Roast Bolar Blade Beef with Mustard and Red Wine
Introduction
This is the roast that makes a lean, hard-working cut taste like an occasion. A grass fed bolar blade is rubbed with Dijon and wholegrain mustard, seared until deeply browned, then slow roasted covered at 160°C in red wine and beef stock until it pulls apart at the touch of a fork. The braising liquid reduces into a glossy red wine pan gravy with real depth. It feeds 6 generously, carves beautifully, and proves that great value and a proper Sunday roast belong on the same plate.
Ingredients
For 6 servings
- 1.5kg grass fed bolar blade roast
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 brown onionroughly chopped
- 2 carrotscut into chunks
- 2 celery stalkscut into chunks
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 250ml dry red wine
- 500ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp plain flour
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Utensils
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- Heavy ovenproof roasting dish with lid
- Tongs
- Sharp carving knife
- Chopping board
- Saucepan
- Fine sieve
- Whisk
- Meat thermometer
Cooking Steps
Season and rub
Pat the bolar blade dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Mix the Dijon and wholegrain mustard together and rub two thirds of it over the whole roast, reserving the rest for the gravy. Let the beef sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Sear the beef
Heat the olive oil in a heavy ovenproof roasting dish over medium high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, about 8 to 10 minutes total. This crust builds the flavour base, so do not rush it. Lift the beef out and set aside.
Build the base
Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until softened and golden. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then pour in the red wine and let it bubble and reduce by half, scraping up any browned bits from the base.
Braise low and slow
Return the beef to the dish, add the thyme, bay leaves and beef stock so the liquid comes about a third of the way up the roast. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and slow roast at 160°C. Blade is a tougher cut, so cook it low and slow until tender, about 3 to 3 and a half hours, turning once halfway. It is ready when a fork twists easily and the internal temperature reaches around 90°C, not the medium rare range you would use for a steak.
Rest the roast
Lift the beef onto a warm plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 15 to 20 minutes while you finish the gravy. Resting lets the juices settle so the meat carves cleanly.
Make the red wine gravy
Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan, pressing the vegetables to extract their flavour, then skim off excess fat. Whisk the flour into the reserved mustard, stir into the liquid and simmer over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until glossy and lightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Carve and serve
Carve the bolar blade across the grain into thick slices. Arrange on a warm platter and spoon over the red wine mustard gravy.
Nutrition
Per Serving
Recipe serves 6Nutritional values are estimates only and may vary based on specific ingredients, brands, cuts, cooking method, and portion sizes. For medical or dietary purposes, please consult a qualified nutritionist.
Tips and Pairing
People Also Ask
What is bolar blade and why slow roast it? +
Bolar blade is a lean, great value roasting cut from the shoulder, or blade, of the animal. It carries connective tissue that needs time and gentle heat to soften, which is why it suits slow roasting and pot roasting. Cooked low and slow in liquid at 160°C until around 90°C internally, it turns meltingly tender rather than tough.
What internal temperature should a bolar blade roast reach? +
Aim for around 90°C, not the medium rare range used for steaks. Because bolar blade is a tougher cut full of connective tissue, it needs to pass well beyond 70°C so that collagen melts into gelatine and the meat becomes fork tender. A meat thermometer takes out the guesswork. The roast is ready when a fork twists easily in the flesh.
Can I cook this bolar blade roast in a slow cooker? +
Yes. Sear the beef and soften the vegetables on the stove first, then transfer everything to a slow cooker with the wine and stock. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours until fork tender. Finish the strained liquid into gravy on the stovetop, exactly as in the oven method, for the same glossy result.
Why is my bolar blade roast tough? +
Toughness almost always means it has not cooked long enough. Blade cuts need extended low and slow cooking to break down connective tissue, so a roast pulled at steak temperatures will be chewy. Keep it covered, keep the heat gentle at 160°C, and give it the full 3 to 3 and a half hours until a fork twists easily and the internal temperature reaches around 90°C.
How many people does a 1.5kg bolar blade roast serve? +
A 1.5kg grass fed bolar blade roast comfortably serves 6 as a main with sides, allowing roughly 200 to 250g of raw beef per person. If you are feeding a hungrier crowd or want leftovers for sandwiches and pies, size up to a 2kg roast and extend the cooking time by 30 to 45 minutes until it reaches the same fork tender stage.
