Roast beef with gravy from Josée di Stasio

Preparation time 25 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

1.35 kg (3 lb.) french roast
1 clove of garlic, peeled and halved
7 mL (1 1/2 tsp.) salt
60 mL (1/4 cup) grainy or Dijon mustard
15 mL (1 tbsp.) vegetable oil for cooking
500 mL (2 cups) onions, carrots, and celery, diced or cut into 1 cm (1/2 in.) chunks
30 mL (2 tbsp.) red wine vinegar
2 sprigs fresh thyme
15 mL (1 tbsp.) flour
1 L (4 cups) homemade or storebought beef broth
30 mL (2 tbsp.) unsalted butter

Pat roast dry with a paper towel and rub with garlic halves. Chop garlic halves finely and set aside.
Season roast with salt on all sides and refrigerate uncovered for 2 to 4 hours, turning once. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking.
In a skillet, brown roast on all sides over high heat.
Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Brush meat with mustard. Set aside.
In the same skillet, sauté vegetables in oil for about 5 to 6 minutes. Deglaze with vinegar.
Place vegetables, reserved garlic, thyme, and flour in the bottom of an oven-proof dish and mix to combine.
Place roast over vegetables.
Bake for about 1 hour–1 hour 15 minutes, or until internal temperature in roast’s thickest part reaches 63°C (145°F) for rare doneness.
Check doneness by cutting roast during cooking. Let meat stand in a dish covered with aluminum foil for 10 minutes.
Using a spatula, transfer vegetables and cooking juices to a saucepan.
Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove thyme sprigs and purée gravy with an immersion blender while adding butter.
Strain gravy if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Heat plates for a few minutes in warm oven (with heat turned off).
Serve roast quickly with your choice of mashed potatoes, a blend of mashed potatoes and celery root, or sautéed mushrooms.

CHEF’S SECRET

If beef broth is a little bland, reduce to half and add some veggies, garlic, and herbs.
Roast tastes best served rare.