We’ve long suspected that black tea might make a very fine rub for meat indeed. So, rather than merely daydreaming about it, we put it to the test and are pleased to confirm that the JING team unanimously agrees that this tea rubbed beef tastes spectacular.
RECIPE
Yunnan Gold Tea
Rubbed Beef
In-keeping with the season, we opted for our Yunnan Gold black tea with organic beef. With a spicy and warming feeling, and notes of caramel, malt and cloves, we crushed the tea with a little sugar, pepper, and spices to really enhance its character and give depth to the meat.
Once cooked, the beef develops a light, aromatic crust that, if timed correctly, gives way to a juicy, flavoursome roast. The liquid that has run off the meat also makes for a very fine gravy, with red onions and garlic from the pan.
Serves: 8-10 | Time: 1hr30
INGREDIENTS
- 1.3kg beef roasting joint
- 10g Yunnan Gold
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 star anise
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 head of garlic
- 1 red onion
- 4 carrots
- 2 bay leaves
- Sprigs of rosemary
METHOD
Remove meat from packaging and allow to rest for 30-minutes while the oven preheats at 220-degrees. Pat meat dry and score with a sharp knife. Crush the tea, sugar, salt, pepper, star anise and cinnamon coarsely in a pestle and mortar. Rub mixture vigorously over the meat, covering the tops and sides. Place in a roasting tin on top of a quartered red onion, the whole carrots, and the head of garlic broken into cloves. Finish with rosemary, bay leaves, and a drizzle of oil. Place in the very hot oven for 25-minutes. Reduce temperature to 190-degrees and cook for the remaining duration relative to the joint size – for 1.3kg, it was another 45-minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 15-minutes before carving
RUB WITH
Yunnan Gold Black Tea
Yunnan, where this tea is from, is known for its diverse, subtropical climate, harbouring the ideal conditions for producing deliciously complex black teas. Yunnan Gold in particular exhibits a rounded, caramel sweetness and spicy notes of clove, nutmeg and ginger, making it ideal as a pairing with warming savoury dishes or winter desserts.
