Description
This Aitchbone Roast with Thyme Cream Sauce is the kind of meal that fills the kitchen with the best smells while it cooks away low and slow. The beef turns beautifully tender, the potatoes come out crisp around the edges, and that creamy pan sauce pulls everything together.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Roast
- 3.3 - 4.4 lb - 1 1/2 to 2 kg aitchbone roast
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 red onions, quartered and separated into leaves
- 5 garlic cloves, slivered
- 1 cup beef stock, heated
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Vegetables
- 0.5 lb - 250 g patty pans, halved if large
- 0.5 lb - 250 g baby marrow, sliced into thick chunks
Potatoes
- 4 large potatoes, halved
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp corn flour
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- Oil for roasting
Cream Sauce
- 1/2 cup cream
- 2 tbsp flour
Instructions
- Pat the 1 1/2 to 2 kg aitchbone roast dry with a paper towel.
- Using a small sharp knife, make little pockets all over the beef and tuck in half of the 5 slivered garlic cloves.
- Rub the beef with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper.
- Let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes while you prep everything else.
- Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Brown the beef really well on all sides. Take your time, because the colour adds loads of flavour to the sauce later.
- Add the 2 red onions and the remaining garlic to the pot around the beef.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly softened.
- Pour in the 1 cup heated beef stock, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, and sprinkle over the 3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme.
- Lower the heat, cover loosely, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. While that cooks, get the potatoes going.
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and parboil the 4 halved potatoes for about 10 minutes until just slightly tender.
- Drain well and let them steam dry for a few minutes. This helps them crisp up properly in the oven.
- In a bowl, combine the 2 tbsp corn flour, 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, and 1 tsp mixed herbs.
- Season lightly with salt and black pepper. Toss the potatoes in the mixture and shake off any excess coating.
- Preheat the oven to 400⁰F (200⁰C).
- Heat the roasting tray with a thin layer of oil in the oven for a few minutes, then carefully add the potatoes, cut-side down.
- Transfer the Dutch oven with the beef to the oven.
- Add the 250 g patty pans and 250 g baby marrow around the roast.
- Roast uncovered for 45 minutes, placing the potatoes on the lower rack at the same time.
- Check the beef after 45 minutes. If your roast is closer to 2 kg, it may need another 15 to 20 minutes.
- The vegetables should be tender, and the potatoes crisp and browned.
- Remove the beef and vegetables to a serving platter and let the meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing thinly.
- Resting makes a huge difference and keeps the beef juicy instead of dry.
- Place the Dutch oven back on the stove over medium heat.
- Mix the 1/2 cup cream and 2 tbsp flour into a smooth paste first, so you don’t end up with lumps.
- Slowly whisk it into the pan juices and simmer until thickened into a silky sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Spoon the sauce generously over the sliced beef, potatoes, and vegetables before serving.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Melanie
