Roast beef and gravy, deconstructed!

When I was a child, it was tradition to pop a roast in the oven and head off to church.  When you returned, the roast was done and in no time, we sat down for “Sunday supper.”

I am more likely to grill out on Sundays these days, but every once in a while, the desire for roast beef and gravy overtakes me.  I always hope that after I prepare it, there will be plenty of leftovers for sandwiches the next day.  So far, that hasn’t happened.  A certain teenager carefully watches me slice the roast, place a few pieces on my plate, and swoops in to claim the rest.  What follows is not unlike watching a human vacuum cleaner at the dinner table!

I have tried a variety of cooking techniques and cuts of meat.  Some called for eye of round roast, or other tougher cuts of beef, but chuck roast always seemed to work best.  I also tried cooking at high temperatures, eventually turning off the oven and letting the meat continue to roast for hours, as well as roasting at low temperatures for significantly longer periods of time.  

Ultimately, this recipe below worked best, resulting in beef that was moist and tender.  Roast some vegetables with the meat, and whip up some mashed potatoes, and you have instant comfort food!  

Roast beef and gravy

3 lb. boneless chuck roast

Large sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 TB. minced garlic

¼ c. balsamic vinegar

¼ c. beef broth

1 TB. dry thyme

Salt, black pepper

Gravy:

½ c. beef broth

¼ c. flour or corn starch

1 c. cooked onions and garlic, pureed

1 tsp. dry thyme

Salt and pepper

Optional:  ¼ c. pan drippings
Balsamic vinegar to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Place a baking dish filed with one-inch of water on the bottom rack of the oven.

Line a 9” x 12” baking dish with two large pieces of heavy-duty foil, about 18 “ long, crossing at the center.  The shiny side of the foil should face up.  Lightly sprinkle both sides of the roast with salt, pepper, and thyme.  Place the roast in the center of the foil.  Top with the sliced onions and minced garlic.  Pour the vinegar and broth around the meat.   Seal the packet tightly on all sides.

Bake for two to two and half hours, until the meat is fork tender.  Throughout the cooking process, keep the other baking dish filled with water.

When the roast is done, let it cool for about 10 minutes.  Open the foil, and spoon off the onions and garlic.  Set aside.  If desired, collect one cup of the pan drippings and set aside.  Reseal the roast in the foil to keep it warm while making the gravy.  

Add the beef broth, balsamic vinegar, thyme, and pan drippings to a medium saucepan. Whisk in the flour or corn starch.  Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking continually.  Remove from the heat, and taste. Season as desired.  Cover and let the gravy thicken before serving.

Slice the roast.  Lightly drizzle with gravy.   Serve with mashed potatoes and extra gravy on the side.

Roast beef and gravy, deconstructed

3 lb. boneless chuck roast

>Fat alert:  Chuck roasts contain a significant amount of fat. If fat is a dietary concern, a leaner cut of meat may be used. 

>Ingredient alert:  The fat in a chuck roast melts while roasting, resulting in meat that is moist and tender. The high content of fat also makes this cut of beef well-suited to the cooking method recommended.  If a leaner cut of beef is used, cooking time and temperature may have to be adjusted to ensure the beef does not dry out. 

Large sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 TB. minced garlic

¼ c. balsamic vinegar

¼ c. beef broth 

>Fat alert:  Canned beef broth may contain a significant amount of fat.   Low-fat and 99% fat-free varieties may be substituted.  In the alternative, this ingredient may be replaced with water. 

>Health alert:  Some varieties of canned beef broth are high in salt.  Low sodium varieties are available.  In the alternative, substitute a home-made broth, where the amount of salt can be controlled, or water. 

1 TB. dry thyme

Salt, black pepper

Gravy:

½ c. beef broth

>Fat alert:  Canned beef broth may contain a significant amount of fat.   Low-fat and 99% fat-free varieties may be substituted.  In the alternative, substitute a homemade broth, where the fat can be controlled, or pureed mushrooms. (Portabella mushrooms most closely mimic the beef taste.)

>Health alert:  Some varieties of canned beef broth are high in salt.  Low sodium varieties are available.  In the alternative, substitute a homemade broth, where the amount of salt can be controlled, or pureed mushrooms. (Portabella mushrooms most closely mimivc the beef taste.)

¼ c. flour or corn starch

>Health alert:  If flour or corn present a concern, alternative and vegetable thickeners, such as Agar Agar, are available. In the alternative, roughly pureed mushrooms may be used.

>Ingredient alert:  The flour or corn starch are used to thicken the gravy.  While the amount of thickening agent may be reduced, that will result in a thinner gravy.

1 c. cooked onions and garlic, pureed

1 tsp. dry thyme

Salt and pepper

Optional:  ¼ c. pan drippings
Balsamic vinegar to taste

(Follow the instructions above.)

  

Vegetable pocket

Large onion, sliced

2 carrots or parsnips, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds

12 thick stalks of asparagus or green beans

Red pepper, julienned

Garlic salt

Pepper

Butter

Optional:  2 red potatoes, thinly sliced 
Optional:  Mushrooms, halved or quartered

Optional:  Balsamic vinegar

On a 18” sheet of heavy duty foil, shiny side up, spread the onion evenly in the middle.  Layer the other vegetables on top.  Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper, and dot with slices of butter.  Seal tightly on all sides and place on a baking sheet.  Place in the oven one half hour before the roast is done. 

Remove from the oven, open one end of the packet, and pour into a serving dish.  If desired lightly sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.

Vegetable pocket, deconstructed

Large onion, sliced

2 carrots or parsnips, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds

12 thick stalks of asparagus or green beans

Red pepper, julienned

Garlic salt 

>Health alert: If salt is a dietary concern, it may be replaced with parsley or thyme.

Pepper

Butter 

>Fat alert:  Butter is fat.  If fat is a concern, the butter may be replaced with a light butter, margarine or oil.  In the alternative, lightly spray with any cooking grease. 

>Health alert:  Butter is a dairy product.  If dairy is a concern, margarine or any vegetable oil may be substituted. 

>Ingredient alert:  The butter provides flavor in the recipe.  If eliminated, lightly sprinkle the vegetables with balsamic vinegar for flavor, or increase the amount of parsley or thyme used.

Optional:  2 red potatoes, sliced
Optional:  Mushrooms. halved or quartered

Optional:  Balsamic vinegar

(Follow the instructions above.)