Easy Roast Beef Recipe
The luscious mustard sauce that accompanies this easy roast beef recipe goes together in a matter of minutes. The two together make a quick, yet impressive, dinner.
Cooking and Serving Boneless Roasts
Here in France we can easily buy a boneless roast beef (le rosbif) that is wrapped in a bit of fat and tied up with twine. Boneless roasts are so easy to serve. After cooking, just remove the twine and fat, and slice as thickly as you wish. That's it - nothing else to fuss with!
There is, however, no reason you couldn't make this easy roast beef recipe with a bone in beef roast, although I wouldn't recommend it with tougher cuts of meat (which probably do better with a long slow braising).
This recipe calls for a high and fast cooking of the roast. Some people think the only way to cook a roast is slowly in low heat, but this quick method gives really juicy tender results with small roasts. You will need to adjust the cooking time (longer) and temperature (lower) if you use a larger roast. The very best way to cook all of your roasts to your liking and with no stress is to use an instant read digital thermometer.
Menu Suggestion
For a delicious meal, I recommend you serve your roast beef with steamed potatoes (dressed in butter and a sprinkle of French sea salt) and another steamed vegetable, like cauliflower or carrots.
Rosbif à la moutarde
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 20 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 two pound boneless roast beef
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup Armagnac (or other quality brandy)
- 2 tablespoons French style mustard
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper
Directions
- Remove roast from the refrigerator about an hour before you plan on cooking it. Preheat oven to 450° F (230°C.)
- Use a pastry brush to cover the roast in oil, then roll the roast in the pepper. You can use your hands to rub the pepper into the meat so that it adheres a bit more. Salt the roast lightly.
- Warm a Dutch oven on medium to high heat on the stove. When it is quite hot, place the roast in the Dutch oven and sear it for several minutes on each side. This takes about 7 minutes for a two pound roast.
- Remove the roast from the Dutch oven and set it aside. Turn the heat down and melt the butter in the Dutch oven. Turn off the heat and return the roast to the dish.
- Place the dish in the oven and cook for 20 minutes. This gives me a medium rare (140°F on meat thermometer) 2 pound roast working with my oven, but you will need to adjust according to the size of your roast and your oven. When it is done to your liking, remove the roast from the oven and place it on a serving dish. Cover the roast with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
- Add the Armagnac to the Dutch oven and place on low heat. Use a wooden spatula to scrape all of the meat bits off of the bottom of the dish and into the sauce. Stir in the mustard and heavy cream and warm slowly until almost boiling. Slice the beef and add any juices to the sauce as well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- To serve, pass the sauce in a separate dish.
Return to Easy French Beef Recipes.
Armagnac
The sauce that goes with this easy roast beef recipe includes Armagnac, a prized brandy that is made in the foothills of the Pyrenées in south west France. If you can not find Armagnac (or you may find it too expensive), substitute another type of brandy.
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