Classic Beef Roast | Sunday Night Suppers

Another week, another Monday. Tell me if I’m wrong but I feel like Mondays are not the worst day of the week, Tuesdays are. Mondays you can expect to dread. It’s the first day back at work after the weekend but at the same time, you’re coming off a super relaxing Sunday (hopefully). The real worst day of the week is Tuesday. Yesterday was probably an exhausting, soul sucking Monday with little to no recovery time and you still have four full days (three if it’s later in the day) till the weekend. Monday mornings I feel refreshed and motivated to get a jumpstart on the week. Tuesdays I want to dig a hole and not come out until 3PM on Friday. What do you think? Are you a Monday hater or a Tuesday hater?

Regardless which day of the week you think is the worst, one thing that everyone loves (or should love) about Sundays is a delicious, comforting Sunday Night Supper. In true Monday fashion for September, we have yet another recipe for you. We started with an American favorite, last week we got a taste of my Italian roots, and this week we’re going full classic. I’m not sure where the concept of a Sunday roast began but I know it’s a thing in the United Kingdom, England to be more specific, and here in America. If you know of any other countries around the world that love a good roast for Sunday suppers, tell me in the comments below.

Roasts are pretty full-proof. It’s not entirely impossible to mess them up though. My Noni managed to burn a roast so bad one time when I was a kid that it was like a rock. To this day, we still don’t understand how she destroyed a perfectly good piece of meat. In case you’re wondering, we ordered pizza that night. The experience left a mark though...I always put timers on when it comes to roasting meat. This recipe is pretty basic and easy enough for beginners in the kitchen. Start by searing your roast. It develops a rich flavor that only gets better while in the oven. You want to season both sides generously and let it cook over a high heat on the stove for at least 8-10 minutes per side. Once done, transfer to a plate and cook the onions. The onions give a lot of flavor to the juice. You’ll see a lot of roasts made with pearl onions or quartered onions. I feel that when an onion is diced up, you get to pull out all the flavors. Pour the beef broth into the pot, scrape the bottom to release all those beautiful browned bits, add the vegetables and top with the roast. Voila! You have yourself a Sunday Night Supper. Easy right?

What I love about roasts is that because they cook slow, you have time between prep and dinner to get things done. For example, writing a few blog posts or planning out content for the remainder of 2018. Once the roast is finished cooking, it’s important to let it sit. This allows the meat to settle and the juices to disperse within the meat so that when you cut into it, they don’t come pouring out. While it rests, whip up those mashed potatoes. I love a good, creamy mash. It’s comforting in the best possible way. Our recipe is simple with three ingredients and salt. All you need for a decent mashed potato is: potatoes, butter, cream. Not milk. Cream keeps the mash thick and rich. Milk waters it down. Salt the mash to taste and go at it with a potato masher. If you like an extra smooth mash, take an immersion blender and get rid of any clumps. It’s easy and 100% worth the effort. Once finished, the mash acts as the perfect bed for the roast. Spoon a little bit of that juice over everything for extra richness and flavor. Bon appetit!

Classic Beef Roast with Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
2-3 lb. Beef Roast (Chuck, Brisket, or Round)
1 tbsp. Oregano
1 tbsp. Basil
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 large Onion, diced
6 Garlic Cloves, peeled
8 large Carrots, peeled and sliced thick on a bias
6 Celery Stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cups Beef Stock
Rosemary Sprigs
Salt & Pepper

2 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and diced
½ cup Cream
4 tbsp. Butter
Salt, to taste

Directions:
1 - Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Season the beef generously on all sides with the oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet or oven-proof Dutch Oven over high heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, sear the roast on both sides. Remove to a plate.

2 - Add the onion to the pot. Stir and cook until translucent. Add the beef stock, scraping the bottom to get all the browned bits loose. Add the garlic, carrots, and celery to the pot. Place the roast back on top and place the rosemary on either side of the roast. Cover and move to the oven. Roast for 1.5 hours to 2 hours until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Remove from the oven and let rest at least 20 minutes, lid on. Shred with two forks or use a knife to slice the roast after resting.

3 - While the roast is resting, prepare the mashed potatoes. Put the potatoes in a pot and add enough cold water to cover them. Place over high heat and bring to a roaring boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and let the potatoes boil for 15-20 minutes until fork tender. Drain the potatoes. Add the cream and butter to the pot with the potatoes and begin to mash them. For an extra smooth potato, use an immersion blender to cream the potatoes and remove any clumps. Taste the mashed potatoes and salt to taste.

4 - Serve by creating a bed of mashed potatoes and spooning the roast and veggies on top with your preference of juice.