Roasting a rib of beef, roast potatoes and Yorkshire pudding in a single oven

[ChristmasSeacow]

I am roasting a 3-rib joint of beef tomorrow for a family Christmas meal, and serving with roast potatoes, roast parsnips and Yorkshire pudding (plus a few stove-top veg, gravy etc). However, I only have a single oven. It’s quite a big one (under a 6-ring range cooker) but only one compartment still.

I have some time while the beef rests but I wouldn’t leave that as long as I might a turkey (I want the beef medium rare so it’s going to have to be quite finely judged lucky to get it right, and not too long a rest or it will overcook).

So, how would you juggle the roast potatoes and Yorkshires, which need a fierce heat and maybe more than the 30 mins total that I will be resting the beef? I guess I can do the parsnips in advance as they would reheat quickly.

I tried doing yorkshires in advance before and they weren’t as good as fresh, imho. So I’m a bit stuck?

Merry Christmas to those still celebrating, like us!

I always take the meat out to rest before I put the spuds and parsnips in. I parboil them for 5-10 mins, drain, shake them up a bit to roughen the edges, and put them in pre-heated fat at Gas Mk 7 (having turned the oven up after taking the meat out) for around 25 mins, before turning, and putting the Yorkie tray in to heat up. 5 mins later, I add the Yorkie batter, then spuds, snips and puds are all ready 20-25 mins later, and my meat - which I wrap in foil while it rests - is still warm. If it's not as warm as you'd like, pouring hot gravy over it, after carving, usually works!

I cook my batter puds first. Then just warm them up while meat is carving. A quick way with roast potatoes is this. Boil them until they are half cooked and drain them. Leave them until the steam has almost stopped rising.

Heat the cooking oil on top of the oven and place the potatoes in so that they are crispy all round. If you have room put the them in with the beef. If not blast them in a very high oven while the beef rests. A rib of beef will continue to cook while resting because the heat is retained in the bones. So you can afford to take it out a bit earlier. Unless you are having the bones removed.

As a thank you for my advice, please email me your address and time to arrive, as rib of beef is my favourite meal.

Doctordonowt! Love the name too, btw. Defo cooking on the bone

Thanks also Furry. In the past I’ve noticed if I try to put too much in the oven after the meat it doesn’t stay hot enough so potatoes + Yorkshires take too long.

I might put the potatoes in with the beef near the end (as Doctor suggests) and then ramp up the heat to do final crisping + Yorkshires while beef rests. It’s the Yorkshires that are temperamental, ime.

In that case I would invite Aunt Bessie to bring a couple of bags of frozen batters with her. Or as I am coming, maybe I should make the batters at mine and bring them as my comtribution. I also have Gin and red wine that I could bring.

I would cook everything before the Yorkshire puddings tbh. Temperamental little fuckers they are.

I would cook your beef for 10 minutes less than you would normally. Wrap well in foil and cover with a couple of clean tea towels and leave somewhere warm. The residual heat should finish cooking it and it will still be piping hot when you carve it.

I would cook my roast parsnips earlier on and do the roast potatoes around the beef. When the beef is done shove the parnsips on the tray with the Yorkshire puds and cook for another 5 mins up high. You could also heat your oil for your puddings at this point.

Wang your puddings in when you take your potatoes and parsnips out. Cover potatoes with foil. I always remove them from the baking tray at this point into a warm, clean serving bowl as the steam from the juices can make them a bit soggy.

Carve your beef, then by the time your puddings are almost done start serving up.

I had a single oven for 10 years and always did roasts in this order. The meat stays hot if you double wrap tinfoil and teatowels ime.

I’ve already made the batter Doctor so it has time to rest. No Aunt Bessie here.

I think you are right Frouby, I need to do the Yorkshires in their own at the end. They may be later to the table but worth the wait, I hope. I will definitely do the parsnips in advance.

Single ovens are seriously annoying. I like to warm plates and serving dishes too but there won’t be room for that. What I need is a nice 1970s hostess trolley.

How was the lunch? I really enjoyed my beams on toast, thank you for asking. I will now have to cook Rib Roast next Sunday, as I have not stopped thinking about it.