Ingredients

• 3-4 lb grass fed strip (top loin) roast

• 3 tbsp salt

• 3 tsp pepper

• 3 cups homemade chicken stock

• 3 tsp “beef base” base paste (I recommend “Better than Bullion” brand)

• 1 tbsp gelatin

• 2 bay leaves

• 1.5 tsp dry “herbs de Provence” or a few sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary

• 3 cloves

• 10 pepper corns

• 10-12 med size golden Yukon, peeled (i like the ones that are a bit larger than eggs, but as you wish)

Equipment

• 12 inch oven safe stainless pan

• Sieve/strainer
• peeler

• Small sauce pan (5 cup)
• Meat thermometer

Instruction

1. PREP the meat: call your butcher and ask for a strip roast, 3 to 4 lbs. Trim the front bit of meat that is sinewy and attached to the ribs when you get home. Reserve and refrigerate scraps. A day prior to cooking, salt and pepper roast generously. Reserve and refrigerate.

1. PREP the potatoes: peel, slice tips off potatoes then slice in half. Salt and pepper, toss, reserve.

1. PREP the stock: thaw 3 cups of homemade chicken broth. Add 2 tspn beef base to chicken stock, mix. Taste, add more beef base if necessary. Using cheese cloth or spice bag – combine cloves, pepper corn, bay leaves and dried herbs. Tie and reserve.

1. SET oven to 300F.

1. ADD high heat cooking oil to skillet. Then add roast fat side down. Scatter meat scraps around roast.

1. MEDIUM heat on stove.

1. BROWN roast 8-10 min / golden brown.

1. TOSS and brown scraps.

1. TURN roast, Brown for another 2-3 min.

1. REMOVE roast and scraps, reserve

1. BROWN potatoes, wide side down in fat and oil left in skillet. MEDIUM heat for 15-20 min / golden brown.

1. TURN potatoes, 1 by 1 checking for fineness. Cook another 5-10 min on other side.

1. OFF heat.

1. ADD layer of tin foil on top of potatoes. Make roughly 5 holes for drippings.

1. ADD roast to skillet and put in oven for 40-55 min – 300F convection / 280F temperature if your oven runs hot.

1. ADD browned scraps, gelatin and spice sack to broth. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer for about 15-20 min.

1. DRAIN broth (jus) through strainer and then into a fat separator. Reserve jus.

1. CHECK internal temp at around 40-45 min.

1. REST and tent roast in foil when internal temperature comes to 115-125F.

1. ADD reserved broth to potatoes, return to oven and up heat to 550F/BROIL.

1. BOIL BRAISE potatoes in broth for 20-30 min while meat rests.

1. CARVE roast.

1. PLATTER potatoes.

1. SERVE with jus (finished broth). Green salad and horseradish cream are wonderful accompaniments.

by Thomas Courtney