One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛
When a stressful week with deadlines ends with Nat When a stressful week with deadlines ends with National Cheese Lovers Day, how could I not partake? Tbh, I wasn’t especially hungry, and the appetizers are always the best section of any menu, so the queso blanco from El Mejicano in town wasn’t too hard a choice. It’s smoky and cheesy and I could have licked the bowl clean, but a girl’s gotta have some boundaries. Happy weekend, friends! ✨
A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her of me and dropped it off in our mailbox, which really touched me. 💛 Life is too freaking short not to make conscious decisions to do more of what makes you happy, and to cut out the things that don’t. Rainbow Rowell said it best, “So, what if, instead of thinking about solving you whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
The face and the daily hiccups… 😍 The face and the daily hiccups… 😍
I mean, I might have a slight obsession but also m I mean, I might have a slight obsession but also my lips are never chapped, so there’s that. 😂 And this is only one of my refill stashes. When I was in middle school, I had literally THE WORST chapped lips ever. Like a complete red ring around my top and bottom lips. I don’t think that’s where my lip balm obsession started, but it certainly didn’t help. Jersey winters are no joke (or our hot summers), so don’t mind me while I just add to my collection. What’s your fave?
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Food and Life

Recipe: Grandma’s Roast Beef with Gravy {Cook’s Country}

March 18, 2014 · Narrative

A deliciously easy roast beef recipe that is the perfect comfort food for entertaining.

WPIR - in process-001

So when a boy comes over for dinner and you want to measure up to his impression of your mad cooking skillz, you should probably stick to a tried-and-true recipe. This way, you’re relaxed and calm, and can then focus on awkward small talk, chit chat, and not have to worry about how (or gasp, if!) a recipe is going to be successful or not.

Unless, of course, you’re me.

And you pretty much don’t follow rules and relish in being a rule breaker.

Or a non-comformist.

Welcome to my Saturday night a few weeks ago.

*although the recipe did come with high praise from a friend, so I wasn’t going in completely blind, so there’s that.

My dinner guest is a confirmed “meat and potatoes” guy (and shall forever be referred to as MPG). Simple enough. A friend of mine offered up a suggestion of her tried-and-true (via Cook’s Country) roast beef recipe, and I rounded out the meal with those Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers, roasted assorted vegetables, and a new brownie recipe (which, sadly, didn’t get enjoyed that night, but Nick has been slowly making his way through the pan ever since).

I couldn’t find the exact cut of meat that the recipe called for.

I didn’t remember to tie up the roast with string before cooking.

And since MPG arrived for the evening during the part of the recipe I had to concentrate on the most, I likely missed a step or six.

And, surprisingly enough, it all ended up ok nonetheless.

Which means that the recipe is forgiving.

Which is my favorite kind of recipe.

I questioned the recipe (and my friend) a few times during the process (really? No cover on the pot for all those hours? Are you sure?) and just held fast to the notion that I could throw in the towel at any time and make an awesome Spaghetti Carbonara on the fly or call for take-out.

Luckily the worry was all for naught.

Grandma's Roast Beef with Gravy-001

The roast was done when the recipe said it would be. And it was tender, juicy, and made for an impressive hunk of meat.

And perfect for a meat and potatoes guy.

Mad cooking skillz reputation firmly intact.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the gravy. Awesome stuff, and even more awesome when used on an open faced roast beef sandwich the next day. Of course, I’m still not eating carbs, so I just pretended the roast beef and gravy were atop a piece of toasted sourdough. I will live vicariously through you.

So whether you’re entertaining dates, a crowd, or just your own family, tuck this one into your recipe files and use it judiciously.

For your own meat and potatoes people.

Grandma’s Roast Beef with Gravy
Recipe courtesy of Cook’s Country

1 (4- to 5- pound) boneless top-round roast
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 tablespoons butter
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 celery rib, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 cans beef consomme
1-1/2 cups water

Pat the roast dry with paper towels and rub with 2 teaspoons of salt. Wrap the roast in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 225 degrees. Pat the roast dry with paper towels and rub with 2 teaspoons of pepper. Heat the oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat until it is just smoking. Brown the roast all over on all sides, about 8 to 12 minutes; transfer the roast to a plate.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Add the butter to the skillet and melt it over medium heat. Cook the carrots, onion and celery until they are lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the flour and the tomato paste and cook until the flour is golden and the paste begins to darken, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, push the vegetables to the center of the pan. Place the roast on top of the vegetables and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook the roast until the meat registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Transfer the roast to a carving board, tent with foil and allow the meat to rest for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, keeping in mind that the skillet handle will still be quite hot, return the skillet with vegetables to medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are a deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in the consomme and water, scraping up any browned bits, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the gravy is thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the gravy through a fine mesh strainer into a serving bowl. Discard the vegetables. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste.

Thinly slice the roast crosswise against the grain and serve with the gravy.

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: Cook's Country, roast beef

Comments

  1. Joanne says

    March 19, 2014 at 6:27 am

    There have been a lot of Cook’s Country recipes that I’ve made that have left me scratching my head! They always have crazy methods for doing things and yet they always work. I’m so glad to hear it all worked out in the end!
    Joanne recently posted..Wednesday Coffee Talk

    Reply
  2. Rebecca {foodie with family} says

    March 19, 2014 at 10:36 am

    That is one gorgeous roast beef and I’m a sucker for gravy!
    Rebecca {foodie with family} recently posted..BBQ Pulled Pork Overstuffed Shells

    Reply

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One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛

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One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛
When a stressful week with deadlines ends with Nat When a stressful week with deadlines ends with National Cheese Lovers Day, how could I not partake? Tbh, I wasn’t especially hungry, and the appetizers are always the best section of any menu, so the queso blanco from El Mejicano in town wasn’t too hard a choice. It’s smoky and cheesy and I could have licked the bowl clean, but a girl’s gotta have some boundaries. Happy weekend, friends! ✨
A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her of me and dropped it off in our mailbox, which really touched me. 💛 Life is too freaking short not to make conscious decisions to do more of what makes you happy, and to cut out the things that don’t. Rainbow Rowell said it best, “So, what if, instead of thinking about solving you whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
The face and the daily hiccups… 😍 The face and the daily hiccups… 😍
I mean, I might have a slight obsession but also m I mean, I might have a slight obsession but also my lips are never chapped, so there’s that. 😂 And this is only one of my refill stashes. When I was in middle school, I had literally THE WORST chapped lips ever. Like a complete red ring around my top and bottom lips. I don’t think that’s where my lip balm obsession started, but it certainly didn’t help. Jersey winters are no joke (or our hot summers), so don’t mind me while I just add to my collection. What’s your fave?

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