This post is sponsored by Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. Sometimes, when you’re old(er), you suddenly notice traits about yourself that you had never realized were there. I’ve recently made peace with the fact that I am a predictable gal! For example, I host Thanksgiving every year. My guests can expect a Pinterest-worthy table, my Roasted Turkey with Herb Butter and my Baked Brie. Religiously, every single year! For Christmas, though, it’s roast beef time. I ALWAYS make a roast beef for Christmas! But unlike my Thanksgiving turkey, I like to make a different roast every year. I guess that counts as a little spontaneity within my predictability, right?
This year I decided to spice things up and come up with a festive show stopping balsamic roast recipe! Something easy – as y’all know I’m a little lazy – but impressive and delicious. And so this Cranberry Balsamic Roast Beef was born! I was actually quite surprised with how good it was, as I was expecting to have to tweak this recipe a few times. The first time I made it, I decided the beef would marinate in the balsamic vinegar/cranberry sauce overnight. But that was all I planned! Once it was time to roast it, I couldn’t decide if the marinade would go with it in the oven, if I would reduce it in the stove to serve as a side sauce or if I would simply discard it. I obviously chose the easier path – other than discarding, because I refused to discard all those yummy flavors – and just poured the marinade in the pan with the roast and into the oven it went! It worked perfectly! The balsamic roast was juicy, the cranberries burst into an explosion of flavor and the sauce pretty much cooked itself.
My mom, being the critical self that she is, said that my presentation was “too messy”. Well, I’ll take that as a compliment because messy food is my jam! Show me a dish that is too perfectly styled, and I’ll say it looks like it was cooked by a robot. And that’s why I’ll never be a fan of the molecular gastronomy movement! Maybe it’s my Italian heritage, but I love a big platter of food with sauce dripping all over, bread being shared around the table with crumbs everywhere and even the splash or two of wine that will inevitably get on the table cloth. It’s okay! It’s all part of the fun. This cranberry balsamic roast beef was meant to be just like that! Messy. Easy. A bit chaotic. But oh so delicious!
I wouldn’t even attempt to separate the roast beef from the sauce. Serve it as is, in the cast iron pan! It is beautiful just like that. However, if you have your heart set on using that gorgeous holiday platter that only makes its way out of the fine china cabinet once a year, go for it! There are no rules! I may be predictable, but I’m a rebel like that.
As far as the beef cut, I used ribeye because that’s my favorite cut for roasts. But any other premium cut will work, just be aware that cooking times will vary. If you want to learn more about beef and its over 126 cuts, I recommend visiting the new Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. website! Equipped with a guide for every cut – where it comes from on the animal, how to cook it and all the nutritional information – it is a must-have resource for all beef lovers out there! They also have an amazing, drool-worthy recipe collection to inspire you to cook delicious beef dishes, including more recipes for a crowd. Because I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for new ways to serve beef! ❤️
