For many, the holidays aren't complete without a hunk of meat on the table. Ham it up, lamb it up, pull out the porchetta or, for maximum impact, get the big beef roast.
There's something so 90s supermodel-iconic about a standing rib roast: gorgeous, a little (okay, a lot) intimidating, worth a lot of dough.
But there are other less attention-getting roasts, the waifs if you will, that can just as handily steal the spotlight. The strip loin, for example, is the Epicurious team's pick as the roast with the most for your Christmas fete.
Not familiar with it? That's understandable. Aliases run amok at the meat counter—the strip loin roast is sometimes called the top loin roast, not to be confused with the top sirloin roast, which is also known as top butt—which makes the buying process that much more confusing.
You just need to know what to ask. I called Dave Gathy, master butcher and part owner of Conscious Carnivore, a whole-animal butcher shop in Madison, Wis., to break it down.
A little anatomy
Roasts are cut from the steer's chuck, or shoulder; the rib and loin areas; the round, or butt and back leg, and the brisket, or chest.
Generally, fattier roasts come from the animal's forequarter, or front end, Gathy said.
Or think of it this way: The most tender—and expensive—roasts come from the parts that move the least (think rib roast and tenderloin). Conversely, the tougher roasts that take best to braising come from the areas that get the most exercise, like the round. These might be considered less special-occasion but, said Gathy, “they’re delicious and much more affordable."
Where and when to buy
Supermarkets carry all the common cuts, but for the most variety, find a butcher shop. Not all are like Conscious Carnivore, which sources its meat from the owner's farm, but any good butcher shop will cut meat to order. You can specify how big a roast to want, and you might discover other cuts you weren't aware of.
It's a good idea to order your roast in advance and bring it home no more than three to four days ahead of when you plan on cooking it.
At home
Keep the meat refrigerated in its original wrapping, set inside a large pan that'll catch any seepage. As Gathy points out, "The bigger the roast, the more blood is going to come out of it as it sits in the fridge." You'll be thankful when it's time to unwrap it.
Mustard-Seed-Crusted Prime Rib Roast with Roasted Balsamic Onions
Roast roster
Here's a rundown of roasts and some of their aliases, going from a steer’s front to back.
