The best cuts of beef for roasting are: tip or middle of sirloin, back of rump, or first three ribs. Tip of sirloin roast is desirable for a small family. Back of rump makes a superior roast for a large family, and is more economical than sirloin. It is especially desirable where a large quantity of dish gravy is liked, for in carving the meat juices follow the knife. Rib roasts contain more fat than either of the others, and are somewhat cheaper.

To Roast Beef. Wipe, put on a rack in dripping-pan, skin side down, rub over with salt, and dredge meat and pan with flour. Place in hot oven, that the surface may be quickly seared, thus preventing escape of inner juices. After flour in pan is browned, reduce heat, and baste with fat which has tried out; if meat is quite lean, it may be necessary to put trimmings of fat in pan. Baste every ten minutes; if this rule is followed, meat will be found more juicy. When meat is about half done, turn it over and dredge with flour, that skin side may be uppermost for final browning. For roasting, consult Time Table for Baking Meats, page 30.

If there is danger of flour burning in pan, add a small quantity of water; this, however, is not desirable, and seldom need be done if size of pan is adapted to size of roast. Beef to be well roasted should be started in hot oven and heat decreased, so that when carved the slices will be red throughout, with a crisp layer of golden brown fat on the top.

Beef roasted when temperature is so high that surface is hardened before heat can penetrate to the centre is most unsatisfactory.

Sirloin or rib roasts may have the bones removed, and be rolled, skewered, and tied in shape. Chicago Butt is cut from the most tender part of back of rump. They are shipped from Chicago, our greatest beef centre, and if fresh and from a heavy creature, make excellent roasts at a small price.

Roast Beef Gravy. Remove some of the fat from pan, leaving four tablespoons. Place on front of range, add four tablespoons flour, and stir until well browned. The flour, dredged and browned in pan, should give additional color to gravy. Add gradually one and one-half cups boiling water, cook five minutes, season with salt and pepper, and strain. If flour should burn in pan, gravy will be full of black particles.

To Carve a Roast of Beef. Have roast placed on platter skin side up; with a pointed, thin-bladed, sharp knife cut a sirloin or rib roast in thin slices at right angles to the ribs, and cut slices from ribs. If there is tenderloin, remove it from under the bone, and cut in thin slices across grain of meat. Carve back of rump in thin slices with the grain of meat; by so doing, some of the least tender muscle will be served with that which is tender. By cutting across grain of meat, the tenderest portion is sliced by itself, as is the less tender portion.