the microwave would give undesirable results in particular, tough meat.
Again I go back to the grain of the meat, if it looks tight it will require long cooking, if it is loose, it will take a higher heat and shorter cook whilst remaining tender.
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George, go to another site focused on cooking beef! :-\
Your post (and most of your recent posts) has nothing whatsoever to do with BIR curries! So what and earth is this forum about! Cooking BEEF ROAST! (or pizza, or doughnuts,
For what it's worth, especially if Stew (Admin) is reading this, I'm now firmly of the view that you should be struck off as a member (together with your other presumed IDs) following your recent forced resignation or dismissal (I'm not sure which) as a moderator. You are nothing but a common trouble maker. This thread is in exactly the right place. If it wasn't for threads like these, then the forum might be even quieter. It's not replacing any discussions about BIR curries but is in addition. The forum is correctly focussed primarily on BIR cooking and this thread doesn't change that, even if you're not personally interested in a discussion about roast beef.