Lucia’s Italian Beef

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all the seasonings together and sprinkle or rub over the entire piece
of meat; cover with several onion slices and put the rest in the bottom of
the pan, where they'll cook in the drippings. Put meat in a large roasting
pan and bake at 325 degrees until meat thermometer registers the desired
internal temperature. If you like your meat rare, remove from oven a short
time before the thermometer registers "rare," since the meat will continue
to cook a while, as it rests. Such a large piece of meat takes time to
cook, but it doesn't need close watching. Put fatty side up, and figure
about 18 to 20 minutes per pound, for rare beef.
When the meat is done, remove from pan, along with the onion slices. Take
drippings from pan, skim the fat a bit, leaving about 2 Tbsps. Add 1/4 to
1/3 cup flour to absorb the grease. Salt to taste and add 1 cup boiling
water in which 2 bouillon cubes have been dissolved. Add 2 or 3 large cans
tomatoes, depending on the size of your meat and cook until thick. Add the
cooked onion slices and put the mixture into your blender or food processor
until smooth.
Serve the first meal when meat and gravy are done, along with potatoes,
salad and vegetables. Refrigerate the remaining meat overnight. The next
day, take it back to your butcher and have it sliced THIN (or slice it
yourself). Wrap slices in meal-sized portions for sandwiches. Freeze the
gravy separately.
For a large crowd, this makes an impressive platter, and can be carved as
you serve. Heat the gravy and serve in a separate bowl or pitcher. When
serving the frozen meat, thaw meat slightly and heat slowly the gravy. When
gravy is bubbly, add meat just long enough to warm it through. Put meat and
gravy in a shallow bowl or platter and serve immediately. Have plenty of
warm Italian bread or rolls to go with this. The sliced meat can also be
thawed and served plain as cold beef slices for sandwiches or salads.
Of course, you CAN cook a smaller roast in the same way, adjusting the
quantities of herbs and tomatoes accordingly. Obviously, it is a great
do-ahead dish for buffets and summer backyard "dos." Posted to FOODWINE
Digest 01 Apr 97 by "Joanne L. Schweikj" <SCHWEIKJ@FREDONIA.EDU> on Apr 2,
1997

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