Peppercorn Roast Beef with Horseradish Cream

3.3

(3)

3 Reviews

To make this tender beef roast, brothers Nakul and Arjun Mahendro—restaurateurs who, along with their parents, run Badmaash, a modern Indian concept with two locations in Los Angeles—start with a center-cut strip roast, which they spread with peppercorns, salt, mustard, and rosemary leaves. An overnight chill seasons and tenderizes the meat and also dries the outside of the roast nicely, helping to create a crispy crust after roasting. It's a perfect centerpiece for a Sunday dinner.

By Nakul and Arjun Mahendro

Updated on August 2, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Peppercorn Crusted Roast Beef with Horseradish Cream — Photo: Jennifer Chong

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

13 hrs 50 mins

Servings:

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Beef Roast

¼ cup coarsely cracked black peppercorns
2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 (5-inch) rosemary sprigs, broken in half, plus 2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves, divided
.50 cup Dijon mustard
1 (6-pound) center-cut beef strip roast, fat cap trimmed to 1/4 inch
1 large yellow onion, unpeeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
3 medium celery stalks, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
4 medium garlic cloves
2.50 tablespoons unsalted butter
2.50 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups lower-sodium chicken stock

Horseradish Cream

2 cups sour cream
.50 cup refrigerated prepared horseradish, well drained
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Make the beef roast:

Stir together cracked peppercorns, salt, and rosemary leaves in a small bowl. Rub mustard all over roast. Sprinkle roast evenly with peppercorn mixture, pressing to adhere. Place roast on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Arrange onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and rosemary sprigs in a 16- x 12-inch roasting pan. Place beef roast, fat side up, on top of onion mixture. Roast in preheated oven 15 minutes. Without opening oven, reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Continue roasting until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of meat registers 115°F, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes. Remove roasting pan from oven. Transfer roast to a cutting board, and let rest 20 minutes. (Internal temperature will continue to climb to 125°F.)

While beef roasts, make the horseradish cream:

Whisk together sour cream, horseradish, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
While roast rests, place roasting pan on stovetop over medium. Add butter to onion mixture in pan, and cook, stirring constantly, until melted. Sprinkle flour over onion mixture; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Gradually add stock, whisking constantly until flour mixture is smooth. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium; simmer, whisking often, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Season gravy with additional salt to taste. Pour gravy through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a small bowl; discard solids, and transfer gravy to a gravy boat.
Slice beef roast into 1/2-inch-thick slices, and transfer to a large platter. Serve with horseradish cream and gravy.