A Roast to Remember

Christmas Roast - A Sirloin Tip Roast

On Christmas Eve, Rachel & I were back in Wisconsin in my hometown of Sussex staying with my parents for the holidays.  This December, there has been plenty of snow in the Midwest, so it definitely looked like (and felt like) winter outside.

My mom and I were thinking about what to cook for dinner for the four of us, and she found a boneless sirloin tip roast in the chest freezer, weighing about 3 1/2 pounds.  When you're only two people in a household, it's hard to find an occasion or the appetite to cook up such a large cut of meat.  And with the chilly weather and the holiday, a deliciously cooked roast sounded perfect!

The roast itself was from Kummrow Farms, a beautiful small farm near Oconomowoc, Wisconsin (the town's name was derived from coo-no-mo-wauk, the Potawatomi term for "waterfall").  Kummrow Farms feeds their cattle (and bison) almost entirely on grass and hay, and does not use hormones nor antibiotics.

Roast from Kummrow Farms

Back to the cooking.  Normally, I would bake the roast in one piece until its center is a beautiful juicy, deep red color.  However, my parents prefer their beef medium to medium-well.  To tailor dinner to all four of us, I cut the roast in half.  The first half (for my parents) went in the oven about 20 minutes before I added the second half. 

The seasoning for the roast was simple.  I used a combination of salt, fresh ground black pepper, and Penzey's Italian Herbs (rosemary, oregano, and thyme).  The spice mixture was rubbed onto all sides of the roast pieces.  Then I let the roast sit out on the counter, allowing it to warm to room temperature (about 25-30 minutes).

Once the meat was prepped, I added my potatoes, onions, and celery to the roasting pan.  Since the roast was quite lean (almost all the excess fat had been trimmed off), I added some rendered pork fat to the vegetables to ensure there was enough fat in the roasting pan to keep the beef from drying out and to give it that extra boost of flavor.  I placed the pan in the oven while the roast sat on the counter because I wanted to make sure that the potatoes would be cooked through by the time the roast was done baking.

Before adding the roast to the pan, I always brown/sear it.  I feel it seals the juices inside the roast, and ensures a juicier end product.  But you can skip this step if you're pressed for time.

For side dishes, I cooked up some delicious cinnamon-honey glazed carrots, using the recipe from Food & Wine (carrot recipe link).  I also baked my buttermilk biscuit recipe, which I posted last month (biscuit recipe link). 

For wine, we chose a 2007 La Linda Malbec and a 2003 Proemio Cabernet Sauvignon, both from Mendoza, Argentina.  These are big, full-bodied red wines with plenty of spice, acidity, and tannins to handle the pepper and herb flavored roast.  Other great options would be a full-bodied Syrah or Merlot.  If we had a nice red Bordeaux on-hand, it would have been another good option.




The British Empire


I looked briefly at the history of the roast.  While I'm sure humans have been roasting cuts of bison, pigs, cows, and woolly mammoths for millennia, the modern 'roast' seems to be a British invention.  I read somewhere that roasts were a common Sunday meal because the bakery ovens, which were used for baking bread throughout the week, were available on Sundays because the bakeries were closed.  It is interesting to look at a map of British influence and where roasts are most commonly served.  Today, the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the US, and Canada, which were all at one time under the control and/or influence of the British, are places you'll likely find roasts on the family menu.



Merry Christmas everyone!  Enjoy the holiday season and the time spent with friends & family.

Sirloin Tip Roast Recipe

Ingredients:

One 3 to 4-lb sirloin tip roast (or similar beef roast)

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2 to 3 lbs. potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 stalks celery, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

3 cups beef stock (you can substitute chicken or mushroom stock)

1/2 cup red wine

2 T. olive oil or rendered meat fat

Dried herb mixture (combination of rosemary, oregano, and thyme)

Dash of cayenne

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F

2. Prep roast by rubbing salt, pepper, and herb mixture all over the outside

3. Leave roast on counter at room temperature for 25-30 minutes

4. Place vegetables in a large roasting pan, add salt, pepper, herb mixture, cayenne, and oil/fat.  Stir and place in the oven.

5. Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes.

6. Add about 1 cup of stock to the pan (make sure there's always enough stock to fill the pan about 1/2" to 1" high)

7. Turn the oven down to 275° F8. Brown all sides of the roast in a large skillet, then add to the roasting pan.
8. Cover and bake for about 45-60 minutes.  It might need more time if it's a larger roast or if you prefer medium or medium well beef.  Use a meat thermometer, placing in the thickest part of the roast.  145° F for medium-rare, 160° F for medium, 170° F for well-done.

