Garlic and Rosemary Crusted Roast Beef
By Joe
Source: America's Test Kitchen and NYT Cooking.
This follows the same slow-roast method as our slow-roast beef, but the joint is coated in a rosemary, garlic, lemon and chilli paste, roasted over whole garlic cloves, then blasted at high heat to crisp the herb crust — served simply, without puddings or gravy.
Based on the listed ingredients, none of the 14 major EU allergens. Always check product labels.
Method
- 1
Dry-brine the joint. The day before, or at least 4 hours ahead, pat the beef dry and rub it all over with the fine salt. Set it on a rack over a tray and refrigerate uncovered, which lets the salt season the meat deeply and dries the surface ready for browning.
- 2
Make the herb paste. Crush or blitz the rosemary, grated garlic, olive oil, lemon zest, chilli flakes and black pepper to a coarse green paste. Crushing the rosemary and garlic this way releases their aromatic oils, so the paste tastes punchy rather than just chopped.
- 3
Sear, then coat. Heat the oven to 120°C (100°C fan). Pat the beef dry, rub with half the neutral oil, then brown it in the remaining hot oil in a frying pan over high heat for 2-3 minutes a side, until coloured all over. Let it cool for 10 minutes, then spread the paste thickly over the top and sides; searing first means the garlic in the paste roasts gently rather than catching and burning.
- 4
Roast low and rest. Set the joint on a rack in the roasting tin with the whole garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs scattered underneath, and roast for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, until a probe thermometer in the centre reads 60°C. Tent loosely with foil and rest for 20 minutes, during which the temperature continues to climb.
- 5
Crisp the crust and serve. Heat the oven to 250°C (230°C fan), then uncover the beef and return it for 6-8 minutes, until the herb crust is crisp and fragrant and the centre reads at least 63°C on the probe thermometer. Rest for a further 3 minutes, then carve thinly across the grain and serve with the soft roasted garlic squeezed from its skins.
Storage
Carved beef keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat slices gently, covered, in a low oven or in a pan with a splash of stock until piping hot throughout (74°C); this joint doesn't freeze well once roasted, as the crust loses its crispness. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why this label?
54 g protein for 501 kcal = 10.8 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 43% of the energy. High protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the condition in the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
EU nutrition claims
- Sugar-free: 0 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 0.5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 116 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
0 g per serving
0 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- roasting tin with a wire rack
- large frying pan
- tongs
- instant-read probe thermometer
- pestle and mortar or small food processor
- carving board and sharp knife
- aluminium foil
Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 501 kcal |
| Protein | 54 g |
| Carbohydrate | 1.6 g |
| of which sugars | 0 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 29.6 g |
| of which saturates | 9.2 g |
| Fibre | 0.3 g |
| Salt | 1.82 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
10.8 g meets High protein (≥ 5 g per 100 kcal = 20% of energy, and ≥ 10 g per serving)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
