Watch out, vegetarians.  Today is not for you.

But meat-lovers out there, belly up to the bar.  The recipe/photos of red meat bar, that is.  Because every once in a while {though not as often as Nick would probably like}, I dive into the world of red meat.  And because I try to be budget-conscious, I usually go for the odd cuts of red meat that require interesting cooking procedures, but end up delectable.


Oh hey, naked meat.  Sirloin tip roast, to be specific.  A cut that I had never heard of or cooked before, but found out is the same as a round tip roast or tip roast.  Basically a tender cut that is fairly near the sirloin cut.  TMI?  The interwebs are a wonderful place to find out way more than you need to about meat. {Insert me studying drawings of a cow separated into meat cuts}


But if you top this beef with 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 2 tablespoons dried rosemary, 3 cloves of minced garlic, and 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce, it's just wonderful.  And looks quite impressive.  It bakes at 350 for a hour, filling your whole house with fabulous homey meaty smells.  I think this would be a great recipe to make for guests coming over, since it's low-maintenance and high smell reward.


With this type of meat, it's best sliced very thin.  Also save what's left to slice paper-thin for sandwiches.  Nick has become a sandwich master, and he recommends this meat with slices of red onion, dijon mustard, and cheese.


Also fantastic with roasted red meat: roasted sweet potatoes.

Roasted Sirloin Tip
Serves 6-8

A 3 pound cut of sirloin tip roast
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
Salt & Pepper for sprinkling

Allow meat to come to room temperature before cooking {this might require an hour or more of sitting out}.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Rub thyme, rosemary, and garlic over the meat, then pour worcestershire over top and allow to pool on the pan.  Cook for 1 hour for medium rare doneness.  Allow to sit 10 minutes before slicing very thinly.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Serves 2 

2 large sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon rosemary, optional

Slice potatoes into chunks, about 1 inch in diameter.  Toss in canola oil, salt, and optional rosemary.  Roast in a 400 degree oven, tossing once or twice while cooking, for 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender and browned.

*Helpful note: if you're making these two together, put the potatoes in with the meat in the 350 degree oven when the meat has been cooking for 30 minutes.  When you take the meat out, crank the oven up to 425 for the last 10-15 minutes for the potatoes.