Try this easy roast beef recipe which is one of my most popular recipes plus get my tips for how to cook and slice roast beef for juicy, tender roast beef perfection.
Let me first start this recipe post by sharing its original resounding success.
And, when I say "success," I mean "Dustin loved it."
And, when I say, "Dustin loved it," I mean he didn't stop talking about it for weeks when I first made it. He shared with his friends how delciious it was, he reminisced with me about how tender and juicy it was...He was so thrilled to have a tasty homemade roast beef recipe that tasted so good.
And it's been like 4 years now, folks, and he still raves about it. Seriously.
I don't mind - I love it when he thinks my recipes are a hit.
If you liked How To Cook Roast Beef, then check out my Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe! Both are classic, satisfying meals that are easy to make and packed with flavor.
I'd always thought it would be difficult to make roast beef so I had never tried, but now that I know how to cook roast beef, I do it all the time.
It's shockingly simple and ready in less time than I expect every time I make it. Let me show you how easy it is to make perfect roast beef every time.
How to Make Roast Beef at Home
Once you learn how to cook roast beef, you'll be able to replace all that deli meat you've been buying at the store, and your life will be so much more flavorful and delicious. I promise. You're not gonna believe how much beef roasts will change your life.
There are a few main steps to cooking roast beef that will help you make your roast beef amazing and tender, which consist mainly in how to choose your beef, how to season it, what temperature to cook it at, at then how to slice it.
We'll cover how to master all of this in this post. I got you - we're gonna make some tasty roast beef together.
Video
Best Cuts Of Beef For Roast Beef
Not all beef is created equal for roasting. Some beef, like steaks, are best pan-roasted or grilled, and other beefs, like ground beef are better cooked on the stove top. For the best types of roasts for roasting, look for one of the following:
- Top Round Roast (AKA Inside Round) - this cut of beef is similar to the top sirloin in fat and flavor and is the most common cut used for roast beef.
- Top Sirloin Roast (AKA Top Butt) - this cut is lean and full of flavor with a little but of marbling.
- Bottom Round Roast (AKA Rolled Rump Roast) - this cut is a good budget cut and has more marbling than the Top Round.
- Eye Of Round Roast - this is a circular cut that is very lean so needs to be very thinly sliced when roasted.
Now, it's always possible to find other cuts of beef for beef roasts that will work for roast beef recipes so don't be discouraged if you don't see any of these exact names. You can also ask your butcher what they would recommend as they'll have the best understanding of what they have available in their meat market for you, too.
How to Make the Tenderest Roast Beef
Okay, so now that we've chosen a cut of beef that is expected to be tender, juicy, and flavorful and we're ready to make it, what's next?
Well, we need to season it and prep it for the oven. Since this won't take very long, we need to make sure the oven is ready for the beef so make sure your oven is pre-heated. Placing a roast into an unheated oven will make things tricky because it will throw off your temperatures and timing so I highly recommend you have the oven fully pre-heated and ready to go.
The good news is that seasoning roast beef does not take make energy at all. In fact, it's an easy prep of inserting a few garlic slices around the roast, lathering it with some olive oil, and then seasoning with sea salt, black pepper, and a few dried herbs for some additional flavor. My favorite herbs to use with roast beef are rosemary and thyme, but you can add mostly anything to it that you'd normally cook with and it'll taste great.
Another great thing about making the meat as tender as possible is it will make the best leftover roast beef, too. When you reheat it, you won't need to worry about it being overly tough.
What Temperature To Cook Roast Beef?
I have found the best temperature to cook roast beef starts at 375 degrees F and then ends a little lower to finish it off at 250 degrees F.
Changing the temperature midway through has the effect of not overcooking the beef and allowing it to gently come up to the right temperature to remove from the oven. I usually remove the roast when it reaches 135 degrees F in the deepest part of the roast because, as it rests for 10 minutes on the counter before slicing, the temperature will continue to rise up to 145 degrees, leaving it perfectly pink and juicy - just the way roast beef is meant to be served.
