Love this Korean inspired Simple Roast Beef? Check out our other Korean food recipes!
If you’re looking for a flavorful appetizer for Thanksgiving that isn’t turkey, this Korean inspired Simple Roast Beef is an excellent choice. It adds variety to the holiday protein lineup while remaining easy to prepare and impressive to serve.
This roast is wonderfully versatile. Serve thin slices on savory rice and egg pancakes without cheese and top with ginger scallion sauce, use on a cheese and cracker platter, make sliders with horseradish, or combine leftovers with turkey for sandwiches, pepper steak, or fried rice. The technique starts with a humble top round roast, cut into roughly 1-pound logs (a method adapted from Chef Michael Ollier of the Certified Angus Beef® culinary team). The logs are dry-rubbed with a mix of brown sugar, kosher salt, Korean chili powder, black sesame seeds, and granulated garlic, then refrigerated overnight so the flavors can penetrate the meat. The next day you sear the meat quickly in a heavy skillet, roast it in the oven until just right, and rest it under foil so the juices redistribute. The searing, roasting, and resting take about an hour total. The result is tender, flavorful roast beef with a subtle Korean twist.
Cook’s Notes
- Turning a top round into a tender, succulent roast depends on two important details:
- 1) Slice the roast lengthwise along the grain into logs of roughly 1 pound each. This increases surface area for the rub to infuse and helps control the cooking.
- 2) When you slice the finished roast, always cut across (against) the grain. This shortens the muscle fibers and makes the meat noticeably more tender.
- The rub is a simple blend of brown sugar, kosher salt, granulated garlic, black sesame seeds, and Korean chili powder. A few ingredients might be uncommon in a typical pantry, but they’re easy to find online or at specialty stores.
- Resting the roast is essential. If you slice it straight from the oven, the juices will run out and the meat will be dry. Allow at least 10 minutes of tented rest for the best texture and flavor.
Korean Inspired Simple Roast Beef
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 1 top round beef roast about 3 pounds
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Korean chili pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil canola, grapeseed, or vegetable
Instructions
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Cut the top round roast lengthwise into 1-pound (approx.) logs and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, kosher salt, Korean chili powder, black sesame seeds, and granulated garlic. Rub the mixture all over the beef logs, place them on a rimmed plate, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight so the flavors can penetrate.
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Preheat the oven to 450°F. Position a roasting rack in a roasting pan and set aside.
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Heat the neutral oil in a cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until shimmering. Use tongs to lay the beef logs into the pan so they sizzle. Sear about one minute per side, turning until the surface is browned. Transfer the seared beef to the roasting pan. Roast at 450°F for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 325°F and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer registers 120°F in the thickest part. Remove from the oven, tent lightly with foil, and rest at least 10 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Slice thinly across the grain to serve.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition based on the exact ingredients you use if needed.
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Last month I visited Wooster, Ohio to spend time at the Certified Angus Beef® headquarters. Several bloggers and I worked with the CAB culinary and creative teams, learned about the 10 quality criteria that define the brand, and cooked with their staff. Their photography team also shot dishes we prepared; the photos show how the team styled this roast.
Certified Angus Beef® operates as a not-for-profit organization focused on inspecting and certifying beef according to strict quality standards. These standards help ensure consumers can expect consistent quality when they purchase products bearing the CAB name.
The Giveaway
One prize includes a Certified Angus Beef® Brand Cattleman’s Premium Collection Steak package (a selection of strip steaks, filet mignons, and ribeyes) and a Le Creuset 7-quart roasting pan.
How to Enter
Leave a comment on the post telling your favorite cut of beef. Entries accepted through November 14th, 2014 at 10:00am EST. The winner will be contacted by email and must respond within 24 hours or an alternate winner will be chosen.
Disclosure: I was not paid to develop this recipe or write this post. Certified Angus Beef® provided a Le Creuset roasting pan and offered a pan for the giveaway. I’m genuinely impressed with their organization and product quality.
This is one post in a series for National Blog Posting Month. Follow along through November for more recipes, stories, and occasional giveaways.