Description
This classic Roast Beef Dinner recipe features a perfectly roasted topside of beef served with crispy roast potatoes, fluffy Yorkshire puddings, rich cauliflower cheese, buttery steamed carrots and broccoli, and a savory homemade gravy. Ideal for a family Sunday lunch or special occasion, this step-by-step guide ensures a delicious, hearty meal with traditional British flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Roast Beef
- 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) topside of beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Yorkshire Pudding
- 105 g (1 cup minus 1 tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 3 medium eggs
- 150 ml (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) milk
- 4 tsp beef dripping or lard
- pinch salt and pepper
Roast Potatoes
- 120 g (1/2 cup) lard or duck fat
- 1 kg (2.25 lbs) floury potatoes (e.g., Maris Piper or red-skinned Rooster potatoes)
- 1 tsp Maldon salt
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
Vegetables and Cauliflower Cheese
- 300 g (10.5 oz) Chantenay carrots
- 2 tbsp salted butter
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 small cauliflower (broken into small florets)
- 100 g (1 cup minus 1 tbsp) mature/strong Cheddar cheese
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) double (heavy) cream
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 300 g (10.5 oz) tenderstem broccoli
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- pinch salt and pepper
Gravy
- 2 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 5 tbsp cold water
- Meat juices from roasted beef
- 3 beef stock cubes (crumbled)
- 720 ml (3 cups) hot vegetable stock (from boiled/steamed vegetables and potatoes)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp gravy browning (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Season Beef: Preheat the oven to 180C/350F (fan). Drizzle olive oil over the topside beef and season with salt and black pepper. Place in a roasting tin and roast uncovered for 1 hour 15 minutes for medium or 1 hour 30 minutes for well done, basting once halfway through cooking.
- Prepare Yorkshire Pudding Batter: In a jug, place the flour and create a well in the center. Add eggs and whisk together gradually mixing in flour. Add milk and whisk until combined, allowing some lumps. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat Fat for Roast Potatoes and Yorkshire Puddings: Add lard or duck fat to a roasting tin for potatoes. Add ½ tsp beef dripping/lard to 8 holes of a 12-hole metal bun tin for Yorkshire puddings and heat the tins in the oven to get the fat very hot.
- Prepare Vegetables: Peel and chop potatoes into chunky pieces (~2 inches). Peel carrots, chop cauliflower into florets, and grate the cheese for cauliflower cheese. Place potatoes in cold water, bring to boil, then simmer 8-9 minutes until just soft. Drain and roughen edges by shaking in a colander.
- Steam Cauliflower: Steam cauliflower florets over boiling water for 5 minutes until tender but still firm. Drain and set aside.
- Roast Potatoes: Put the roasting tin with hot fat in the oven for 10 minutes. Toss potatoes in the hot fat and place in oven for 25 minutes. Halfway through, turn the potatoes over and move to a lower shelf to cook for an additional 20-25 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Rest the Beef: When beef is cooked, remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 220C/425F (fan). Transfer beef to a board, cover with foil and a couple of tea towels, and allow to rest for 30-40 minutes.
- Assemble Cauliflower Cheese: In a baking dish, pour 2 tbsp cream and sprinkle 2 tbsp cheese. Layer half the cauliflower, remaining cream, a quarter of remaining cheese, half salt and pepper. Add remaining cauliflower, top with cream, cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Steam Carrots and Cook Broccoli: Bring water to boil. Steam carrots for 20 minutes. Steam or boil broccoli for 8-10 minutes until tender. Drain and toss carrots with butter and white pepper; broccoli with butter, salt, and pepper.
- Cook Yorkshire Puddings and Cauliflower Cheese: Heat Yorkshire pudding tin for 5 minutes until fat is very hot. Season the chilled batter with salt and pepper, then pour evenly into Yorkshire pudding holes. Place Yorkshire puddings and cauliflower cheese into the oven. Cook both for 20 minutes until golden.
- Make Gravy: Mix cornflour with cold water to form slurry. Heat meat roasting tray on hob, add crumbled beef stock cubes, reserved potato water (2-3 cups), and scrape up browned bits. Stir and bring to bubble. Add vegetable stock as needed. Gradually whisk in cornflour slurry until gravy thickens. Optionally add gravy browning. Keep warm on low heat.
- Carve Beef and Serve: Transfer rested beef to a warm serving plate to carve at the table. Add any meat juices to gravy. Arrange roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, steamed carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower cheese on serving dishes. Sprinkle fresh parsley over cauliflower cheese. Pour gravy into a jug. Serve immediately for a traditional roast beef dinner experience.
Notes
- This recipe includes a comprehensive step-by-step guide with a free time plan for preparing a delicious traditional roast beef dinner including Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, gravy, carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower cheese.
- For best results, use a fan oven for even cooking and crisp roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings.
- The resting period for the beef is important to allow juices to redistribute ensuring tender meat.
- You can substitute beef dripping with lard or duck fat for richer flavor in potatoes and Yorkshire puddings.
- Gravy browning is optional, used only if a darker gravy color is preferred.
- Ensure fat is very hot before adding Yorkshire pudding batter to achieve puffiness and crisp edges.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 1098 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 2549 mg
- Fat: 55 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 32 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 71 g
- Fiber: 11 g
- Protein: 78 g
- Cholesterol: 343 mg
