Sunday, June 10, 2007

Best Roast Beef

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes (or crockpot)
Yield: 4 servings

1 beef rump roast, about 2 pounds
2 tablespoons grainy dijon-style mustard
1 tsp pepper
1 pound new potatoes, scrubbed
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 can (14 ounce) low-sodium, fat-free beef broth, divided

Preheat oven to 425. Place the beef in a roasting pan. Mix the mustard and pepper in a small bowl; spread over the beef.

Toss the potatoes and squash with oil and salt; arrange in a single layer in a baking dish.

Place beef and vegetables in oven, roast for 10 minutes. Add 1/4 cup broth and 1/4 cup water to pan with beef. Reduce oven to 350. Roast the beef and vegetables 15 minutes longer.

Roast the beef and vegetables 20 minutes longer, tossing vegetables after ten minutes. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons broth.

Remove beef from pan and cover lightly with foil; set aside. Place the pan over medium-high heat; stir remaining broth into pan juices and add cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring until smooth and thickened to gravy consistency. Serve sliced beef with vegetables and gravy.

Tips and Tricks
This recipe can be made in the crockpot as well. Brown the roast on the stovetop if desired, then place in crockpot with beef broth and cook, covered, for 6-8 hours or until tender. Add the vegetables about halfway through the cooking time to keep them from overcooking. When making gravy, I prefer to strain the beef juices with a wire strainer. To reduce fat, let juices cool first, then skim fat off the top before thickening with cornstarch. If you don't like squash, this recipe works well with sweet potatoes.
Make It Healthier
Omit salt. Use prime cut of beef to minimize fat content. Use canola oil for roasting vegetables.
How Kids Can Help
Measure dry ingredients. Make cornstarch mixture. Older kids can help cut up vegetables.
Suggested Sides
fresh bread, green salad

Nutrition Facts
one serving equals 549 calories, 60 g protein, 33 g carbohydrate, 19 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 4 g fiber, 623 mg sodium

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