Roast Beef with Yorkshire Puddings and Horseradish Cream
Serves 6 · Prep: 30 minutes · Cook: 1 hour 30 minutes · Rest: 30 minutes · Total: 2 hours 30 minutes
The beef needs a rest before you slice it, and that gives the Yorkshire puddings their turn in the oven. As the heat goes up, the potatoes can stay on a lower rack to finish crisping. It’s a useful bit of timing when you’re making a roast dinner with more dishes than oven shelves.
With those baking, you have time to make gravy from the roasting juices and finish the vegetables. Bring the horseradish cream to the table in its own bowl; its sharpness is welcome alongside the beef, but everyone has an opinion about how much.
Ingredients
Beef and potatoes
- 2½-pound boneless beef top sirloin roast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into large chunks
Yorkshire puddings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons neutral oil or beef drippings
Gravy, horseradish cream and vegetables
- 1 tablespoon fat from the roasting pan or unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup low-sodium beef stock
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 pound carrots, cut into batons
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 2 cups watercress or baby arugula
Instructions
- 1
Mix the Yorkshire batter
Whisk the flour, milk, eggs, and salt until smooth. Refrigerate while the beef cooks. Mix the sour cream, horseradish, and lemon juice in a separate bowl; chill until serving.
- 2
Roast the beef
Heat the oven to 425°F. Pat the beef dry, season with salt and pepper, and rub with half the oil. Set it on a rack over a roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 325°F. Continue until a thermometer in the center reads 145°F, checking early because roast shape affects timing. Transfer the beef to a board, loosely cover, and rest for about 30 minutes before slicing. Keep the roasting pan for gravy.
- 3
Prepare the potatoes and carrots
While the beef roasts, simmer the potatoes in salted water until their edges begin to soften. Drain and shake the pot gently to rough up the edges. Toss with the remaining oil and spread on a roomy sheet pan with the carrots. Roast alongside the beef. Move the carrots to a bowl once tender; let the potatoes keep roasting. When the beef comes out, turn the potatoes and leave the pan in the oven as it heats to 450°F so they crisp while the puddings bake.
- 4
Bake the Yorkshire puddings
Once the beef comes out, increase the oven to 450°F. Divide the oil or drippings among all 12 cups of a muffin tin. Heat the tin in the oven until the fat is shimmering, then quickly divide the batter among the hot cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes without opening the door, until puffed and deep golden. The potatoes can stay on a lower rack.
- 5
Make the pan gravy
While the puddings bake, pour the roasting pan juices into a heatproof cup. Skim 1 tablespoon of fat into a small saucepan, or use butter if the roast left little fat. Whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat for a minute. Gradually whisk in the beef stock and any juices left in the cup. Simmer until the gravy lightly coats a spoon. Taste before adding salt.
- 6
Finish the vegetables
Simmer the peas briefly in water, then drain. Wilt the spinach in a skillet with a splash of water; warm the carrots there too. Season lightly. Slice the rested beef across the grain, spoon a little gravy over it, and add the watercress. Serve the puddings, potatoes, remaining vegetables, horseradish cream, and extra gravy alongside.
Recipe notes
Food safety and photo details
- Food safety: USDA guidance calls for beef roasts to reach 145°F before removal from heat, followed by at least 3 minutes of rest. Use a thermometer rather than color to judge doneness. The beef in the photograph may be less done than this home method. USDA temperature chart.
- The white condiment in the photo is not identifiable from the image alone. Horseradish cream is the version used here.
- A hot tin and undisturbed oven help Yorkshire puddings rise; do not open the door during the first 20 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn't my Yorkshire puddings rise?
The fat or tin may not have been hot enough, or the oven door may have been opened too soon. Pour the batter into a properly hot tin and leave it undisturbed until puffed and browned.
Can I make the Yorkshire batter ahead?
Yes. Whisk it earlier in the day and refrigerate. Give it a quick stir before pouring it into the hot tin.
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