Herbed Roast Beef in Salt Crust
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated onion
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (4 to 6 pound) beef rib or eye of round roast
1 (3-pound) box Morton Coarse Kosher Salt
1 1/4 cups water
Combine oil, onion, garlic salt, basil, marjoram, thyme, and pepper in a heavy plastic bag. Mix well. Add roast; coat well with marinade. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours or overnight.
Line roasting pan with foil. Combine coarse kosher salt and water to form a thick slush. Pat 1 cup of mixture into a 1/2-inch-thick rectangle in the pan. Pat roast dry with paper towels. Insert meat thermometer. Place roast on salt layer. Pack the remaining salt mixture around the meat to seal well.
Place roast in a 425 degree F oven and roast 16 to 18 minutes per pound for rare (140 degrees F), 20 to 22 minutes per pound for medium (160 degrees F), or 25 to 30 minutes for well done (170 degrees F).
Remove roast when thermometer registers 5 degrees F below the desired doneness. Let roast stand 5 to 10 minutes in a salt crust.
To remove the crust, you may need to use a hammer. After removing the crust, whisk away any remaining salt crystals on the roast with a pastry brush.
Makes 8 to 12 servings.
NOTE: Use prime rib, the eye of round, or any beef roast that is at least 4 pounds. Smaller roasts will overcook before the crust hardens. For larger roasts, cooking time will not be much longer than for smaller roasts. Use a meat thermometer.
Use only coarse kosher salt, not table salt or rock salt.
