With a good piece of meat and some simple herbs, you can have roast beef that’s way more tender and flavourful than the store-bought kind. Below, we break down what’s most important to know when preparing this classic dish.
The best cut for roast beef.
There’s no single cut of beef that is necessary to make roast beef; some common cuts include top-round roast, top sirloin roast, bottom-round roast, and eye of round roast. We usually use a top-round roast, but a bottom-round roast would work too. Since the meat is slow-roasted for a long amount of time, tougher, lean cuts of meat are ideal because they will still come out tender. Just be aware that if you choose a particularly lean cut of meat, it should be sliced relatively thin to avoid being too chewy.
The secret to tender roast beef.
It’s all about cooking low and slow. With a cut of meat like this, a longer cook time will give you better, more tender results. Ideally, all roasted meats would be seared on all sides in a hot skillet to develop a golden, delicious crust. With something like a top-round roast, searing can be next to impossible. Starting with a hot oven gives the roast a chance to get that beautiful crust without bringing out a pan. After you’ve got a head start on that crust, you can lower the temperature, and the meat will start cooking from the inside out.
Top tips for roast beef:
— Use a meat thermometer. It takes the guesswork out of cooking big pieces of meat, and we swear it’ll come in handy more than just this once. Pro tip: make sure you’re inserting your thermometer far enough to hit the center of the roast for an accurate reading.
— Seasoning. This is where you can really get creative. We kept things simple in this recipe: just garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Feel free to swap in any of your favourite herbs (sage, parsley, oregano, etc.) or use dried if you prefer. Spices like cumin or coriander seeds would be delicious as well, do what feels right to you! Just don’t be shy about the flavourings; this is a big cut of meat, and the more flavour, the better.
— Slicing your roast beef. It’s tempting to dig right in when your roast comes out of the oven, but resist! Transfer your meat to a cutting board and let it rest for 30 minutes to allow all the juices to redistribute throughout the muscle.
Storage and leftovers.
Leftover roast beef can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To help the meat retain moisture, don’t slice any uneaten parts of the roast before storing. Slice servings from the cold roast before reheating. To freeze, wrap the remaining roast in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer-safe ziptop bag for up to 3 months.
The best Roast Beef Recipe ever !
Ingredients:
- 1 (4-lb.) round roast
- 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
- Let roast sit uncovered on a wire rack set in a baking sheet in the refrigerator 1 hour, up to overnight.
- reheat oven to 180°. In a small bowl, combine oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub all over roast.
- Place roast in roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack. Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce heat and roast 1 hours 45 minutes more for medium, or 2 hours for medium well done.
- Remove from oven and let rest 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