If you'd prefer your roast beef to be a little less pink, you can remove from the oven a little closer to when it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees and allowing it to rest and rise past 145 degrees F. Either way works, it's simply a matter of preference.
For the most tender roast beef, you're going to want the final temperature to be right around 145 degrees F. Any higher and the roast will start to become more tough and chewy.
I highly recommend using a digital thermometer to insure your internal meat temperature is where you want it. It removes the guessing out of cooking and helps make the meat the perfect temperature. For leftover roast beef, the heat does not need to be as high if you've already cooked it to the correct temperature.
How To Slice Roast Beef
Ahh, slicing your roast beef. This is a major step as well to insure the most tender roast beef possible.
When you slice your roast beef, you want to make sure you're slicing across the grain (as opposed to with the grain).
If you're not sure how to find the grain, take a look at your roast and look for the long grooves and lines. Those will all tend to go in parallel across the roast in one direction. These are the muscle fibers and we want to cut across them (AKA against them), not with them. If you cut with the grain, you'd be eating an entire long muscle fiber, which would be tough and chewy. Instead, if you cut against the grain, you're eating just a portion of several of the muscle fibers, which makes for a much more tender bite.
If you need more help on finding the grain, you can watch my video at the end of this post to see exactly how to do it.
My Favorite Tools For Making Roast Beef
If you're planning on making a lot of roast beef in your life, first off: good for you - you deserve it. Second, I wanted to share some of my favorite kitchen tools that I use all the time for roast beef, among many other recipes. So, in case you're wondering, here ya go:
It really doesn't require a lot and these tools and equipment are super versatile in my kitchen.
Okay, so now you know how to choose the best beef for roast beef, how to season roast beef, at what temperature to cook roast beef, and how to slice roast beef for the most tender, juicy, and delciious roast beef you've ever imagined. You're all set to get started making amazing roast beef that will leave you never wanting to buy anything resembling roast beef from a deli again.
Check out this roast beef recipe I have here for you - it's a simple recipe with no frills - just amazing results every time. It makes super moist, perfectly seasoned, tender roast beef. And it's so darn easy, too!
It also goes amazingly well in this Homemade French Dip recipe which uses these homemade Hoagie Rolls.
Oh, my...you're in for such goodness!
Watch me make this recipe and learn how to make roast beef! Making roast beef at home is super simple and incredibly delicious. Plus, in the video, I show you how to slice across the grain to get the most tender, juicy slices. You'll never want to buy roast beef at the store again!
How To Cook Roast Beef
Equipment
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs top round roast*
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup low sodium beef broth
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Make 8-10 small incisions (about ¼ to ½ inch deep) around the meat and then insert a slice of the very thinly sliced garlic into each.
- Place the roast, fat side up, on a rack over a roasting pan. Pour water and beef broth into the pan (around, not over the roast) to very lightly cover the bottom of the roasting pan.
- Rub the roast with olive oil until coated. Sprinkle sea salt, pepper, and dried herbs all over the roast and spread to evenly coat with your hands.
- Place in the oven and roast for 45 minutes (or until temperature in the deepest part of the roast registers 125 degrees F). Do not open the oven during these 45 minutes to baste or check on the roast.
- After 45 minutes, reduce heat to 250 degrees F and cook an additional 10-20 minutes, or until thermometer reads 135 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes. While it is resting, it will continue to raise in temperature to 145 degrees.
- Remove the slices of garlic, if desired, and then slice across the grain using a sharp knife in very thin slice to serve.
Mary
Do you use one of the digital thermometers that you leave in the oven with the control outside the oven? I tossed mine recently b/c it was obviously not accurate anymore and decided to go back to the "old fashioned" instant read type. Just curious how you check the temperature of the meat since the directions make me think you don't open the oven during the cooking times.
Lacey Baier
You are correct, Mary. I don't like disturbing meat while it's in the oven so I use a digital thermometer that can be read on the outside of the oven.
Angela
This sounds wonderful! But my family is wanted the veggies in with the roast this time. Would that work with this recipe?
Lacey Baier
Hi Angela, this recipe should work as well for vegetables, depending on what/how much you're roasting. Toss the veggies in the pot after the roast has been in the oven for 2 hours.
