For Best Results, Go Topless

With the holidays upon us, an oven roast is the ultimate comfort food, for family and for guests. And what better way to entertain than going topless!

With a combination of both culinary and consumer research, the Beef Information Centre (BIC) is putting forward its findings for oven-roasting best practices. Oven roast enthusiasts across the nation can take comfort, confident they have the information they need to prepare the most juicy, tender oven roasts possible with just four easy steps: season, sear, reduce and stand.

With 65 per cent of Canadians not clear on the difference between a pot roast and an oven roast, BIC is stressing oven roasters 'go topless' (not use a lid), 'go dry' (not use liquid in the pan) and 'go low' (roasting at 275°F) to best achieve restaurant-quality roasting. Interestingly, 47 per cent of Canadians in BIC studies covered their oven roasts with a lid and 55 per cent used liquid in the pan. Oh the sufferings of the oven roast, confined under a lid and drowning in liquid - no more! And with the help of the step-by-step cooking lesson at www.beefinfo.org, a roasting revival is on the horizon as more Canadians discover just how easy roasting can be.

Canadians can learn all about the oven roasting best practices, how to make tasty homemade gravy, learn about serving sizes, get great holiday recipe ideas and much more by visiting www.beefinfo.org.

Oven-Roasting Best Practices

Season roast. Place, fat side up, on rack in shallow pan (no water is necessary). Insert oven-safe meat thermometer into centre of roast, avoiding fat or bone.

Oven-Sear* by placing uncovered (topless) roast in preheated 450°F (230°C) oven for 10 minutes.

*(Not around to turn it down? Skip this step and roast at a constant 275°F/140°C).

Reduce heat to 275°F (140°C). Cook to desired doneness, removing from oven when the roast is 5°F (3°C) below finished temperature (145°F/63°C for medium-rare, 160°F/71°C for medium to well-done).

Cover with foil and let stand for at least 15 minutes. Roasts can stand 20 to 30 minutes before carving into thin slices.


FENNEL-CRUSTED BEEF STRIP LOIN ROAST WITH PORT WINE SAUCE

Beef Strip Loin is a great roast to consider for entertaining - it's ever-tender and has amazing flavour! Since it's boneless, Strip Loin Roast is simple to carve and there's little waste. Bonus: Fully trimmed Strip Loin is lean, and because of its flat, thin shape, it cooks quite quickly for its weight.


Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 2 hours

1/4 cup (50 mL) minced fresh parsley

1 tbsp (15 mL) crushed fennel seeds

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil

Coarse salt and pepper, to taste

4 lb (2 kg) Beef Strip Loin Premium Oven Roast

Port Wine Sauce:

2 shallots, minced

1 cup (250 mL) red wine

1/2 cup (125 mL) ruby port

1-1/2 cups (375 mL) sodium-reduced beef broth

2 tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch

1 tbsp (15 mL) butter

1.Combine parsley, fennel seeds, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Rub all over roast.

2.Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert oven-safe meat thermometer into centre of roast. Cook, uncovered, in 450°F (230°C) oven for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 275°F (140°C); roast until thermometer reads 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare, about 1-3/4 to 2 hours, or to 150°F (66°C) for medium. Remove from oven. Cover roast loosely with foil and let stand for 15 to 30 minutes before carving.

3.Meanwhile, make Port Wine Sauce: Drain off all but 2 tbsp (30 mL) of the drippings from roasting pan. Place pan over medium heat and add shallots; cook, stirring until shallots soften. Stir in wine and port, stirring up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Stir in broth. Combine cornstarch with 1/4 cup (50 mL) cold water and whisk into simmering sauce, cook stirring until thickened, about 5 minutes. Strain (if desired) and return to pan. Whisk butter into sauce; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 8 to 12 servings.

Per Serving: 255 Calories, 29 g protein, 11 g fat, 4 g carbohydrate. Good source of iron (22% DV), potassium (15% DV) and vitamin D (16% DV) and excellent source of zinc (63% DV), 7% DV sodium.

BEEF INFORMATION CENTRE For Best Results, Go Topless

Fédération de la relève agricole du Québec

A GIGGLE with the GOATS Jingle Bells Holiday Performance

How wet was it?

We heard countless stories about the wet weather in the west last spring, summer and fall. But for those of us who weren't there, it's really hard to imagine the impact the rain had on the fields -- no matter how many anecdotes we heard.

Here's a website displaying some photos of what happened when heavy equipment hit the wet fields. Voting on the best photograph is only open to residents of Saskatchewan, but if you don't live there, don't let that stop you from checking out these incredible photographs.

http://www.stuckinthemuck.com/allphotos.php

Cheers!