December 17, 2022 (We celebrated early this year!)
Beef Stock
Start by making the beef broth. Purchase some meat bones from your butcher...but be sure to communicate you are making broth, and these are not for your 4-legged friend. You want bones that will produce a gelatinous & deeply flavorful broth. (I get mine from a local farm, Double Check Ranch, selling at the Old Town Scottsdale Farmer's Market.) I first brown the bones in a 450F oven, then I put them in a stockpot along with veggies I have on hand, then salt it all and cover with fresh water. Be sure you use onions (and shallots) as at least half your vegetables. I also added celery, fennel and green onions. Bring to a very gentle boil, then reduce to simmer. Skim off foam that will rise to the surface for about the first 30mn. Simmer for 2-3 hours.
Sirloin Pot Roast
Serves 16
You'll need a large round, or oversized oval, dutch oven
Ingredients
Coconut oil for searing meat
2 beef roasts, each about 4 lbs (Sirloin, Chuck, Rump Roasts all work well...but quality is important. Be sure it is nicely marbled. Leave fat on, it can be removed later, after it's done it's job of adding flavor)
3 large whole onions (white and/or yellow)
10 large carrots, chopped into 1-2" chunks
1 bottle red wine
4 cups beef stock (see instructions above)
herb bundle - tie 5 sprigs each of thyme and rosemary, with butcher string
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Take the meat out of any wrapping and salt generously. Put back in fridge overnight, loosely covered. I keep mine over a rack on a sheet pan, so the meat doesn't sit in it's own juices. It needs time to breathe and absorb the salt. Take meat out of fridge to come to room temperature, about 6 1/2 hours before dinner will be served. (It will first come to room temp for one hour, then you will sear for about 20mn, then cook for 5 hours. You'll take out of oven about 10-15mn before serving.
Preheat the oven, for 30mn, at 275F.
For this number of people, I sear the two roasts in separate pans, but you can do it in one...just be sure to add the extra time in to your preparation. I use my largest dutch oven, and my largest cast iron sauce pan. Heat a few tbsp of coconut oil (I added a small amount of butter in) over medium-high heat. Cut the onions in half and sear the cut side until brown. Remove and set aside. Next, sauce the carrots in the same oil, until lightly brown. Remove and set aside with the onions. Sear the meat on all sides until it's well-browned. Remove and place on a plate that will collect the meat juices while it sits for a minute.
Remove any black bits in the bottom of the pans, but keep ALL the dark brown bits. Pout in about a cup of wine to each pan and scrape the bottom, getting all the flavor stirred into the wine. Using a rubber spatula, transfer all this goodness from the smaller pan into your large dutch oven. Add about half the vegetables. Place both roasts into the pot. Tuck the herb bundle and remaining vegetables around the roasts. Pour in the remaining wine, along with the beef broth, alternating the two in case it doesn't all fit. Pour until the liquid almost covers the meat, within a few inches of the top of the pot.
Put the lid on and roast for 5 hours. Take out, 1/2 way through and spoon the liquid over the top of the roast. When done cooking, take out the meat and place on a rack over a sheet pan. Discard the onions & herb bundle, and set the carrots aside. With two large forks, break up the meat into serving-size portions. Discard fatty pieces as you go. Place the meat in a large shallow bowl, or a soup-serving bowl with ladle and lid, and add the carrots. The liquid will still be in your dutch oven. Either skim off the fat from the top, or in batches, pour into a fat separator, with the spout at the bottom. Pour the liquid, without the fat, over the meat. Serve over garlic mashed potatoes. Yummy!
Rustic garlic-mashed potatoes
GF
For 16 people
I make these ahead of time, and warm them in the oven just before serving. I generally plan on one Yukon Gold potato for each guest. Most of the nutrients are found in the skins, so Ileave them on but wash them thoroughly. Dicing small pieces before boiling ensures guests won't get a large piece of skin.
Ingredients
7-8lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes
kosher salt
1/2 head garlic, skins removed but cloves kept whole
1 bunch thyme, tied
1 bay leaf
2 tbsp kosher salt
6 oz cream cheese
6 oz creme fraiche, or sour cream
1 cup 1/2 and 1/2
1/2 cup butter, plus a few more slices
Process
Cut the potatoes into 1" cubes and add to a large pot of cold water. Water should cover potatoes by 1". Add garlic cloves, bay leaf, thyme bundle and kosher salt. Bring to a boil then reduce so water is at a low consistent boil (not a rapid boil). Cookfor about 15mn from this point, or until potatoes are fork tender. Remove the thyme bundle and bay leafand reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the potatoes and garlic. Mash thepotatoes and garlic together. I use a food mill, but you can use a hand potato masher, or an electric blender, but be careful not to over mix or the potatoes will become gummy.
While the potatoes are cooking, combine and heat the dairy products over low heat,just until melted and warm. Turn off heat.
Slowly mix the combined dairy ingredients into the potatoes. If they're too thick, add some of the reserved ooking liquid. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
You can either serve right away or keep the potatoes in a covered casserole dish in fridge overnight. Reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through. Add a few small slices of butter on top just before serving.
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