Joy
I'm planning to use your recipe for my Christmas dinner. I have an almost 5lb roast because I am feeding 12 people. Should I cook the roast longer because it is bigger than the 2.5lb roast you have listed on the recipe or still cook it at your recommended time?
Lacey Baier
Hi Joy, I'm sorry I didn't get back to you before Xmas, but the answer is yes -- you will need to cook longer for more pounds until the meat reaches the safe temperature.
Kelly
Just found your blog through Pinterest, a friend pinned this recipe...OMG, looks and sounds delicious!!! Okay, now for possibly a silly question; do you cover the roast or leave it open on the rack in the roasting pan? Thank you, in advance, for your reply.
Lacey Baier
Hi Kelly! Not a silly question at all -- no need to cover the roast with foil. Just allow to roast uncovered 🙂
Darrell
I do a lot of cooking for my family and always wanted a recipe to cook a roast like this. Looks delish and I will try it this weekend! Thank you!!!
Alyssa
Lacy,
First of all I LOVE your blog! My question for you is if I could use a dutch oven to cook the roast in instead of a roasting pan. I don't have one so I wasn't sure if it would affect the cooking.
Lacey Baier
Hi Alyssa. Thanks so much for the love 🙂
I have not tried roasting the roast beef in a dutch oven, but I bet it would work just as well and may even keep your roast more moist. I'd love to know how it turns out for you if you try it. 🙂
sarah
would this work with silverside please? i find it so hard to cook a roast beef it always comes out so chewy i would love once to make a tender roast beef for my family.
Lacey Baier
Hmmm...if I'm correct, silverside is essentially a corned beef-like cut, right? If so, then this reicpe *should* work, as it will be slow-roasted to deal with the connective tissue. I've never tried it though, so I can't be sure.
Schrodie
LOL, did you steal my recipe? Perhaps because I have made so many (lovely) beef roasts in my day, and I learned from my mother back when I was very young so it's second nature to me, I find it hard to believe that so many would-be chefs are intimidated by the thought of cooking a roast. A nice hearty roast is one of my fall-back dinners when I find myself with a ton to do and little time to spend in the kitchen, because the oven does most of the work. Simplicity is the key to a good roast-- no need to overthink it. A roast is a larger cut of meat, so it makes you think that it's a lot of work, but this isn't the case at all! Preps take just minutes, but the result tastes like you've spent all day slaving in the kitchen.
Of course, while the meat is doing its thing, you still have time to craft up some nice easy side dishes-- who could go wrong with mashed potatoes, and if you toss a few new red potatoes, some carrots and maybe some rutabaga into the pan with the roast while it cooks in the oven, there's another part of the meal taking care of itself. Now, steam up a nice green vegetable-- Brussels sprouts are a popular choice in our house; so are green beans with almonds and sweet red pepper; pop a pan of biscuits or rolls into the oven while the roast is resting (canned are fine in a pinch, though I usually make my own), and make up a side of gravy using some of the yummy meat drippings while the biscuits are baking... superb! In fact, this is so superb that we often have this as a Christmas dinner. Much simpler than wrestling with a turkey and all those trimmings... hey, I just got done with all that at Thanksgiving and Christmas is about PEACE, even in the kitchen, right? 🙂 The only thing simpler is a ham, and that's our New Years' meal (with blackeye peas, a pile of greens, sweet potato pie and cornbread, of course!)
Merry Christmas!
Lacey Baier
Merry Christmas! 🙂
Schrodie
(I made my prior post before I saw Sarah's comment-- no knocking meant to anyone with my remarks about how I find it hard to believe that so many would-be chefs are intimidated by the thought of cooking a roast! Perhaps because I've been doing it for so long, since I was still small enough to have to stand on a step stool to reach the counter, it's just 'second nature' to me. I still stand by my position that 'slow and simple' is the absolute best way to cook just about any roast-- and the featured recipe hits it spot on. Brilliant!)
