Small Bites: Holiday Roast with The Capital Grille

Many people like a big piece of juicy beef for their Christmas or New Year's table. So we asked The Capital Grille to suggest how to make that happen, with ease.

Executive chef Jason Medeiros demonstrated his technique at the Hope & Main demo kitchen in Warren recently for a Small Bites video you can see below.

Medeiros said you can make this at home or order it from the restaurant. Capital Grille sells a butcher box that comes with the hand-cut steaks, as well as their proprietary steak seasoning and steak butter. Call the restaurant at (401) 521-5600.

The chef grew up in Fall River and Swansea. He liked being in the kitchen and cooking with his mother, which led to his career. He took culinary arts in high school and then went on to graduate from Johnson & Wales University. The father of four children, he loves going to work every day.

The recipe for a roast tenderloin starts at the butcher if you don't like removing the silver skin on the meat.

Order half a pound for each person you will serve, Medeiros said.

When you are ready to cook, you want to generously season the roast with salt and pepper and any spices you'd like to add. That means using enough salt to create a crust when you sear the meat. That is often where home cooks skimp. Don't do it.

The Capital Grille has a proprietary blend of salt, sugar, onion powder and coarse ground pepper. That's something you can work with at home to create your own blend. This adds balance and creates the crust as you sear in the juices.

You don't have to use a cast-iron skillet as chef does, but you want a thick bottom skillet because when the meat hits the pan, you lose your heat.

Heat some cooking oil in the pan and then sear every corner of the meat to create that crust. Then tie up the roast with fresh thyme and rosemary. If you used cast iron, put that in the oven. If not, put it in a roast pan.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cook the roast for 15 minutes per pound if you want a rare roast. Look for an internal temperature of 120 degrees with your meat thermometer. Let it reach 125-130 degrees for medium and 135 degrees for well.

Once it reaches the temperature, remove the meat to a cutting surface and let it rest. This is how you retain all the juices which distribute through the meat after cooking.

Add butter before serving.

Author

Providence Journal

The largest daily newspaper in Rhode Island, the Providence Journal is an intrinsic part of everyday life for the city and the state. Staffed by award-winning writers and photographers, the Journal provides comprehensive coverage in print and in real time online.