Soy & sake-marinated striploin of beef

Method

• step 1

  Remove the skin and back fat from the striploin, then trim off any other tissue or fat so the joint looks as ‘clean’ as a fillet steak with no more than 1cm/1⁄2in of fat left. Put the beef into a deepish, non-reactive, fairly tight-fitting dish.

• step 2

  Whisk all the other ingredients, except for the groundnut oil, with 4 tablespoons cold water. Pour this over the beef, turning to coat well. Cover and chill for 6-24 hours, turning the beef every few hours, or when you remember – frequently not the same thing.

• step 3

  When you are ready to cook the beef, preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7/fan oven 200C. Take the joint out of the marinade and pat it as dry as you can with kitchen paper. Put a large frying pan over a high flame and, while it’s heating up, smear the oil over the beef, using the palms of your hands.

• step 4

  Put the beef into the searingly hot pan and brown it very quickly on all sides (including the ends), using a pair of stout tongs to turn it.

• step 5

  Transfer the meat to a metal rack set in a roasting tin. Put the tin on the middle shelf of the oven and roast the beef for 30 minutes, if you like your meat medium-rare in the middle. Cook it for another 10-15 minutes if you prefer it less pink, but this is not a recipe which lends itself to well-done beef – without any protective fat, the meat will be dry and horrible.

• step 6

  Leave the beef to rest in a warm place for 10-15 minutes, then transfer the joint to a carving board or platter, and slice it fairly thinly.