Roast Beef Sirloin with Yorkshire Puddings
This Roast Beef Sirloin with Yorkshire Puddings recipe is a lovely choice when Christmas lunch calls for a proper roast without too many side dishes. The beef gets a mustard and rosemary crust, while the puddings bake in the hot oven as the meat rests.
For a hot South African Christmas, serve it with a tomato salad and green beans dressed with lemon rather than a second tray of roasted vegetables. Put the gravy in a jug so everyone can help themselves.
A meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of the sirloin. Have your muffin tin ready and give the pudding batter a good rest: hot oil and an undisturbed oven are what help those golden sides rise.
Ingredients
Roast beef
Yorkshire puddings
Pan gravy
Instructions
Prepare the batter and beef
- 1Heat the oven to 220°C conventional or 200°C fan. For the puddings, whisk the flour and salt together, then gradually beat in the eggs, milk and water until smooth. Cover and refrigerate while the beef roasts.
- 2Pat the beef dry. Mix the olive oil, mustard, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper, then rub over the joint. Arrange the onion in a roasting tin just large enough to hold the beef, place the joint fat-side up on top and pour the water around it.
Roast and rest
- 1Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan. Roast for another 45–60 minutes, checking the centre with a meat thermometer from 40 minutes onwards. For a medium roast, aim for 63°C before removing it; thickness matters more than the clock. Add a splash of water to the tin if the onion begins to catch.
- 2Transfer the beef to a warm board or platter and cover loosely with foil. Rest for 30–40 minutes while you bake the puddings and make the gravy. A whole beef roast that reaches 63°C must rest for at least 3 minutes before carving. Increase the oven to 230°C conventional or 210°C fan.
Bake the Yorkshire puddings
- 1Put 5 ml sunflower oil into each hole of a sturdy metal 12-hole muffin tin. Once the oven reaches temperature, heat the tin for 8–10 minutes until the oil is very hot and shimmering. Use a tin rated for this temperature and keep an eye on the oil.
- 2Whisk the batter briefly and transfer it to a jug. Carefully remove the hot tin, place it on a heatproof surface and divide the batter evenly between the holes, filling each roughly halfway. It should sizzle as it meets the oil. Return the tin to the oven immediately.
- 3Bake for 20–25 minutes until well risen, deeply golden and firm at the edges. Keep the oven door closed for at least the first 20 minutes so the puddings do not collapse.
Make the gravy and serve
- 1While the puddings bake, pour the roasting-tin juices through a sieve into a jug, pressing the onion lightly. Skim off the fat, reserving 15 ml. Add a little of the measured stock to the roasting tin and scrape up the browned bits; pour this into the jug too.
- 2Heat the reserved fat in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the remaining stock and the skimmed roasting juices. Add the Worcestershire sauce and simmer for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until lightly thickened. Stir in any juices from the resting beef, then taste before adding pepper or salt.
- 3Remove the puddings from the tin promptly. Slice the rested beef thinly across the grain and serve straight away with two puddings per person, the hot gravy and fresh summer sides.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 26 g
- Protein
- 60 g
- Fat
- 41 g
- Saturated fat
- 13 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 1.5 g
- Sodium
- 940 mg
- Cholesterol
- 245 mg
Estimated values based on the ingredients used.
Notes
Christmas tips
- Make the pudding batter up to 12 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Whisk again before pouring; do not leave it standing in a hot kitchen.
- Keep the oven free for the puddings while the beef rests. Tomato salad and lemony green beans make lighter accompaniments for a hot South African Christmas.
- Use a metal muffin tin rather than silicone, and measure the oil into each hole. Very hot oil gives the batter the quick start it needs.
- Refrigerate leftover beef and gravy in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is hotter than 32°C. Use within 3–4 days; chilled roast beef makes good sandwiches.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use self-raising flour for Yorkshire puddings?
Use plain cake wheat flour, not self-raising flour. Yorkshire puddings rise through steam, and the egg-and-flour structure holds that rise without baking powder.
How do I know when the sirloin is cooked?
Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part, avoiding pockets of fat. This recipe targets 63°C before resting, a safe minimum for a whole beef roast when followed by at least a 3-minute rest. The centre will generally remain pink, although colour is not a reliable safety test. Cooking time varies with the shape of the joint and your oven.
Can I bake the Yorkshire puddings ahead?
Yes, although they are best freshly baked. Cool them on a rack, refrigerate within 2 hours and store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat on a baking tray at 200°C conventional or 180°C fan for 5–8 minutes until hot and crisp.
