A Feast Fit for a King Part 2

Roasts make me nervous.  I’m always afraid of overcooking or undercooking them, and I’m terrified I’m going to end up with a dried up piece of jerky.  I know, that totally makes it sound like I don’t know how to properly cook a roast.  I do, but it’s a stressful process for me because I am a bit of a perfectionist in the kitchen. 

Needless to say, when it came time to attempt this next recipe, I was a little intimidated.  I didn’t read any reviews on it.  I honestly had clue how it was going to turn out.  I was even more intimidated when I got to the grocery store and saw the price tag on the roast.  The ingredients for this recipe can be pricey depending on the season and where you live.  I assure you though; this recipe will produce an amazingly moist and tasty roast.

In addition to the salad in my previous post, I served the roast with a side of the roast leeks and carrots, a hard roll, and Onions in Gravy.  You can find the recipe for the Onions and Gravy below the recipe for the roast.

Aurochs Roasted with Leeks

1 hour of cook time will produce an amazing medium rare roast

3lbs Top Round Beef

6 Leeks (white and light green parts only), sliced ¼ in thick

4 Carrots cut into ¼ in thick slices

1 Head of Garlic (break into individual cloves and peel)

A small bunch of rosemary and thyme

Olive Oil

Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

Beef Stock

*Medieval Black Pepper Sauce (see below for recipe)

Preheat oven to 400*F, and remove beef from the fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking.  Place vegetables, garlic, and herbs in a roast pan and toss with a bit of olive oil.  Rub roast with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then place it on top of the vegetable mix.  Add about ½ c beef stock to the bottom of the pan, and then place it in the oven.  Bake for 1 hour.  Around the 30 minute mark, check on the roast to make sure vegetables are not looking dry.  Baste the roast and veggies with another ½ c of beef stock.  Check for doneness by using a meat thermometer.  The internal temperature should be at least 145*F.  Allow roast to sit for 15 minutes before serving. 

Medieval Black Pepper Sauce

It's strong and peppery, but amazing on the roast.

1 slice of bread, toasted until black (make sure it’s good and burnt)

1/3c equal parts apple cider vinegar and water (add extra liquid if you would like a thinner sauce)

1tbspn red wine vinegar

1tbspn black pepper

¼ tsp ground ginger

Soak the burnt bread in the liquid in a small sauce pan until it begins to fall apart.  Use a fork to mash it.  Stir in the spices, and slowly bring the mixture to a boil. 

This can be rubbed across the entire roast once it has finished cooking, or you can add it to each slice upon serving.  It looks like watery mush when it is cooked, but trust me, it’s supposed to look that way.  This sauce is very peppery.  On its own it is pretty intense, but it pairs wonderfully with the roast. 

Onions in Gravy

Yum!

10oz pearl onions (peeled)

1tbsp honey

1tbsp unsalted butter

1 sprig of thyme, minced

1/3 c apple cider

1tbsp flour

3c beef stock

Salt

Pepper

Quarter 7 of the onions, and set the rest aside.  Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and add honey, butter, herbs, and the quartered onions.   Toss onions in the butter mixture to ensure they are evenly covered, and cook until the onions turn golden brown.  Make sure you stir frequently to prevent onions from burning.  Once the onions are golden brown, add the cider to the pan slowly to deglaze the pan.  This will help remove all the sticky goodness from the pan.  Evenly sprinkle the flour in the pan and stir.  Then add the stock and the remaining onions.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes, then reduce the heat and cook until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.  Make sure to taste and seasoning with salt and pepper before serving.  

It took me about 2 hours to prep and cook the complete meal.  It was a lot of prep work, but the end result was worth it.  This will be a meal I make again in the future. 

A Feast Fit for a King

I can't say enough about A Feast of Fire and Ice, the Official Game of Thrones cookbook.  I highly recommend this book to any GoT fan and foodie out there.  There is such a great variety of recipes and illustrations.  This is definitely one of my favorite cookbooks.