“Low and Slow” Oven- Roasted French Roast with Mushrooms 

When Chanie asked me to come up with a roast for the Yom Tov issue, I thought of the gourmet-tasting meat my friend Nechy introduced me to several years ago. She made it for a beautiful and momentous occasion, as our families celebrated a Siyum HaShas that our fathers, who have been chavrusas for over 40 years, were making. I have since prepared this meat many times over and it never fails to remind me of the first time I tasted it, bringing back that special feeling of pride in my father’s accomplishment. 

SERVES 10 

• 1 4-lb (2-kg) French roast
• 2 Tbsp canola oil, plus more for drizzling, divided
• salt and pepper, for sprinkling
• 2 Tbsp Montreal steak spice
• 1 Tbsp dried minced garlic
• 2–3 Tbsp soy sauce

MUSHROOM GRAVY

• 1 large Spanish onion, diced
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 24 oz (680 g) baby portobello mushrooms, quartered
• 2 Tbsp red cooking wine
• 2 Tbsp warm water
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 Tbsp cold water

Bring roast to room temperature. Rinse well and pat dry. Drizzle with canola oil (not olive oil) and sprinkle salt, pepper, and additional spices generously on both sides of the roast. Rub seasoning into meat until evenly coated. Preheat oven to 200°F (95°C). In an 8-quart pot, heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil until almost smoking. Sear meat in hot oil for 2–3 minutes on each side. Place a roasting rack in a large baking pan and place the seared meat on the rack, fattier side up. Drizzle soy sauce over the roast and place pan in the oven, uncovered. Roast for about 5½–6 hours, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 140°F (60°C) for medium doneness. It will still be slightly pink in the center of the meat, which is what you are looking for.

Remove meat from oven, and loosely tent with foil to rest for 25–30 minutes before slicing. This will allow the meat temperature to rise another five degrees to the perfect doneness. Transfer the meat to a cutting board when it’s finished resting and slice against the grain. To make the gravy: While the meat is resting, place diced onion in a medium saucepan and sautי in oil until brown and caramelized. Add mushrooms and continue cooking until soft. Once you’ve transferred the meat to the cutting board, deglaze the baking pan with red wine and warm water. Pour the meat drippings into the mushroom and onions, scraping all the little browned bits into the sauce, to impart lots of meaty flavor. Add thyme and cornstarch slurry and bring to a low boil, stirring until slightly thickened. Spoon gravy over meat and serve immediately.

Note: This meat will not reheat well, but it tastes great cold or at room temperature. I like to use the leftovers as a beautiful appetizer served over salad greens, or simply in my Shabbos deli platter.

(Originally featured in FamilyTable, Issue 661)