For success with a less expensive cut of beef, salt and pepper it 24 hours before cooking to help tenderize it, then cook it at a low heat (see instructions below). Low heat allows the meat's enzymes to break down its tough connective tissue, tenderizing the meat. You can choose a tender cut of meat (prime rib; fillet; whole strip), but for those of us watching the purse strings, less expensive cuts are:
- sirloin (aka center cut, butt, or baron of beef)
- round (top round, bottom round, or eye of the round)
Yield: 4 to 6 plus leftovers
Ingredients:
- 1 5 1/2-6 pound boneless beef roast (sirloin, or top, bottom or eye of the round)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil
Preparation:
Depending on the shape of your roast, to ensure even cooking you may want to tie the roast with kitchen string to make it a consistent thickness; otherwise any thin, flat ends will become overcooked. Pat meat dry with paper towels.
Combine the salt and pepper and pat over all surfaces of paper towel-dried meat. For best results, do this 24 hours before cooking, cover meat and refrigerate. Remove meat 1-2 hours before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Place the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brown meat for about 8 minutes--2 minutes on each of its four sides.
Place meat on a wire rack in a shallow roasting pan, fat side up. Roast the meat for 45 minutes per pound for a medium roast.
Check the internal temperature by inserting an instant-read meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat. Check the temperature every few minutes until meat reaches the desired degree of doneness: 120-125 degrees for rare; 130-135 degrees for medium-rare; 135-140 degrees for medium; 140-150 degrees for medium-well. Cover with foil and allow to set for about 20 minutes. The meat temperature will rise 5-10 degrees while it is resting. (The USDA recommends a minimum safe internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit for a beef roast.)
For night 1; Thinly slice one-third of the roast, against the grain and on the diagonal.
For night 2 and night 3: Cool, cover and refrigerate the remaining roast.
More Recipes in The "Thrice is Nice" Menu:
Thrice is Nice: Three Meals from One
Noodles with Creamy Creole Mustard Sauce
Swiss Chard with Vinegar and Butter
Swiss Chard and Caramelized Onions
Beef Stew on Watercress-Garlic Noodles