[FTC Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Certified Angus Beef® brand in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. The recipe and opinions are my own.]
Growing up there was one thing that made every holiday meal complete -- a giant beef roast carved at the table by the cook du jour. Yet while this meaty centerpiece was a sight to behold, the actual eating experience was often subpar thanks to poor meat selection, improper seasoning, an “err on the side of terribly overcooked” approach to cooking time and temperature, and a complete lack of knowledge surrounding proper carving techniques.
Fortunately we have come a long way (baby) since those days of dry, flavorless slices of subpar beef. In fact, creating the perfect roast this holiday season has never been easier thanks to the fine folks at Certified Angus Beef® brand and their amazing recently unveiled Roast Perfect app (for those of you not familiar with the app, you can read about it and download it for free for Android and iOS devices here)!
From recommended recipes to a foolproof roast timer, the Roast Perfect app is an intimidation free tool for cooking any beef roast to perfection. To showcase the app’s ease of use, I proudly introduce the ultimate holiday showstopper – the Smoked Herb Salt Crusted Strip Loin Roast!
It all begins with the right roast, a 6 pound Certified Angus Beef® brand strip loin roast (use this search tool find a Certified Angus Beef® brand retailer near you). Next, the type of roast, roast size, and desired degree of doneness is input in to the Roast Perfect app’s “roasting timer.”
As the app directs, the roast is seared (on the grill) over 450°F heat for 15 minutes in order to create a nice brown exterior. The roast is then draped in a salt and fresh herb based dough before returning to the grill to be cooked over indirect 325°F heat for another 1 hour 20 minutes (NOTE: use the app timer as a guide. Check desired doneness with a quality instant read thermometer like the Thermapen for best results) before resting for 15 minutes and serving.
But the best part about this perfect roast aside from being perfectly seasoned, seared, and then slow roasted to medium-rare? The thick herb and salt crust shrouds the beef until it is ceremoniously removed and the roast is sliced for your ravenous guests!
SMOKED HERB SALT CRUSTED STRIP LOIN ROAST RECIPE
Ingredients
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups Kosher salt
4 egg whites
1 1/3 cup water
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 pound Certified Angus Beef® brand strip loin roast
Instructions
Combine the rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the egg whites and water while blending the ingredients using medium-low speed. Slowly add the flour until it is fully incorporated. Increase the mixer speed to medium and continue to blend until the ingredients reach a dough like consistency, approximately 3 minutes. Move the dough to a large re-sealable bag and let the dough set at room temperature for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
Once the dough has rested, input the roast type, size, and desired degree of doneness in to the Certified Angus Beef® brand Roast Perfect app.
Prepare grill for two-zone cooking, placing one charcoal chimney full of ashed over charcoal on one side of the grill to create a hot and cool zone. Adjust the bottom vents to bring the grill temperature to approximately 450°F. If you’re using a gas grill, simply turn off one zone of burners and adjust the heat of the remaining burner(-s) to bring the grill’s ambient temperature to 450°F. Add 2-3 chunks of your favorite smoking wood to the charcoal for maximum smoke flavor. For a gas grill, add a smoker box filled with wood chips and heat according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Brush the roast with the olive oil then place the roast on the grill over indirect heat. Cover the grill and allow the roast to sear for 15 minutes as per the Roast Perfect app.
As the roast sears, roll the dough out on a lightly dusted surface until it is large enough to fully encase the roast (approximately 10-inches by 14-inches).
Remove the roast from the grill and adjust the bottom vents (or control knobs on a gas grill) to reduce the temperature to 325°F. Allow the roast to sit for 5 minutes to cool. Set the roast on a sheet pan or roasting pan (making sure that the pan will fit on the grill) then gently drape the dough over the top of the roast. Tuck the edges of the dough under the roast so that it is tightly encased in the dough.
Return the encrusted roast to the grill, setting the pan over indirect heat. Cover the grill and allow the roast to continue cooking for 1 hour and 20 minutes as instructed by the Roast Perfect app. After time expires, check the internal temperature of the roast using a quality instant read thermometer like the Thermapen.
Remove the roast when it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F for medium-rare (note that the roast temperature will continue to rise another 5 to 10 degrees once removed from the grill.
As instructed by the Roast Perfect app, allow the roast to rest for 15 minutes before serving to your guests. Cut the top off of the herb salt crust with a serrated knife to reveal the roast. Remove the rest of the crust and discard. Slice the roast against the grain for maximum tenderness then plate and serve immediately.