I really enjoy cooking a roast dinner on a Sunday. It is not a meal we eat every Sunday, but I do like to cook one at least once a month, and to be honest I would cook them more often if my children were not so fussy!! I would probably consider cooking one mid week too if it was a meal my two boys would eat successfully, but added to that the fact that their Daddy works away all week, it is just not viable cooking a large piece of meat when it might only be me eating the roast!! Plus it all takes time, and while I will happily cook my meat in the slow cooker, there is still all the vegetables and potatoes to cook along side it.
However, it had not occurred to me that to cook a mid week roast does not mean I have to cook a large joint of meat, which not only means that it could be a dinner I could easily make just for me, with plenty of leftovers for the next day, but it means I do not need to spend long in the kitchen cooking it. And, of course, cooking it in the week might – said with fingers crossed – might just encourage the boys to try it, if it was a meal I started to cook more often??? Well, a Mummy can hope!
Last week I decided to give a mid week roast a try, and I cooked a gorgeous mini roast piece of beef, and as you can see it was not very big but would feed 4-6 allowing 2 slices each. However, in the case of my OH and I, four slices each because it was so ruddy delicious we were unable to leave any for a beef sandwich the next day! *ahem*. As this joint was for grown ups only (both boys were either at school or pre school last Thursday, and my OH was home a day early for a change), I added a mustard crust by mixing some mustard, garlic and a little oilve oil to make a paste, and then I slathered it over the top of the beef, after slashing some cuts across the top first.
In to the oven it went and it only took 45 minutes to cook, which is next to no time really is it? I mean a family sized cottage pie or lasagna takes that time to bake, and that is after all the time it takes to make it before it is ready for the oven!As this was a fast cooking piece of beef, I served it with some little roasties, which were basically potatoes cut into cubes (I left the skins on), tossed in some olive oil and a little garlic and then they took as long as the beef to cook. Then all I had to once the beef was ready, and resting, was steam some carrots and broccoli and whip up some gravy (I used instant granules but added the meat juices, some marmite and black pepper).I have to say this beef was just melt in the mouth and that is why the OH and I could not leave any of it lying around as left overs!!! My OH could not believe his eyes when I produced a roast dinner for lunch when I had only got in the door and hour and a half earlier!
This experience has definately got me thinking about cooking a mid week roast again because it really was soooo easy and it could easily be done once I got home from the school run in the evening, ready for tea.
Simply Beef and Lamb have launched a campaign celebrating Mid-week Mini Roasts, promoting that beef and lamb mini roasts are a quick, easy and versatile midweek meal option for families. Do you cook a mid week roast for your family?
I was sent the ingredients required to cook this meal, and asked to cook it and write about my experiences.
lauracymft
Yum yum! I love a nice bit of roast beef!