My fondest childhood memories involve the aroma of roast beef filling our home every Sunday. This quintessential comfort food transforms an ordinary dinner into a special occasion, requiring minimal effort but delivering maximum flavor. This foolproof technique yields a juicy, tender roast with a perfectly crisp crust that’s worthy of your most cherished family gatherings. Once you master this method, you’ll never want to prepare roast beef any other way.
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Why This Roast Beef Recipe Works
Growing up, Sunday meant roast beef. As an adult, I continue this tradition during cooler months, creating hearty meals that bring families together. While beef roasts are quite uncomplicated to make, there’s something special about slow-roasted roast beef that’s hard to resist. This method ensures even cooking, maximum juiciness, and that coveted crispy exterior that makes every bite memorable.
How to Choose the Best Beef
This recipe works well for most cuts of beef when making roast beef. You can use most boneless roasts, from rib-eye roasts to rump roasts, top sirloin roasts, top round roasts, bottom round roasts, or even eye of round roasts. All of these cuts taste quite good.
Often, my choice depends on what is available or on sale. This last week, ribeye roasts happened to be on sale. These are also known as standing rib roasts, which are when the bone is left in the roast.
The one cut of beef I do not recommend for roasting is a chuck roast. Chuch roasts need a longer amount of time to cook to become tender. You should braise a chuck roast.
What Are The Different Meat Grades and How Do They Matter When You Cook
So, years ago, I was a co-manager at a Kroger store. We received a fair amount of training at the store during my training. I spent a month working in a butcher shop. It was there I learned about different grades of meat.
Typically, in grocery stores, you will see three distinct grades of meat: select, choice, and prime.
| Grade | Characteristics | Best uses |
| Prime | Abundant marbling, less than 5% of beef, this is the highest quality you can buy in a grocery store | Perfect for roasting, this has the best flavor and most tenderness. |
| Choice | Good marbling, high quality, available in most grocery stores | Excellent for roasting, this is a good value option |
| Select | Minimal marbling, leaner, can be less tender | Better for marinades, and this is a budget-friendly choice |
I like to watch when meat goes on sale and look at its beef grade. I want to compare the price of Prime and choice-grade beef; if the difference is slight, I will choose the Prime beef.
It is the fat that gives you the flavor as well as the ability to make gravy and Yorkshire pudding.
Seasoning the Roast
There are many discussions about how to season a roast. If you want to marinate your roast, you must do it a few days before. It takes time for the flavors to penetrate past the outside surface area of the meat.
If you take the meat from the package and cook it, your options are more limited. The flavors you add don’t penetrate the meat. The old standards of salt and pepper will do the job for you and make the best roast beef.
You can always serve your roast with beef gravy, au jus, or a wine reduction sauce. There is no need to worry about putting together a special seasoning. I promise salt and pepper will do the job quite well.
Roast Beef Recipe Ingredients
Here is a list of what you need:
- Beef roast – Choose your preferred cut based on budget and desired richness
- Kosher salt – Enhances natural beef flavors and helps create the crust
- Ground black pepper – Adds warmth and complements the beef perfectly
- Olive oil – For leaner cuts to prevent drying (optional)
Cooking the Roast
Ideally, the roast should be cooked low and slow. This has advantages over cooking the meat as quickly as possible. By cooking it at a lower temperature, the juices within the meat are retained, and your final result will be more tender and juicy.
Cooking more slowly ensures that the meat will cook more evenly. Roasts are not always uniformly shaped, and you don’t want portions of the meat to be overcooked.
How to Cook Roast Beef in the Oven
- Allow the meat to rest at room temperature for an hour before cooking it.
- Preheat your oven to 325°F.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper on the roast. For leaner roasts, first, drizzle the meat with olive oil. Optionally, truss the roast with twine, which helps it to keep its shape and cook more evenly.
- Bake the roast on a baking sheet with a wire rack for 25-30 minutes for every 1 pound of meat (this will produce a medium roast). You can use a roasting pan, but I find if you use the wire rack, all sides of the meat will form a nice crust. For example, a 4-pound roast will take approximately 120 minutes (2 hours).
