This recipe is sponsored by Smith’s
Here’s something new for your dinner menu: Creamed Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding! Sounds fancy and it kind of is, but it’s so easy to make this dish!
First, start with creamed roast beef.
Ever heard of creamed chipped beef? It’s a dish originally made using dried beef and a roux-based paste served over toast. It was a popular recipe served in the marine corp and can be found in many military cookbooks.
So, that’s the inspiration for this more modern recipe. However, being that we are civilians with luxuries like access to fresh meats, we’re using Smith’s gourmet roast beef instead of chipped or dried beef. Compared to the original recipe, I’ve altered the roux so that it’s thin and creamy, more like a sauce than a paste. We’re also serving this over Yorkshire pudding instead of toast! Sound good so far? It is!
For those of you who are like, “What exactly is Yorkshire pudding?”
Yorkshire pudding is actually baked pudding so the end result is much more bread-like than pudding-like. However, it’s a little of both… I’ll explain.
When you make Yorkshire pudding, you are baking the pudding as if it were a batter. The pudding-batter is thick and creamy and light on flour most similar to a crepe batter I would say.
For this recipe, you bake the batter in individual portions using a muffin tin or a special popover pan lined with butter. The eggs in the batter cause the Yorkshire pudding to puff up around the edges it bakes. A small pool of batter is left behind in the center and remains somewhat pudding-like, making the name of these baked treats more understandable. Ultimately these take on a cup shape, making Yorkshire pudding perfect for filling.
Since their puffy structure comes from heat, it’s best to eat Yorkshire pudding fresh out of the oven. You’ll want to prepare your creamed roast beef while the Yorkshire pudding bakes so you can be ready to fill and serve them as soon as they’re done baking.
Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding are a traditional combo.
A popular English combination, Yorkshire pudding and slow cooked roast beef often appear on a plate together. Their flavors complement each other nicely.
You could slow cook your own roast beef however, that can literally take all day. We don’t always have that kind of time, especially on a weeknight. So, this recipe is geared towards getting a nice hot meal on the table during the week. This involves a really handy short cut—using deli meat. Using fresh, pre-cooked meats is one of my favorite weeknight dinner short cuts actually. It’s not very much more expensive to buy meat already cooked and it saves so much time! Just be a little choosey when selecting your deli meat. A better quality meat is going to give you much better flavor. Using fresh and good quality ingredients really does make for a much better end result, particularly when you’re preparing a simple dish with only a few ingredients like this.
Try Smith’s Gourmet Roast Beef
Opting for a gourmet deli meat like Smith’s roast beef will make a difference. Smith’s roast beef is already marinated, rubbed and cooked for you. Heck, the deli even takes care of the slicing for you. All you need to do is simply chop the roast beef into small squares, about 1/2″ wide and tall and let it simmer in your creamy roux while it’s hot. Easy and delicious. What I especially love about Smith’s roast beef in particular though, is that it’s 97% fat free. So I know I am going to get a very lean portion of beef. Just a little tip: go ahead and order extra because you’ll surely want to sneak a few slices of it plain as a snack while you cook. 😉
Where can I buy Smith’s gourmet roast beef?
If you live within the tri-state area of Smith’s headquarters in Erie, Pennsylvania, you can find Smith’s roast beef at the deli counter of your local grocer or chain retailer and select convenience stores. It’s best to call ahead to make sure the store nearest you has what you need.
Erie natives know and love Smith’s for good reason. We even wear shirts professing our love for Smith’s! Having been around since the early 1900s, their meats have become truly legendary. If you’re not already a fan, you can become one on Facebook at facebook.com/smithshotdogs and on Instagram at instagram.com/smithshotdogs.
Did you know Smith’s also makes delicious gourmet smoked hams that you can order online? Try a Smith’s ham with my easy orange marmalade ham glaze recipe! You also won’t want to miss my beer cheese dip with Smith’s smoked sausage pigs-in-blankets. Can you tell we are big fans of Smith’s?
But let’s get back to the creamed roast beef and Yorkshire pudding recipe…
Some additions can enhance the flavor of this creamed roast beef.
While this dish has a lot of rich flavors, you may want to spice things up further. Or try changing up the flavor from week to week if you make this often for dinner. Here are some ideas to try blending into the roux, or adding as a finishing touch.
- Rosemary
- Thyme
- Cayenne pepper
- Nutmeg
- Garlic – Try garlic paste or powder in the sauce
- Onions or onion powder
- Worcestershire sauce
- Wine – try adding a splash of wine to the sauce
- Mustard
- More Horseradish
- Parsley – I love fresh parsley with this dish
Typically if you’re using dried spices, you’ll want to put them in the sauce so that they re-hydrate and release more of their flavor. Ideally you’ll want to add them during the melted butter stage when making your roux (before you add the flour) to give the herbs time to release their flavor.
You could also add herbs to the Yorkshire pudding batter. For the condiments, those really pair best with the roast beef, so you could layer a dollop on top of the roast beef or you could stir them into the sauce. Your choice. Experiment and find what you like best!
If you’re nervous to mess up the whole dish, then spoon aside a little portion to play with until you get the flavor you want. Have fun with it! Cooking is a science but it’s also an art and so don’t be afraid to change things up according to your own tastes.
Truly an Easy Weeknight Dinner Idea
What I love about this recipe is that it can be prepped in 15 minutes and ready in 30. Pair with a side salad or a roasted vegetable and dinner is done! If roasting vegetables, just place veggies on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and then bake along with the Yorkshire pudding cups. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts or asparagus are great choices to pair with this dish.
Want more dinner ideas?
This Creamed Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding was featured on Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday and South Your Mouth!
Creamed Roast Beef with Yorkshire Pudding
Ingredients
YORKSHIRE PUDDING
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup milk or buttermilk
- 1 cup flour
- Pinch salt
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
CREAMED ROAST BEEF
- ½ lb Smith‘s roast beef
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cups milk
- Fresh parsley
- Black pepper to taste
- 2-4 tbsp horseradish more or less to taste
Instructions
- To make Yorkshire pudding batter, crack eggs into a bowl and beat until smooth. Whisk in milk then add flour, salt and cayenne pepper until blended.
- Heat oven to 350˚. Divide 2 tbsp of butter into 12 cups of a muffin tin or popover pan. Place pan into heated oven for a few minutes until butter is completely melted.
- Remove pan carefully then spoon batter into each cup, about 3/4 full. You may have leftover batter depending on the size of your eggs. Don’t overfill the cups or you might make a mess of your oven.
- Bake the Yorkshire pudding for about 20-25 minutes or until cups are puffed and golden brown. Do not open the oven during the bake time. Use your oven light to check on their progress.
- While the Yorkshire pudding is baking, prepare the creamed roast beef. First, chop the roast beef into small squares about 1/2″ wide.
- Next, make a roux by melting butter in a sauce pan or dutch oven until bubbly. Add your herbs now if desired (see recipe post for ideas). Next whisk in flour and let bubble for a minute to cook out the floury taste. Next, whisk in milk and horseradish and bring to a boil. Add chopped roast beef then reduce to a simmer.
- When Yorkshire pudding is done, carefully remove them from the muffin tin and put them onto plates. Spoon creamed roast beef over top, filling the cavities of the Yorkshire pudding. Top with chopped fresh parsley and pepper. Serve immediately!