Recipes, Beef Recipes

Roast bone-in sirloin w/ jerusalem artichokes & shallots

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It is usually the fore-rib that gets the vote as the ‘special occasion roast beef’ cut. Here we offer an equally delicious alternative and probably a little bit easier to cook.

Cooking a joint like this on the bone is really the best way to maximise flavour and, I think, makes it that little bit easier to get an even cook throughout the meat — it’ll be all about the rest though. Roasting the jerusalem artichokes and the shallots together offers up a sticky little scenario that’s brilliant with beef. The bone marrow is a naughty little addition.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Crispy bone marrow

Sauce

Method

For the sauce:

  1. To make a really great sauce, you need plenty of time, so get that on first.
  2. Preheat your oven to 200°C.
  3. Place your bones on a roasting tray and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until lovely and browned.
  4. Meanwhile, take a large pan and set it on a high heat, with a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the carrots, garlic, and onions. Season with salt and begin to sweat off the vegetables. Keep on a medium heat and stir regularly, allowing the vegetables to colour a bit as they soften. Keeping a lid on the pan will help to speed up this process — about 20 minutes.
  5. Remove the bones from the oven and when the vegetables are soft and coloured, add the bones to the pan. Followed by the red wine. Bring to a boil and simmer for a minute, then add the rosemary, thyme, star anise, and the stock.
  6. Bring this up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and let it bubble away for an hour.
  7. Remove from the heat and leave aside to rest for 20 minutes, so the bones can release any last remnants of flavour into the sauce.
  8. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve and discard the vegetables.
  9. In the same pan, return the sauce to the stove and reduce on a medium heat until the desired consistency and flavour are reached (probably about another hour). The sauce should have body and a deep beef flavour, ever so slightly offset by the wine. Taste for seasoning — I like to add a couple of drops of sherry vinegar (or your vinegar preference of choice).

The sirloin:

  1. Take the sirloin out of the fridge at least 4 hours before you intend to cook it, so that it can come up to room temperature.
  2. Preheat the oven to 210°C.
  3. Season the joint well with salt and place it on a roasting tray. Put it in the oven and set a timer for 20 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 150°C and cook for a further 1-1 ¼ hours.
  4. Remove from the oven and leave to rest somewhere for at least an hour.

Meanwhile:

  1. Return the oven to 180°C.
  2. Cut the jerusalem artichokes into halves or even thirds for the bigger ones and tip them into a roasting tray.
  3. Cut the shallots in half, down the middle, and add them to the roasting tray.
  4. Season with salt and then add 3 of the garlic cloves, thyme, and three good knobs of butter. Toss it all together, then put it in the oven for 25 minutes.
  5. Take the tray from the oven and give it a turn with a spoon and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes. Season with a splash of sherry or muscatel vinegar when they come out of the oven.
  6. Place a pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil.
  7. Chop through the leaves of the cavolo nero and blanch them in the boiling water. Drain them in a colander.
  8. In a separate pan on a medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the two remaining garlic cloves. Let them fry for 30 seconds, then add the cavolo nero and a pinch of salt. Turn the heat down and cook like this for 10 minutes.

For the crispy marrow:

  1. To help draw out some of the blood, the bone marrow rounds will need soaking in cold water, with a pinch of salt, overnight.
  2. Remove the marrow bones from the water. If you push the marrow from one end, you should find that, with a bit of pressure, they just pop out.
  3. Cut the marrow pieces into 3, horizontally, ready to pane.
  4. In three separate bowls, you will need the breadcrumbs, eggs, and the plain flour.
  5. Toss each marrow piece in the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Repeat the process for all the marrow.
  6. Heat your fryer or a pan of oil on the stove to 180°C. Fry the marrow nuggets until crisp and golden, about 3 minutes.

Serving:

Remove the sirloin from the bone by running a knife as close to the bone as possible, then carve the meat. Lay it on a large platter with the other bits dotted around the table and get stuck in.

Shop the ingredients

For 15 years George worked in some of London’s most loved restaurants, including Padella and Primeur, and had a 5-year stint as Head Chef at the Garden Museum Café. George earned rave reviews for his simple, thoughtful cookery, his dishes were firmly rooted in the classics, and always paid homage to the produce. In 2021 George realised a long-held ambition and released his first cookbook entitled, A Year In The Kitchen. It celebrates the annual cookery cycle, taking readers on a journey through the British seasons, showcasing native produce, and inspiring year round creativity. In 2022 George left London behind, and moved back home to Yorkshire. His passion for seasonal cookery and reverence of quality British ingredients proved that for George, home is where the heart is. Like his food, George is led by the seasons, he’s open to new opportunities, and always following his heart.