Sarah and others... depends on what country you are in. In the U.S., corned beef is often made from the brisket, up in the chest area. Brisket is usually a tougher cut because of the strength and arrangement of the muscles in that region. As such, it lends itself well to longer, slower cooking such as in a crockpot or in a smoker. It needs longer and slower cooking to soften up that tissue.
Silverside is also used to refer to a cut from the hindquarter, just above the leg cut. In most parts of the U.S., this cut is known as outside or bottom round; it is also known as a rump roast. It is used for corned beef in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand (in contrast to the brisket used in the U.S. In fact, Sweet Pea-- your recipe calls for what can be classed as a 'silverside'!
Again, these can be a little tougher and do better when cooked more slowly. I love a nice rump roast; they're one of my preferred cuts for roasting. The key is to cook slowly and with plenty of available moisture (but don't drench the poor thing!). It's a good idea to braise these roasts, with a bit if flour and lightly browning in oil to 'sear' it off before roasting. This helps seal in all the juicy goodness. Or, rub the meat down with some olive oil and your preferred seasoning (hold the flour), then roast for 30-45 minutes on high temp before rolling the oven temp back down for the 'slow roast'. This is my grandfather's method and always makes for a nice juicy and tender roast without having to dirty up a Dutch oven for the braising process.
Lacey Baier
I think it just depends on what people are comfortable doing in the kitchen and many are learning as adults what to do because they never really cooked as kids. I'm just glad I am able to share this recipe with folks so they can feel secure that, if they just follow the easy instructions, they'll have a lovely roast beef they can be proud of. 🙂
Martin G.
Lacey,
Tried this one last night with a chuck roast. Wow! We'll be eating roast beef more often around here. Thanks for the recipe.
Martin.
Lacey Baier
You're very welcome, Martin 🙂
Pamela L.
Hi, I did your roast beef recipe this evening and it came out perfect! Thanks for the recipe.
Lacey Baier
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear, Pamela! 🙂
Cat
Loved spending the afternoon with you today, Lacey! After reading through your blog, I know we'll be friends too 🙂 You have a beautiful site here with tons of great info. Can't wait to put this roast on the menu! Looking forward to putting an event together with you...it's going to be fun!
Lacey Baier
I had fun, too, Cat! I knew we'd be friends when I saw you getting ESPN updates on the Cowboys game on your phone 😉
I'll put together some menu ideas and get back to you!
Ziem
Thanks for sharing, Lacey. I am going to try this and let you know how it goes 🙂
Lacey Baier
Hi Ziem! I hope you guys like it! 🙂
Vera
Hey! Someone in my Myspace group shared this website with us so I came to take a look. I'm definitely loving the information. I'm bookmarking and will be tweeting this to my followers!
Lacey Baier
Well thank you very much to your Myspace group member for sharing my site 🙂 And, welcome!
Calendar
Saw this today and made it for friends for dinner. Everyone loved it!! Will definetly be making this again
Carolyn
That looks so good! I am so happy you posted this! I am just learning about meats, and cuts... and what's what. Well I bought a "rump roast" on Sunday and I am making it in the crockpot tonight, with instructions from my mom. I told my boyfriend, "I'd love to make a great roast beef - I wonder what cut to buy? I am so clueless about that stuff!" Voila! Here is my answer! And we both love French Dips but him especially! You reminded me so much of myself in this post because I too am so happy when he loves my meals!
Lacey Baier
Haha, Carolyn. Isn't it just the best feeling? 🙂
Katie
I cannot wait to try this! My husband loves roast beef but it's so expensive at the store.
Lacey Baier
I know, right?!? I hope you and your hubby enjoy this cheaper -- but better! -- version 🙂
Tupper
My god that looks unbelievably good-perfection.
That's it- you're blog is being added to my favorites!
Lacey Baier
Hooray!!! I LOVE hearing that, Tupper 🙂
Suz
Saw this today and made it for friends for dinner. Everyone loved it!! Will definetly be making this again
Lacey Baier
Yay! That's great news, Suz 🙂
kathy eichholz
do you cover the roast?
Lacey Baier
Nope, no need to cover 🙂