How to Cook Roast Beef With Dry Sherry (8 Steps)

Dry sherry adds a complex, earthy flavor to beef dishes. To turn out a falling-apart, tender roast with impressive depth of flavor, use dry sherry to braise it. Opt for a quality sherry and prime-rated beef for the best results, if you don't mind the expense; however, braising effectively copes with inexpensive and tougher cuts, too. Braising is basically a two-step process, starting with a sear on the stove and then simmering in the oven using a liquid like dry sherry. A little extra effort and time pays off with a succulent, delicious meal that's hard to mess up.

Things You'll Need

Salt and pepper
Additional flavoring agents
Cooking oil
Casserole dish

Aromatics
Spatula or cooking spoon
Instant-read meat thermometer

Instructions

Season the roast liberally with salt, pepper and any other additional ingredients. Puree some garlic with a little cooking oil if you'd like to apply a garlicky paste, or just sprinkle on some garlic and onion powder. Use a light coating of a favorite chili pepper powder for heat, or put on a dried herb or two, such as oregano, thyme or rosemary.
Let the seasoned beef stand at room temperature for about an hour. In the last 10 minutes or so, set a rack low in the oven and preheat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat a coating of cooking oil in a Dutch oven or other casserole-style dish on a burner over moderately high heat. Sear all sides of the beef for about 2 minutes each to brown them. Remove and reserve the roast near the stove.
Saute aromatics in the dish. A mirepoix, which is chopped carrot, onion and celery, works well. Add or substitute in garlic, shallots, leeks, scallions or other aromatics as desired.
Deglaze the dish. Pour in the dry sherry, using enough to come approximately 1/3 of the way up the sides of the beef roast once you return it to the casserole dish. Immediately scrape up the flavorful, dark, caramelized stuff stuck to the bottom with a spatula or cooking spoon.
Place the roast back into the dish and add in any desired flavoring agents. Use the same ingredients you applied to the beef or other complementary seasonings, such as bay leaves or basil. Bring the dry sherry to a boil.
Put the lid tightly on the casserole dish and move it into the oven, using the low rack. Braise the beef for approximately 25 to 30 minutes per pound. Cooking time varies, though, based on the cut and its shape and size, oven performance and other factors. Simmer the roast until the meat registers an internal temperature of 145 F on an instant-read meat thermometer; by this point, the meat should be tender enough to pull apart easily.
Remove the roast from the dish and strain out any bay leaves and mushy aromatics. If you like, reduce the dry sherry further as necessary on the stove over low heat for use as a sauce.

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