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Recipe Detail Page
Slow-Barbecued Sichuan Beef Roast
Summer 2010
Marinating combined with low and slow cooking turns a less tender cut of meat into a premium experience. Roasts are tied as an oven roast or a rotisserie roast. An oven roast is a round shape and takes longer to cook; a longer, thinner rotisserie roast cooks more quickly. A high-quality instant-read thermometer is the best way to test for doneness. If you don’t have a rotisserie, you can use indirect heat on the barbecue. For indirect heat, if you’re using a gas barbecue, you’ll need at least 2 burners; if you’re using charcoal, just push the hot coals to one side. If your barbecue doesn’t have a built-in thermometer, place an oven thermometer on the unlit side beside the roast to make sure the temperature is maintained. Sichuan peppercorns provide unique, almost floral peppery flavour and they’re worth seeking out. If you can’t find them, use cracked black peppercorns with ½ tsp (2 mL) hot pepper flakes. Serve the roast hot for the first meal, then chill and slice to serve on top of a green salad or in wraps.
Serves 8 to 10
⅔ cup (150 mL) reduced-sodium soy sauce
½ cup (125 mL) natural rice vinegar
5 green onions, sliced
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp (25 mL) Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
¼ tsp (1 mL) five-spice powder
4 lbs (2 kg) boneless beef sirloin tip
or inside round roast
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, green onions, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns and five-spice powder in a heavy-duty plastic storage bag or bowl. Use a fork to pierce roast all over and place roast in the bag or bowl, turning to coat. Seal bag or cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or for up to 24 hours, turning roast occasionally if it’s in a bowl.
2. Preheat barbecue to medium-high, about 450°F (230°C).
3. Remove roast from marinade, reserving marinade.Season roast all over with salt and pepper.Thread roast onto rotisserie, securing ends and place on barbecue. Place a drip pan filled with 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water on grill under roast. Close lid and sear for 15 minutes. Baste with some of the reserved marinade. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low or temperature required to maintain 300°F (150°C) and grill (basting 2 more times in the first hour, then discard excess marinade) for 2½ to 3 hours for an oven roast, until a meat thermometer reads140°F (60°C). If your roast is tied as a rotisserie roast, start checking the temperature after1¼ hours. Alternatively, cook over indirect heat: turn 1 side of barbecue off, place roast over unlit side with drip pan underneath the grill. Cover with lid and grill as directed for rotisserie, turning roast each time you baste.
4. Transfer roast to a cutting board and tent with foil for 15 minutes (the internal temperature will rise about 5°F/3°C). Cut off strings and slice roast thinly across the grain. (If making ahead, let whole roast cool, wrap and refrigerate roast for up to 2 days.) Serve hot or chilled.
Serves 8 to 10
