Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding
“The pairing of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding is one of the great culinary marriages of all time. It was the classic British Sunday lunch for generations and is still esteemed and enjoyed today.” Pudding: A Global History by Jeri Quinzio
In the iconography of British cuisine, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding reign supreme. Picture a juicy, tender joint of beef thinly sliced and paired with sizzling discs of cooked batter, crowned with a rich, savory gravy. Roast meats date back at least to the Middle Ages in Britain, although meat was associated with wealth for centuries and out of reach for those of more modest means.
A recipe for Yorkshire pudding first appeared in the 18th century. Made with what is essentially a pancake batter, they resemble what Americans know as popovers. When meat was still cooked on an open fire, pans were placed underneath the roasting joints to collect the drippings. Batter was then poured into the hot fat, creating one large pudding that would be cut up into pieces. In Yorkshire, these puddings were originally served on their own, with the meat following.
These days, Yorkshire puddings are often made in single serving sizes, using a muffin tin. The key to a good pudding is to ensure that the fat (or oil) is hot when the batter is poured. For a proper British roast beef, the meat requires minimal handling and seasoning, to allow the natural flavor of the beef to come through. I like to serve this dish with a dollop of good quality horseradish, the aforementioned gravy, peas and baby carrots.
Ingredients
- 6lb rump roast or top round of beef
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups of milk
- 1 ½ cups of all purpose flour
- pinch of salt
- canola oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 225º
- Heat oil in a cast iron skillet or pan and sear the beef joint for ten minutes until brown on all sides.
- Transfer to a rack on a baking tray and place in oven.
- Cook for about 2 hours. Check internal temperature of meat with a good thermometer and remove when temp hits 145º for medium.
- Cover the meat with foil and let the meat rest while you cook your vegetables and Yorkshire puddings.
- Increase oven temp to 425º
- Pour just enough canola oil into a muffin pan to cover the bottom of each pot.
- Place muffin pan in oven.
- Weigh 4 large eggs and combine with an equal weight of flour, milk and a pinch of salt
- Whisk until batter is smooth and lump free.
- When the oven has come to temperature and the oil in the muffin pan is very hot and slightly smoking, carefully remove pan from oven.
- Carefully pour batter to fill each muffin pot just over half full.
- Place in oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
- Have a quick peek to see if the Yorkshire puds are done. If not, give them another 5 minutes.
- Place thin slices of beef, Yorkshire puds, roast potatoes, baby carrots and peas on a plate. Smother with brown gravy, add a dollop of creamed horseradish and enjoy!