ROAST BEEF BROWN GRAVY RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Ideally, make your Yorkie batter the night before. Whisk the eggs, flour, milk, 25ml of water and a pinch of sea salt to a smooth batter, then pop into the fridge overnight, removing when you preheat the oven for the meat (or, as a minimum, make the day you need it but leave to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes).
  2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
  3. For the gravy, place the bones in a large roasting tray. Trim, wash and roughly chop the leeks, quarter the unpeeled onions, then add to the tray and roast for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
  4. Remove the bones and veg to a large pot, keeping the tray of juices to one side. Top up the pot with 2.5 litres of water, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for at least 2 hours 30 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by half.
  5. Place the tray over a medium heat on the hob, then add the flour and stir well to pick up any sticky bits from the bottom. Pour in the wine and port, leave to bubble away for 1 minute, then gradually whisk in a few ladles of the stock, before tipping it all back into the pot.
  6. Simmer gently for a further 2 hours, or until you reach your desired consistency.
  7. Lift out the bones and strain the gravy, skimming off any fat from the surface, then adjust the seasoning, if needed. Keep aside to reheat at the last minute.
  8. When you’re ready, remove the beef from the fridge and leave to come up to room temperature. Turn the oven up to full whack (240ºC/475ºF/gas 9).
  9. Score the beef fat in a criss-cross fashion, then rub with 1 tablespoon of oil.
  10. In a blender, blitz the peppercorns, 1 tablespoon of salt and the rosemary leaves to a fine dust, then sprinkle and pat all over the beef.
  11. Place a large roasting tray on a medium-high heat, carefully sear the beef on all sides, then transfer to the oven.
  12. Immediately reduce the temperature to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 and roast for 50 minutes – this will give you medium-rare (cook for a little longer, if you prefer) – then remove to a board. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
  13. Turn the oven up to 220ºC/425ºF/gas 7.
  14. Divide the dripping between a 6-well deep Yorkshire pudding tray (8.3g per well, if you want to be super-scientific about it!), then place on the middle shelf of the oven for 5 minutes, or until the fat is smoking hot.
  15. Quickly but carefully pour the batter into the wells – each should be between half and three-quarters full. Immediately return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until they have quadrupled in volume, are deep golden all over and sound hollow when tapped.
  16. Carve and serve up the beef, adding a Yorkshire pudding to each plate, then drizzle with gravy (reheat, if needed). Delicious served with pinches of lemon-dressed watercress, horseradish and crispy roast potatoes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a 9-by 13- by 2-inch pan or your oven's broiler pan with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil large enough to fully wrap the roast. The shiny side of the foil should be up. Sprinkle the roast on all sides with salt and pepper and place it in the center of the foil. Spread the onion slices over the top of the roast and pour the vinegar around it. Bring the ends of the foil together and fold several times, and then fold the ends together to completely enclose the roast. Pour about 1 inch of water into the pan around the foil-wrapped roast. Bake until the meat is fork tender and brown, 3 to 4 hours. Check the water level in the pan regularly during cooking and replenish it if necessary. If any juice seeps from the foil seals during roasting, save it to use in making the gravy. When the roast is done, remove the package from the baking pan and let it cool for a few minutes. Open the package carefully to preserve all the juices and transfer the meat to a platter. Cover with a tent of foil to keep it warm while you make the gravy. Pour the roasting juices into a measuring cup and let the fat rise to the surface. Skim off the fat, reserving 4 tablespoons in a saucepan and discarding the rest. (If the fat measures less than 4 tablespoons, add enough butter to make up the difference.) Measure the remaining defatted pan juices and reserve. If you have less than 2 cups, add water to make 2 cups. Add the flour to the fat in the saucepan and stir with a wire whisk to make a roux. Cook over medium-low heat until the flour is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the reserved pan juices and stir until thickened. Slice the roast or cut it into chunks (it will be very tender), and serve it with the gravy.