, there is no formal expectation of posts.The Secret to The Best Roast Beef Recipe? Hint: it doesn’t involve your oven!
This killer roast beef recipe is slow cooked on the bbq. The rub is a little spicy, a lot smoky, and a tad sweet from the coconut sugar. It’s gluten free, paleo, and best of all, you don’t have to turn on the oven. That means you can enjoy tender, juicy, roast beef even in the hottest part of summer. The accompanying fresh cherry relish is not to be skipped. You may even want to make a double batch. Jump Straight to the Recipe
A wise man named Ferris Bueller once said:
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Words of serious brilliance coming from the most charming and puckish teen hero of the 1980’s. Over the past couple of months, this quote has been ringing in my ears. Because, guess what, life does move pretty fast.
Slow food + Slow Living
Our culture doesn’t really value slow living. We have quickie marts, fast food, drive though everything from banking to espresso, and so-called convenience foods lining every aisle of the grocer. I’m trying my hardest to resist the siren song of speed.
Taking things slowly has not always been my default. In life, I start from a place of yes, which has its benefits, but leisurely pacing is not usually one of them. I’m not entirely to blame for my go-go-go nature. My mother was a tornado of a woman who prided herself on cleaning like a whirling dervish, getting homemade meals on the table in 20 minutes, and working 50 hours a week. Luckily, I also had my father who never missed a chance to take a breather, engage in a long conversation, or enjoy a cup of tea and a cookie while reading the morning paper. I’d like to think that I’m moving in his direction.
Embracing Slow Pacing
This spring, I planted a garden. I’m attempting to grow most of our own produce this season. I’ve been gorging on plums and tomatoes this week, eating home grown carrots straight from the ground, and picking fresh herbs for each and every meal. In the next few weeks, I believe I’ll be drowning in summer squash, green beans, heirloom tomatoes, and new potatoes.The garden goes at its own pace, slowly at first, then building momentum. It cannot be rushed. It doesn’t care that there are people waiting on it. The garden just is. I’m hoping to learn a lot from that little swath of dirt.
How Slow Can You Go?
Last weekend, I went out for dinner with friends. The restaurant, called Cask and Barrel, is rather new and is within walking distance of my house. The food is thoughtful, seasonal, and local. I feasted on charred watermelon with strawberry mousse and goat feta and a stunning rillette topped with pickled pink beets, fern fronds, quail eggs, and salmon roe. The real showstopper, for me, was local lamb shoulder which was smoked for eight hours and finished in a sous vide bath for 56 hours. This, my friends, is slow food at its finest. The lamb, which came wrapped in a horseradish leaf, was mind-bendingly good. It was served on a big rustic board. We savored the butter-soft lamb, transporting it to our mouths with our hands, licking our fingers, and sipping champagne. A fire pit blazed on the patio, the food filled our bellies, and conversation never dipped as we lingered late into the night.
The next morning, I woke, thinking of the lamb. Though I don’t have a smoker or a sous vide machine, I wanted to replicate that slow-cooked tenderness, that jubilant atmosphere, those thoughtful flavors.
Inspired, I pulled a grass fed roast beef from the fridge and took some time to reflect on the night. And so, my slow cooked, barbecued, roast beef was born. Not only is this BBQ Roast Beef Recipe easy and delicious, you never have to turn on your oven. Considering we’ve had a couple of 100º days already, that’s a good thing. Served with a cherry and allspice relish, it’s like a summer version of the Sunday roast. I hope you enjoy it, with friends, good conversation, and glass of bubbles to wash it all down.
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Serves: 6-8 Servings
- 1 3-4 lb sirloin roast
- 4 cloves of garlic, sliced into ¼ inch batons (lengthwise)
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground chipotle
- ½ teaspoon finely ground coffee
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
- 3 teaspoons coconut sugar
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups pitted and sliced cherries
- ½ cup very finely diced red onion
- ¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground chipotle (optional)
- 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- 12 leaves of cilantro, finely sliced (optional)
- Rest roast beef on the counter for 30 minutes
- Preheat a gas grill by turning one burner on high, and the other burners on low. With a sharp knife, poke slits into the roast beef large enough to fit your garlic. In a small bowl, mix smoked paprika, salt, chipotle, coffee, cocoa, and coconut sugar. Rub the spice mixture all over the beef including on the ends. Finally, coat the beef with the olive oil.
- Place the meat on the cool side of the grill. Aiming for a temperature of 250-300º. You can turn off one of the burners to achieve that temperature. Close the lid and start checking the temperature of the beef after 45 minutes. Flip the roast beef when you check the temperature and continue to check every 15 minutes once the internal temp is 100º. Turn the roast each time you check.
- When the roast reaches 120º, pull it off the grill, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Mix cherries with onion, sea salt, allspice, chipotle, and vinegar. Add cilantro just before serving.
That meat looks so delicious. I am planning a BBQ and I am deciding whether or not I want it catered or if I want to BBQ it myself. This recipe looks really simple to follow.
This sounds amazing!
Your roast looks as tho it’s cooked perfectly. The cranberry is an excellent surprise!