This boneless beef roast is marinated in a flavorful apple cider-onion-garlic mixture. The meat must be cooked to rare or medium rare for optimum tenderness, which, combined with the marinating and the slow roasting makes it tender. Garnish with crab apples and parsley.

1 beef roast, 4 lbs. boneless rump, sirloin tip, or cross-rib chuck, tied
2 c. apple cider
2/3 c. salad oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. onion (1 med.), chopped
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled, smashed, but not completely crushed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. each salt, thyme, whole allspice, dry mustard
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. cornstarch

1. Make about 2 dozen slits in the meat on the outside, 1 inch deep; place in glass or plastic bowl.

2. Combine apple cider, oil, lemon juice, onion, garlic, bay leaf, salt, thyme, allspice, mustard and pepper. Pour over meat. Cover, marinate in refrigerator for 4 hours or more.

3. Remove roast from marinade. Place on roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer so it reaches the thickest part. Roast at 300 degrees until thermometer reaches 140 degrees, about 2 hours for rare meat (meat continues to cook after it is out of the oven). Remove onto warm platter.

4. Strain marinade. Skim fat from roasting pan. Add marinade to the drippings, reserving 2 to 3 tablespoons of the marinade liquid to mix with cornstarch. Stir cornstarch into boiling liquid. Cook until thickened. Glaze roast with the sauce.

5. Slice very thinly to serve.

Good served with: potato casserole, glazed carrots, green salad, bread. For 10 servings: 1 1/2 times the ingredients, cooking time: 2 1/2 hours. Preparation time: 10 minutes. Marinating time: 4 hours or more. Roasting time: about 2 hours. Oven temperature: 300 degrees.