Roast Upper-fillet

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Shallow heavy metal roasting pan
• •Instant-read or leave-in probe thermometer
• •Sharp boning or utility knife
• •Butcher's twine
• •Carving knife and board with a juice channel
• •Small saucepan or sauceboat

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the joint

   Ask the butcher to leave the contre-filet on its supporting bones but saw the projecting vertebral pieces short so the roast sits steadily and can be carved without a cleaver. Keep a thin, even fat cap. Bone-breaking was sensible work for a professional larder, but it is neither safe nor useful work for a home cutting board.

2. 2

   Warm and dry

   Take the joint from the cold about 45 minutes before roasting. Set it bone-side down in a shallow metal roasting pan and press every surface dry. Heat the oven to 475°F (245°C), with a rack in the middle. The shallow pan matters because high sides shield the meat from the fierce heat this cut requires.

3. 3

   Sever the ligament

   Find the firm yellow-white elastic band running along the spinal edge beneath the outer covering. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut crosswise through the ligament every 1 to 1¼ inches (2.5 to 3 cm), stopping as soon as the cord releases so you do not slash deeply into the loin. If the joint still springs into a curve when gently flexed, deepen the stubborn nicks before tying it at even intervals. Ça se rattrape now; once the meat is hot, leave the knife alone. Season the entire joint with the salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Roast over fierce heat

   Roast the contre-filet bone-side down and fat-side up for 15 minutes at 475°F (245°C). Lower the oven to 450°F (230°C) and continue for 20 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan once if your oven colours unevenly. When the centre is within about 18°F (10°C) of its target temperature, brush the exposed meat with the melted half of the butter and return it promptly to the oven. Begin checking early: remove the joint at 122 to 126°F (50 to 52°C) for a medium-rare finish, or 133 to 136°F (56 to 58°C) for medium. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part without touching bone. If the crust darkens too quickly while the centre remains cool, cover only the darkest patch loosely with foil and lower the oven to 425°F (220°C). The fierce beginning has already done its work.

5. 5

   Rest without smothering

   Move the roast to a carving board with a channel and cover it very loosely with foil. Rest it for 25 minutes. Its centre will rise several degrees while the fibres relax and hold their juices; carve immediately and those juices run across the board instead. Keep the covering loose, because a tight foil parcel softens the burnished crust.

6. 6

   Build the jus

   While the meat rests, pour the clear roasting fat from the pan into a heatproof bowl, leaving the browned fond behind. Set the roasting pan over medium heat, or scrape its contents into a small saucepan if the pan cannot go on the stove. Add the hot water and scrape until the brown glaze dissolves, then simmer until the jus tastes concentrated and lightly coats a spoon. Add the juices collected on the carving board. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cold cubed butter until the jus gleams. If it looks greasy, skim the excess fat and whisk in a teaspoon of cold water. If the fond has gone black and tastes bitter, leave those patches behind and use only the clear roasting juices, water, and butter. Ça se rattrape.

7. 7

   Carve across the grain

   Remove the twine and run the carving knife closely along the bones to release the loin in one piece. Turn it cut-side down and slice across the grain about ½ inch (12 mm) thick. Arrange the slices on a warm platter, spoon over enough jus to make them gleam, and send the remainder to the table in a warm sauceboat. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask for contre-filet by anatomy, not by translation: a bone-in strip-loin joint, the loin muscle lying opposite the tenderloin across the backbone. Butchers divide sirloin and strip loin differently, so show them the preparation you need and ask that the projecting vertebral pieces be sawn short.
• •Keep the fat cap, but ask for it trimmed to an even layer about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Too much leaves a soft blanket; too little exposes the lean loin directly to the oven.
• •Trust the thermometer before the clock. The joint's shape, starting temperature, and bone structure change its timing, while its centre tells you plainly when to stop.
• •Use a shallow, sturdy metal roasting pan. Glass and thin ceramic dislike the fierce oven and cannot be deglazed safely over a burner.
• •Pour a structured red with enough freshness for the buttered jus, such as a red Bordeaux or a northern Rhône Syrah. The roast is national rather than regional, so the bottle may follow the table.
• •Chill leftover contre-filet within two hours and keep it for up to three days. Slice it cold and serve with Dijon mustard, cornichons, and bread; reheating rosy loin only cooks it twice.

Advance Preparation

• •Have the butcher prepare the bones and expose or remove the yellow ligament up to a day ahead. Keep the joint uncovered on a tray in the cold so its surface stays dry.
• •The ligament may be nicked and the roast tied several hours before cooking, then returned to the cold. Bring it out about 45 minutes before it goes into the oven.
• •The jus must be finished while the meat rests, but the butter can be measured and divided earlier. Keep the finishing half cold so it emulsifies cleanly into the reduced pan juices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 280g)