Roast Beef Makes a Special Christmas Meal

For many people a Christmas roast beef dinner is traditional as a meal. For those whom the children are no longer at home and there's few people sharing the Christmas dinner table, roast beef leaves less for leftovers and those that are left over have several easy options to use.

Roast beef is also easy to prepare, allowing more time to relax and be with friends and family for the holiday. You can even do some of the preparation in advance.

Take a five pound boneless sirloin tip and cut in half horizontally. Tie each half across the meat in two places then once lengthwise with kitchen twine. No plastic based twine - remember this will go in the oven! Rub the meat down with soy sauce and a little vegetable oil. Sprinkle with black pepper as desired. Place the pieces side by side on a rack inside a 13X9 pan, inserting a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat. Place in a preheated 450F oven and roast to preferred doneness. For rare this is 50-60 minutes or to 125F on the meat thermometer up to an hour to hour and 10 minutes for medium, (150F) and a little longer for well done. Let stand for 10-15 minutes on a warm platter before slicing.

Leftovers should there be any make excellent roast beef sandwiches, or French dip with little effort. This allows a "day after" meal with little effort by reusing, or adapting, leftovers from the original meal.

If you don't have a meat thermometer use the touch method to get close. This works for grilled meats also but does take some practice to get it right! The important thing is not undercooking or overcooking for safety or drying it out respectively. The sirloin tenderloin has very little fat so getting it done without overdone is a challenge but one that is so worth the effort! It is also one of the prime cuts of meat on the steer because it's naturally lean and tender. For those without as much to spend a good rump roast or tip roast also works well. Some consumers have also found loin tail in the grocery store for under $2 per pound, making roast beef very economical.

Another great way to prepare a beef roast is in the slow cooker. A little rub down with seasonings and just a little bit of water. Turn it on low and let it slow cook all day - if the bottom gets dry add a little more water - you can use the juices on the beef or to make gravy.

Don't overlook a Christmas beef roast for a wonderful meal. You may just find a new tradition!