Roast beef with honey and mustard

Nic and I are celebrating 10 years of wedlock this year, and in that time you know I have never made us roast beef. We have had plenty of roast chicken with lemon and herbs, a hand full of roast lamb legs stuffed with feta and olives or cooked in the Weber with garlic, black pepper and rosemary on the bone.....just no roast beef.

I didn't believe Nic when he first told me we had never had roast beef, I mean it is a 'family meal'. People eat roasts all the time! Looking back through my recipe/menu file in my mind he was right, I'd never done it. Is that terrible?

I think not, we do love beef and you all know Max our eldest adores meat, it's just that a few years back we flat out just couldn't afford to buy a rolled roast. A family living on a student stipend in American doesn't exactly conjure up meals of grandeur, in fact we were just happy to be able to afford chicken and turkey once a week on our shoestring budget let alone beef!

OK so after that little trip down memory lane, I am happy to say the student days are gone, as is the desire to eat turkey (unless of course it is Thanksgiving or Christmas).          Our butcher had a beautiful piece of organic beef rump waiting for me to turn into a delicious family favourite and that is exactly what I did.
When I was cooking the roast the smells were fantastic, a wonderful mixture of sweetness from the honey and garlic all combined with mustard and plenty of pepper- it rocked my world, not to mention Max's.
I even managed to introduce the boys to squash (not to sure what you call the yellow squash in the States?). Alex thought it delicious while Max didn't really care what was on his plate as long as it was covered in lashings of pan gravy and eaten with meat, hell, he was even eating his potatoes without complaint and that is one almighty step.
So without further a due I give you our new family favourite- roast beef.
I have a feeling Nic might even hang around for another 10 years to see what else I have kept hidden.

Roast beef


1.5 kg Yearling rump (your butcher should have these ready to go, no work needed)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons seeded mustard (heaped)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

Pre heat your oven to 220 degrees.
Place garlic, mustard, honey, pepper, salt and oil in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Place roast in roasting tray and score the top with a knife (so make about 4-5 1/2 inch cuts in the top of your roast).
Rub all your mixture on top of your roast, pushing it into the slits you have made. When roast is smothered, place in the oven and cook on 220 for 45minutes.
After 45 minutes, remove from the oven wrap in a double layer of foil to retain heat and leave to rest in a warm place for 30-40 minutes ( this is VERY important, so don't skimp here).
Once the veggies and gravy are ready, carve and serve.

NOTE: I cook my beef 10 minutes for every 500g. If you prefer it cooking a little less or more, just adjust your cooking TIME not your temperature.