In France, Easter classically calls for the “Gigot d’Agneau” (leg of lamb), accompanied by roasted potatoes and an assortment of seasonal vegetables (such as a Jardinière de légumes, Vichy Carrots or Haricots Verts).

But lesser known (even to most French people) is the traditional Easter Beef, a regional speciality served in the southern Massif Central of France.

In this mountain-and-plateau part of France, 80% of the land is devoted to cattle farming. So it’s no surprise that beef is at the centre of most of the region’s culinary specialties. And of all its locally raised bovines, the most renowned is probably the Fin Gras du Mézenc. Its beef is praised as a delicacy meat achieved by feeding the cows with top-quality natural hay from the local mountains. This beef is traditionnaly sold and enjoyed at Easter, known to be a great protein-packed feast to break the fasting period of the Lent (in French,“Le Carême”). 

So today’s recipe for a great Roast Sirloin Tip (although not made with some exquisite Fin Gras du Mezenc) is my ode to this lesser-known regional tradition of the Easter Beef. Once again, a little way of showing you another side of French culinary tradition… with regional individualities in the spotlight.

The Recipe

Contemplating the idea of feeding guests with a beef roast is something I would have never thought of up until a few years ago. But as you may know, my passion for the kitchen had me try a few successful meat recipes . And of all them to date, I have to say this recipe is the one I have no doubt will stay in my cookbook for life.

This roast sirloin tip recipe requires a few simple ingredients, very minimal preparation and is sure to give you a perfect roast – every single time. You’ll achieve tender, juicy meat with a great sear all-around.

The key here relies on following precise resting periods for the meat: at least 12 hours in the fridge, 1 hour resting on the counter, 30 to 40 minutes resting in the oven, and a final 30 minutes rest before serving. Don’t be tempted to skip or speed up these recurrent resting periods as they are crucial to build up the flavours and tenderness in the meat. 

Searing the meat in a pan and then roasting it in the oven at 250F will caramelize the outside, then the temperature is turned down.

To top off this sirloin tip roast, I am suggesting a delicious Warm Sherry Vinaigrette, that you can put together is less than 10 minutes. This warm sherry vinaigrette goes perfectly with horseradish too, so you can choose to offer both options to your guests.

Cooking notes:

• These cooking instructions are ideal for a 2.5lbs sirloin tip, which will serve about 4 people.
• Having a meat thermometer for this recipe is not mandatory, although recommended. I have been able to achieve a perfect roasting several times without a thermometer – but if you’re planning on splurging on a roasting meat every once in a while, investing in a thermometer to ensure it’s always properly cooked will be well worth it.
• If the roast is not tied up already when purchased, use some butcher twine to tie it up which will help to hold the roast together during the cooking process.
• If you don’t have a meat thermometer, check the roast at the end of the cooking time by piercing it with a skewer. The juices should run red for rare, pink for medium and clear for well-done. 
• For the warm Sherry Vinaigrette, I used Maille Sherry Vinegar (one of the best around, in my opinion). But because the vinaigrette is cooked down and warmed-up, any sherry vinegar of your choosing could work.

If you try this Roast Sirloin Tip & Warm Sherry Vinaigrette, let me know!  Leave a comment or share a photo using #pardonyourfrench on Instagram.

Bon Appétit!

Sirloin Tip Roast with Warm Sherry Vinaigrette

Print Recipe

Serves: 4 people Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 2h15 2h15

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 3.5/5

( 13 voted )

Ingredients

For the roast:
2.5 lb sirloin tip roast
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
3 larges cloves of garlic (minced)

For the Warm Sherry Vinaigrette :
1 medium shallot, minced
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper
9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

The day prior -  With the tip of your fingers, evenly rub the outside of the roast with a teaspoon of salt. Once salted, tightly wrap the roast in plastic wrap, and allow to rest in the fridge overnight.

The next day - Take the roast out at least an hour before cooking, allowing it come up to near room temperature ( very important step – this will ensure an even cooking of the roast).  

Once the roast has come to room temperature, unwrap from the plastic wrap and gently pat dry with a paper towel.

Preheat your oven to 250F.

While oven is preheating – Over medium-hight heat on your stove, heat up the olive oil and minced garlic in a large pan (heavy bottomed, cast-iron style).

As soon as the olive oil is heated (it should start to smoke a bit), place the roast in the pan and sear it on each side for 3 minutes, in order to get a golden brown colour all over.

Once the roast is seared on all sides, transfer to a baking tray with a rack. Make sure you scrape off the bits of cooked garlic from the pan and sprinkle them on the roast.

Cook the roast for about  1 hour and 20 minutes (if you have a meat thermometer: until the roast is 120F for medium-rare, or 130F for medium).

After this cooking time, (or once the roast has reached this temperature), turn off the oven and let the roast rest inside the oven, for 30-40 minutes (if you have a meat thermometer: until the roast is around 130F for medium-rare or 140F for medium).

Important: do not open the oven door at this time, as you want to keep all the heat inside to let the roast continue cooking (it will be tempting to take a peak, but don’t!).

Remove the roast from the oven, and allow to rest 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Allowing this resting time is very important, to allow the meat to re-distribute all the inner juices evenly.  

For serving, top each slice with a generous dollop of warm sherry vinaigrette and a sprinkle of horseradish.

For the warm sherry vinaigrette :

In a small saucepan, over low heat, whisk together the shallot, the sherry vinegar, lemon juice, the Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook slowly for about 5 minutes, until the shallot is translucent (to kill its sharpness).

Add the oil in a stream, whisking continuously until the dressing is emulsified.

Just before serving, make sure the vinaigrette is moderatly heated up (warm, but not hot).