A traditional Cayman Christmas spread would not be complete without Christmas beef. In days gone by, with beef being so expensive, Christmas was the only time many would indulge in this treat.
Slow cooked until succulent and moist, Christmas beef was, and still is, a festive favourite for many in Cayman.
If you are tempted to try it out, follow this recipe from ‘Miss Cleo’s Cayman Kitchen: Treasured Recipes from East End.’
Seasoning blend
- 8 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 large sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 large scallions, white and green parts
- 1/2 seeded Scotch bonnet pepper or 3 mutton peppers, including seeds
- 4 seasoning peppers
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Pickapeppa Sauce
For the beef
- 4-1/2-pound boneless rump roast or sirloin tip roast
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon Garlic & Herb Mrs. Dash seasoning blend
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons browning or Kitchen Bouquet
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 seasoning peppers, chopped, including seeds
- Beef broth (as needed)
Directions
Rinse the beef in cold water and vinegar and pat dry. Trim off any thick sections of excess fat, but leave a nice layer on one side. Pierce beef all over with a sharp knife, making cuts deep enough to hold seasoning. Combine the garlic, thyme scallions and peppers in a small chopper or food processor and chop fine or chop by hand. Use a rubber spatula to scrape this into a small bowl. Add the salt, ground pepper and Worcestershire sauce and Pickapeppa sauce and mix well. Before you begin seasoning the meat, put on disposable vinyl gloves if you have them – the hot pepper will irritate your skin. If you don’t use gloves, then remember to wash your hands immediately after handling the beef, for sanitary reasons as well.
Put the meat on a platter, and using your fingertips, stuff some seasoning into each cut in the beef. This takes time to do properly, and be sure to push the seasoning in deep enough so the flavours will penetrate the meat. Spread any remaining rub over the surface, top and bottom and ends. Cover the beef tightly with plastic wrap (not foil). Refrigerate overnight, or even better, a day or two.
When ready to cook the meat, remove roast from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove wrap and heat oil in Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium high heat until hot. Place the beef in the hot oil and use a large, heavy fork to turn meat, browning well on all sides, turning as each side browns. Turn off the heat and remove the roast from the pot to a clean platter and sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce, salt, Mrs. Dash and pepper. Now sprinkle the browning and smooth evenly with a knife over the roast.
Preheat oven to 325 F. Add the onion and carrots to the pot, stirring so any browned bits stuck to the bottom are loosened and mixed with the vegetables. Return the roast to the pot and heat over medium high heat for 3 minutes until vegetables being to soften. Add the broth, to make a half inch, and stir again – I throw in a few more sliced seasoning peppers, too.
Cover beef and bake about 2-1/2 hours. The vegetables and broth should provide enough cooking liquid (and gravy base). However, you should check the roast from time to time to make sure it isn’t drying out, and turn it as well. This is very important if you aren’t sure of your exact oven temperature.
Add a little more broth if necessary.
Remove cover during the last 30 minutes of roasting. Beef is done when you can pierce easily with a fork – some prefer even ‘falling apart’ for shredding. Remove from heat and transfer the roast to a serving platter. Cover with aluminium foil and let stand for 20 minutes before carving. Make gravy if desired from the cooking liquid or taste. Adjust seasonings if desired, and spoon over beef as is.
Cleo states: “After you go through all the work of browning the beef, you can also cook this recipe in a 6-quart crock pot or slow cooker for 12 hours on low, or 5-1/2 to 6 hours on high and walk away for the day. It won’t have as nice a crust, but it will still be delicious.”
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