Classic British & Irish Sunday Roast with Roast Beef

Take the beef out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 475°F.

Pat the joint dry, rub with olive oil, then season generously with sea salt and black pepper. Tuck garlic cloves and rosemary under any fat cap if you like.

Place the beef on a rack in a roasting pan and roast at 475°F for 20 minutes to develop a crust, then reduce the oven to 350°F and roast about 15 minutes per pound for medium-rare (adjust to your preferred doneness). Use an instant-read thermometer: 125°F for rare, 130–135°F for medium-rare, 140°F for medium.

While the beef starts, parboil the potatoes in salted water for 8–10 minutes until edges soften. Drain and shake the pot to roughen the edges.

Heat vegetable oil and 2 tbsp butter in a roasting tray in the oven until smoking hot. Toss the parboiled potatoes in the hot fat, season, and roast on a separate tray at 400°F for 45–55 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp.

Toss carrots and parsnips with 1 tbsp olive oil, honey, salt and pepper. Add to the oven for the last 35–40 minutes of cooking on a tray so they caramelize but don’t burn.

For Brussels sprouts, blanch briefly in boiling salted water for 3–4 minutes, drain, then pan-fry or roast at the end for 10 minutes with a knob of butter to keep them bright and tender.

When the beef reaches your target temperature, transfer to a board, tent loosely with foil and rest for 20–25 minutes—the carryover heat finishes the cook and keeps the juices in.

While the beef rests, make the gravy: pour off most of the fat from the roasting pan, place the pan on the hob over medium heat, sprinkle in the 2 tbsp plain flour and stir to make a roux. Deglaze with red wine (if using) and scrape up the browned bits, then whisk in beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer until thickened, taste and season.

Make Yorkshire puddings: whisk the 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 4 eggs and a pinch of salt into a smooth batter and let rest 20 minutes. Heat a 12-hole muffin tin with a little oil or beef dripping until smoking hot, pour batter into tins and bake at 425°F for 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden.

Carve the beef thinly, serve with roast potatoes, carrots, parsnips, Brussels sprouts and Yorkshire puddings, and pour hot gravy over or serve in a jug at the table.