This classic English roast is perfect for a simple, yet classy holiday main or maybe even just a special meal for a regular weekend. Growing up, we never had a set traditional holiday meal. Sure, some years my mom would make a turkey, but sometimes she’d make duck, or salmon, but really, she’d essentially make any mix of dishes she felt like at the moment. There’d always be an Asian theme because we’re Chinese and a meal isn’t a meal without rice or noodles. 

Ingredients

Roast:

• 3-pound chuck roast/English roast
• 2 tablespoons room temperature butter
• 6-8 fresh sage leaves, minced
• 1 tablespoon rosemary needles, minced
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• generous sprinkling kosher salt

Au Jus:

• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken or beef stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 500°F.

Mix together the room temperature butter, sage, rosemary, and pepper. Lightly pat the roast dry with paper towels and place the roast in a shallow roasting dish. Rub the butter mixture evenly all over the roast. Season generously with salt.

Place in the 500°F oven for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 200°F and roast for 2 hours. The roast will come out to a rosy medium rare. You can check with an instant read thermomether, it should be around 120°F. Remove the roast from the oven.

Pour the excess fat from the roasting tray into a glass liquid measuring cup and set aside. Lightly scrape any loose remaining pan drippings from roasting dish into a small saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of reserved beef fat from the measuring cup. Add chopped celery, shallots, and crushed garlic and cook until soft but not brown. Stir in flour and continue cooking until flour disappears and becomes a light roux. Add stock, reduce by half or until thickened to your liking. Season with salt and pepper.