Choucroute a l'Alsacienne (Alsatian Sauerkraut)

Rodern, Haut-Rhin, Alsace, France

Alsace is the smallest region of mainland France, slightly larger than the US state of Delaware.  Yet it has nearly two million people living there.  This is the same density as Maryland (5^th most dense state in the US).  Strasbourg and Mulhouse are the two primary cities in the region.

While the French control Alsace today, it has had a tumultuous history.  Situated along the Rhine river, the region is nestled in between Germany and France, as well as Switzerland.  Due to its geographic location, Alsace has traded hands many times.  In ancient times, the Celts, Gauls, and Romans all fought to control it.  By the Middle Ages, it was the Franks, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Kingdom of France.  And most recently, the French and Germans fought over Alsace in both World War I and World War II.

Today, this history is apparent in many aspects of the culture.  Perhaps it’s most palpable in the food of Alsace.  A blend of German and French influences come together to create many of the region’s most traditional dishes.  One of these I came across is called choucroute a l'Alsacienne, meaning Alsatian sauerkraut.

Choucroute a l'Alsacienne, served with boiled red potatoes & pumpernickel-rye bread

Similar to a hearty American stew or a rich Italian pasta dish, choucroute a l'Alsacienne is a great dish for colder weather.  The lovely combination of smoked pork (ham, sausage, bacon, etc.), diced onions & apples, and of course, the sauerkraut/choucroute, will surely fill you up nicely on a cold autumn or winter night.  After reading a slew of opinions on the subject, it’s recommended to serve the dish with slices of rye bread and boiled potatoes.

Like many French dishes, the roots of choucroute a l'Alsacienne are its economic value.  “Peasant food” offers a lot of great recipes, and this one is no exception.  Cabbage and cheaper cuts of pork (ham hocks, pork shoulder, etc.), and maybe an onion or apple, would be a great way to give your family a sound meal a couple hundred years ago.

In 2010, I recommend using whatever suits your tastes.  I used a 1 ½ lb. smoked, uncured ham, fully cooked, along with a bratwurst and an herb & pork sausage.  I also added a few slices of smoked bacon, cut into small pieces.  The key is buying high quality, authentic sauerkraut.  I prefer the stuff found in glass bottles or plastic bags (found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket).  If all you can find is canned sauerkraut, just make sure there’s not any vinegar added.  Vinegared cabbage is cole slaw, not sauerkraut.

The other critical ingredient is the right wine.  Find a dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer, preferably from Alsace.  Another great option is the Mosel wine region in Germany, which isn’t too far from Alsace.  Both of these regions offer some of the best Rieslings and Gewürztraminers in the world.  If buying German, look for the label, “Qualitätswein mit Prädikat” (quality wine with attributes).  And of course the best part is you can enjoy this wine with dinner!

Guten appetit!

Ingredients:

3 to 4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces

1 large onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 large apple (Braeburn or similar sweet apple), diced

32 oz. jar sauerkraut, partially drained

1 ½ to 2 lbs. smoked pork (ham, ham hocks, pork shoulder, etc.), cut into 2 or 3 large pieces

2 to 3 sausages of your choice (bratwurst, knockwurst, etc.), cut into bite-sized pieces

½ tsp juniper berries, crushed

2 tsp caraway seeds

1 bay leaf

1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock

½ cup dry white wine (preferably dry Riesling/Gewürztraminer)

2 T. Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

*Sides – boiled potatoes and rye bread

Instructions:

1. Heat a large pot to medium, add oil.

2. Once hot, add onion, season with salt & pepper.

3. Let sauté for 5 minutes, then add bacon, stir.

4. Add celery, stir.

5. Sauté for another 5-10 minutes, until the onions soften and the bacon is cooked through.

6. Add apple, along with a little more salt & pepper, stir.  Sauté for 3-5 minutes, allowing the apple to cook slightly.

7. The mixture should be sticking slightly to the bottom of the pot (unless you’re using a non-stick pan, which is okay).

8. Add the wine, stir well, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom (this is called deglazing the pan).  Let simmer for 2 minutes.

9. Add the sauerkraut, stock, caraway seeds, juniper berries, bay leaf, and ground pepper, stir.

10. Place the pieces of smoked pork into the mixture, and scoop some it onto the meat.

11. Turn down the heat to low, and put the lid on the pot.  Let simmer (very gently) for about 3 hours.

12. After 3 hours, break up the pork chunks with a fork, and stir into the sauerkraut mixture.

13. At this point, you can let the dish sit on your stove until you’re ready to eat.  When that time comes, heat the pot to medium-low, add in the sausages. 

14. Boil your potatoes and prep your rye bread.

15. Serve & enjoy!