Jessica Ransom
Gordon Ramsay's roast beef fillet is a delicious alternative to a Sunday roast and is healthier too
This succulent roast beef is served with a light and fresh tomato salad but you could choose chips or dauphinoise if you fancy something more indulgent. Beef fillet is a lean cut of steak that has a wonderful tender texture when cooked correctly. Gordon has plenty of tips to help you achieve perfection.
Ingredients
- 1.2kg prime beef fillet (in one piece, cut from the thick end)
- 2tbsp olive oil
- Few handfuls of wild rocket leaves
For the tomato tarragon dressing:
- 500g (about 6) ripe plum tomatoes
- 5 tbsp ketchup (homemade is ideal)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Few dashes of Tabasco sauce
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
- Large handful each of tarragon and flat leaf parsley, chopped
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- To make the dressing, cut each tomato in half and squeeze out the seeds. Finely chop the flesh and place in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the herbs, and mix well. Season well with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 20 minutes or until ready to serve.
- Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, Gas 6). Put a roasting pan in the oven to get hot. Trim any fat or sinew from the fillet of beef and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan with a little olive oil. When it is very hot, add the beef and sear for 1½-2 minutes on each side until evenly browned all over.
- Lightly oil the hot roasting pan. Transfer the beef to the roasting pan and place it in the oven. Roast for 25 minutes for medium rare beef - it should feel a little springy when lightly pressed. Transfer the fillet to a warm platter and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve the beef warm or at room temperature. Slice it thickly and overlap the slices on a serving platter. Pile the rocket into the centre. Stir the chopped herbs into the tomato tarragon dressing and spoon over the beef.
Top tips for making Gordon Ramsay's roast beef fillet
The resting is almost as important as the cooking stage for a beef fillet so don’t be tempted to skip this step. If rested properly your meat will be tender and easy to carve.
Why do you sear beef before cooking?
Contrary to popular belief, it's not about keeping the juices in. In fact, it's all about the flavour and texture. Searing the outside with high, swift heat causes the edges to caramelise and turn brown. This is called the Maillard reaction and it's what makes that first bite of beef so irresistible.
Why should you let meat come up to room temperature before cooking?
It allows the meat to cook more evenly and ensures it is more tender throughout. This makes a big difference flavour-wise, as a cold cut of meat will see muscle fibres tense up when it first touches the pan. Be sure to take the fillet out of the fridge at least half an hour before frying.
What to serve with Gordon Ramsay’s roast beef fillet?
Gordon says: “Accompany with new potatoes if you like.” We think mashed or roast potatoes would work excellently too. Chips or onion rings are a more indulgent choice and dauphinoise would be a great choice if serving the fillet at a dinner party or instead of a classic roast beef.
What is a prime beef fillet?
Beef fillet, also known as beef tenderloin is a cut of beef taken from the lower middle of the back in a cow. The ‘prime’ or ‘best end’ of a beef fillet is the thickest section of the meat which is one even sized piece of steak with the thinner ‘tail’ trimmed off.
Having an evenly sized piece of fillet is essential for even, consistent cooking. This muscle does very little work while the cow is alive which is what makes it such a tender cut of meat.
Is beef fillet flavoursome?
Compared to other cuts of steak, beef fillet is not as flavoursome because it has very little fat. This makes it an excellent choice of beef to serve with a zingy sauce such as Gordon’s spicy tomato dressing or traditional choices such as peppercorn sauce or béarnaise.
“I always use a meat thermometer to cook steak as it gives me confidence that the meat is cooked to my preference. Steak continues to cook while it rests and the temperature can increase by as much as 5C. For medium rare you should aim for the digital probe to read around 53C after cooking and it should be around 58C once rested."
Explore more Gordon Ramsay recipes here and if you need some more light dinner inspiration we have lots of low carb recipes too. Read our full guide on how to cook steak for tips on how to cook different cuts and weights of beef.
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