If you ask me, Prime Rib is the king of roasts. It’s incredibly handsome, tender, packed with real beefy flavor. One issue is, it’s not cheap. Matter of fact it’s gat-dam expensive. Clocking in at roughly $13-20+ per pound then tack on another $2-3 if you want it dry-aged, even if it “tis the season” it’s just not a feasible purchase for many of us. Which is EXACTLY why I decided to go a completely different route this year.
The chuck roast is a large, hard-working muscle taken from the shoulder of a steer. It’s packed full of fat, both of the external and inter-muscular variety and, as far as beefy tastes go, doesn’t get much more flavorful. I got this chuck roast at a fairly boujee grocery store and it was still just under $8/pound. That’s pretty solid for high-quality beef.
Below you’ll find my answer to a low-budget, but highly-DANK centerpiece roast that WON’T break the bank. You’ll have to do a little extra fabrication and “trussing” (using kitchen string to secure things), but trust me it’ll be well worth it. Serve with Roasted Shallot Dijonnaise, tangy pearl onions and a TALL glass of teeth-staining red wine. Ho, ho, ho, MFs.
Chuck Roast Beef with Roasted Shallot Dijonnaise and Pearl Onions
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pull the muscles of the chuck roast apart from one another following the natural seams and breakpoints in the beef. Use a sharp knife to trim away excess fat, then season on all sides with salt and pepper. Use kitchen twine to tie the roast back together. Set on a wire rack nestled in a sheet tray, uncovered, in the fridge for 1-5 days.
- Preheat the oven to 425F (218c) and remove the roast from the fridge an hour before cooking
- Roast the beef on the center rack for 15 minutes until browned. Reduce the heat to 275F and slow-roast for 3-4 hours until the beef has reached an internal temperature of 145F (62c). When finished, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 45 minutes.
- Using a long, sharp knife, slice the beef into thin pieces. Arrange the slices on a plate. Serve with reserved cooking juices, tangy pearled onions, and roasted shallot dijonnaise.
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Bring a small saute pan up on medium-high heat with a dash of oil. Brown the shallot halves, flat side down, then turn over and roast for 15-20 minutes or until softened. Allow to cool slightly before moving on to the next step.
- To a food processor, add the roasted shallots, mayo, mustard, sherry, a pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Puree until smooth. Store the dijonnaise in a resealable container in the fridge until needed. It will last for 5 days in the fridge.
- Bring a medium sauce pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pearled onions to the water and boil for 3-4 minutes until softened. Transfer the onions to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Remove and discard the skin by hand.
- Empty and rinse the sauce pot with water. Add the peeled onions, butter, water and sugar to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the onions to act as a semi-permeable lid, this will allow some evaporation, but still hold in enough heat to cook the onions through. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until all of the water has evaporated and the onions have taken on some browning, about 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the paper lid and pour in the balsamic vinegar. Allow to cool slightly, then store covered in the fridge until needed. This can be done up to 3 days in advance.
