1 beef roast (tip of sirloin, back of rump, or first three ribs), any size suited to the household
1 Salt, to taste
1 All-purpose flour, for rubbing and dredging
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the roast dry with a clean cloth or paper towels.
2. Place the roast skin-side down on a rack set inside a roasting pan sized closely to the roast. Rub the surface evenly with salt, then dredge the meat and the pan bottom with a thin, even coating of all-purpose flour.
3. Place the pan in the hot oven. The high heat will quickly sear the exterior surface — a technique called surface searing — forming a crust that retards the loss of interior juices. Allow the flour in the pan to brown, approximately 15-20 minutes, until the pan drippings show a deep golden-brown colour and the meat surface is visibly set and browned.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C). Begin basting: every 10 minutes, spoon the fat that has rendered out (tried out) from the roast back over the meat. If the roast is lean and insufficient fat has collected, add trimmed fat pieces to the pan. Continue basting on this 10-minute schedule throughout roasting — consistent basting is the primary means of achieving a juicy result.
5. If flour scorches in the pan at any point, add a small amount of water (2-4 tablespoons / 30-60 ml) to arrest burning, though Farmer cautions this is undesirable and rarely necessary when the pan fits the roast closely.
6. When the roast is approximately half done, turn it over so the skin side faces upward. Dredge the newly exposed surface again with flour. Continue roasting and basting until the final browning stage, when the skin side will be uppermost and will develop a crisp, golden-brown crust.
7. Roast to the desired doneness using a meat thermometer as the primary signal: rare 125°F (52°C), medium-rare 130-135°F (54-57°C), medium 140-145°F (60-63°C). When properly roasted in Farmer's method — starting hot, then low — carved slices will be red throughout with a crisp layer of golden-brown fat on top. Do not allow sustained high heat after the initial sear, as hardening the surface before heat penetrates to the centre produces an unsatisfactory result.
8. If desired, remove bones before roasting, then roll, skewer, and tie the roast into a compact cylinder before proceeding with steps above.
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