Keep Herb Crusts Firmly Stuck To Meat With An Egg White Baste

This video is really about turning an affordable chuck roast into a centrepiece-worthy meal, but what really stood out to us is at five minutes or so in, where Grant Crilly makes an herb crust — and then uses egg white to make sure the crust sticks — a technique you can use for any herb crusted anything you make.

This is probably an old chef’s trick, but it was brand new to me. Salt and pepper and rosemary are the order of the day for this particular chuck, but I imagine you can do the same with any set of herbs and spices, or a coffee rub if you so choose. Then all you need is a single egg’s worth of egg white, whisk it up until it’s good and fluffy, and then brush it onto the outside of the roast. Roll the now egg white-basted meat in the spices (or sprinkle them over, whichever) and you have an herb crust that will stick through cooking and carving.

It’s a simple trick that can transform a dish completely — and bring a chef’s technique home to your own kitchen, and those are my favourite ones. Give it a try yourself — all you need is an egg.

Transform Tough Chuck into a Tender Holiday Feast [ChefSteps (YouTube)]