Classic roast beef with tomato and red wine gravy

Take classic roast beef to the next level with a delicious gravy that is easy to make from scratch using roasted garlic, tomato and red wine.

Roast Beef with Tomato and Red Wine Gravy on a wooden board. Served with tomato on the vine and pumpkin.

Serves

6

Prep

15m

Note: + resting time

Cooking

1h 30m

Ingredients

  • 1 (about 1.9kg) Coles Australian No Added Hormones Beef Family Roast or Blade Roast, at room temperature
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 whole garlic bulb, halved crossways
  • 1kg Kent pumpkin, unpeeled, seeded, thickly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 500g vine-ripened cherry tomatoes
  • 1 brown onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbs plain flour
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) red wine (optional)
  • 2 cups (500ml) beef stock
  • 400g can diced tomatoes
  • 200g green beans, trimmed
  • Oregano leaves, to serve

Method

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 200°C. Tie beef with kitchen string at 2cm intervals. Season well. Heat 1 tbs of the oil in a flameproof roasting pan over high heat. Cook the beef, turning, for 5 mins or until brown all over. Remove pan from heat. Place the halved garlic around the beef.

STEP 2

Roast the beef for 1 hour (or 15 mins per 500g) or until internal temperature is 60-65°C for rare, or until beef is cooked to your liking.

STEP 3

Meanwhile, toss pumpkin and garlic cloves with remaining oil in a bowl. Place on a baking tray. Roast with the beef for 40 mins or until just tender. Add tomatoes. Roast for 15 mins or until the tomatoes soften.

STEP 4

Transfer the beef and halved garlic to a serving platter. Loosely cover with foil. Set aside for 10 mins to rest.

STEP 5

Squeeze garlic cloves from skins and crush. Discard excess fat from roasting pan, reserving 1 tbs in pan. Heat pan over medium heat. Add onion and crushed garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 mins or until onion softens. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 min or until the mixture is grainy and bubbling. Stir in wine, stock and diced tomato. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring, for 5-10 mins or until gravy thickens.

STEP 6

Cook the beans in a large saucepan of boiling water for 5 mins or until bright green and tender. Drain well.

STEP 7

Arrange the roasted vegetables and beans around the beef and garlic on the platter. Sprinkle with oregano leaves. Thickly slice beef. Serve with the gravy.

Season well for flavour

Season your beef well with sea salt flakes and black pepper. This is the key to great-tasting beef, plus it draws out moisture to help develop a delicious crust on the outside of the meat.

Sear over high heat

For the best colour and a deeper flavour, brown the beef all over in the roasting pan over high heat before placing it in the oven to roast – it needs this punch of heat to create the perfect caramelised crust. 

Use a thermometer to check it’s done

For an accurate reading, it’s best to check the internal temperature of the beef with an instant-read meat thermometer. Rare beef should be 60-65°C. If you like it medium, roast for 20-25 mins per 500g or until the internal temperature is 65-70°C. For well-done beef, roast for 25-30 mins per 500g or until the internal temperature is 75°C.

No thermometer? Try the touch test

Don’t stress if you don’t have an instant-read thermometer. Press the beef with tongs or your fingers to check for doneness – rare feels soft, medium is springy and well-done is firm.

Lose the booze

Want to make the gravy without wine? Simply leave it out and increase the beef stock to 21/2 cups (625ml).

Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.