Whether you’re a traditionalist who loves a roast dinner every Sunday or it’s more of an occasional treat, Gordon Ramsay’s simple cooking tip will make roast beef “super tasty” every time. By sharing his roast beef with caramelised onion gravy recipe, Gordon Ramsay revealed that marinating the meat is one of the best things you can do.
But how does the famous chef marinate the beef? First, he rubs garlic and thyme “all over the beef”. Then, the beef joint is put in a large roasting tray, and olive oil is rubbed into the meat. “Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for one to two days before you cook it,” the chef advised. “It does make it super tasty!”
Once the meat has been marinated in the olive oil, garlic and thyme for a couple of days, you must take the beef out of the fridge for “about an hour before cooking”.
This enables the beef to come up to room temperature, making the roast beef taste even more delicious once cooked.
Roast beef with caramelised onion gravy recipe
Serves: six to eight people
Ingredients
- One head of garlic, cut in half
- Five thyme sprigs, leaves picked, plus one extra
- 1.8kg beef sirloin
- Four tbsp olive oil
- Four large onions, sliced
- 150g plain flour
- 500ml red wine
- 1.5 litres of hot beef stock
Method
Once the beef has been marinated with the olive oil, garlic halves, and thyme and left to come up to room temperature for about an hour, it’s time to preheat the oven to 190C (170C fan/gas mark five).
Then, preheat a dry frying pan until very hot, then sear the beef over high heat until it’s coloured on all sides.
Place the beef back in a large, hob-proof roasting tray (with the garlic halves) and roast for about 45 minutes (for medium rare).
A medium roast beef will require a further 12 minutes in the oven, while a roast well done will require a total of one hour and five minutes.
Time in the oven
- Medium rare beef: 45 minutes
- Medium beef: 57 minutes
- Well done beef: one hour and five minutes
Transfer the cooked meat to a warm platter, cover loosely with foil, and let the beef rest for at least 20 minutes (and up to 40 minutes).
Making the gravy
Place the roasting tray (with its beef juices) on the hob over low heat. Add the onions and gently cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the flour, whisk in the red wine, then boil until the red wine has reduced by half. Stir in the hot stock, then cook on medium heat for eight minutes.
Once the meat is ready, carve the beef thinly, put it on dinner plates, and serve the gravy in a jug. It is best served with roasted potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, and vegetables.
