Milk Street turns a low-cost cut of roast into an impressive holiday meal with this recipe. The secret? A sweet puree of prunes—which are high in hygroscopic sorbitol and fructose—helps the meat absorb more flavor. Try it once, and you'll never go back.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces pitted prunes (about 1. cups)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 3 anchovy fillets
- 5- to 6-pound beef eye round roast, trimmed
- Fresh horseradish sauce, to serve (optional)
For Horseradish Sauce:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated horseradish root (3-inch piece)
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions:
In a food processor, blend the prunes, soy sauce, ketchup, salt, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme and anchovies until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a 2- gallon zip-close bag. Poke the roast all over with a fork, then place in the bag. Turn to coat, then refrigerate for 48 hours.
Heat the oven to 275ºF with a rack in the middle position. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Remove the roast from the bag and transfer to the rack. Discard the marinade in the bag and evenly brush any marinade sticking to the roast’s surface. Roast until the meat registers 125ºF, 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.
Transfer the roast to a carving board, tent loosely with foil and let rest for 30 minutes. Thinly slice and serve with fresh horseradish sauce, if desired.
Note: Don't check the roast too frequently. A succulent roast relied on even cooking at a low temperature; opening the oven door interrupted that process. Instead, use an oven-safe thermometer to monitor the meat’s temperature during cooking.
For Horseradish Sauce:
In a bowl, stir together all the ingredients. The sauce can be refrigerated up to 2 days.