- Determine what level of doneness you prefer. Check the meat’s temperature by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part. Aim to remove it when the meat’s internal temp is 10 degrees lower than your preferred doneness because of carry-over cooking.
- Allow the meat to rest for 15-30 minutes before enjoying it!
Roast Beef Internal Temperature
- 120-130°F for rare
- 130-135°F for medium-rare
- 135-145°F for medium
- 145-155°F for medium well
- 155°F and above is well done
Special Equipment
A meat thermometer is the only accurate way to know when the roast has reached your desired temperature range. If you estimate how it looks visually, you might under- or overcook the meat.
There are plenty of cooking thermometers available. Many thermometers have an instant digital read that tells you what the meat is internally, so there is no guessing involved.
Do you need to cover the roast?
You do not need to cover the meat in a cooking liquid; in this cooking style, you can roast it. A pot roast is a braised beef dish.
Braising means cooking with liquid, such as beef broth and stock. Both roasting and braising are great ways to cook beef, but they differ.
Wait Before You Carve the Roast
So you have cooked your roast perfectly; what should you do now? Wait for 15 to 30 minutes. Why should you wait? This will give the meat a chance to rest.
What does it mean to rest a roast? It means that the juices within the roast will get an opportunity to redistribute within the roast.
This has a few advantages. While the meat rests, you can prepare the gravy, set the table, or even make some Yorkshire pudding.
You can cut it immediately when you remove it from the oven, but if you wait a few minutes, it will pay off. So when you pull the roast out of the oven, cover it with foil and let it rest before carving it up.
Searing the Beef
You can sear the beef if you like. Searing can help brown the roast on the outside. Some people believe this gives the roast a better flavor. I am not entirely satisfied if it enhances the taste, but it makes the beef look wonderful and brown.
To sear the beef, I suggest an iron skillet. I add some oil and a good tablespoon to the roasting pan. I like to use an oil that has a high smoke point. So something like canola or your generic vegetable oil will be perfect. Fancy olive oil tends to burn at a lower temperature, so it isn’t ideal for this use.
Season the meat, and put it into the hot skillet with the hot oil. Let the meat rest there for a couple of minutes on each side.
If you try to move the meat around initially, it will stick. It is counter-intuitive to wait. When the meat is brown, you can flip it to the other side.
Continue this process until all sides are browned. This step is not necessary for this recipe.
Other Optional Steps
Trussing
Why would you truss a roast? You can truss a roast to help force it into a smoother shape, which will contribute to cooking the roast evenly.
It can also make the roast easier to slice when it comes time to cut the beef.
Did you know that you can often ask the butcher to truss the roast for you? You can also truss the roast with butcher’s string, which is sold in most grocery stores.
How to Serve Roast Beef
Serve your oven-baked roast beef with delicious sauces to accentuate the meat’s natural flavor. For instance, pour a classic brown gravy or an umami-filled mushroom sauce over the meat. Other condiments that taste fantastic with it are horseradish, Worcestershire, or even BBQ sauce.
You can’t go wrong with a simple herb garnish. Use fresh rosemary, thyme, or parsley to instantly upgrade the presentation of the roast beef when you serve it.
How to Store Leftover Roast Beef
Leftover roast beef should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Another option is to wrap it in foil or plastic wrap tightly, but there is a higher chance air will get in and deteriorate its quality, so a container is best. Allow it to cool before you transfer it to the refrigerator fully.
How to Freeze Leftover Roast Beef
Leftover roast beef can be frozen for up to three months in tightly wrapped plastic wrap or a vacuum-sealed bag.
The vacuum-sealed bag is a smart way of guaranteeing that the meat won’t get freezer burn prematurely. Make sure to safely thaw it in the refrigerator or a cold-water bath before reheating it.
What’s the Best Way to Reheat Roast Beef
I do not recommend reheating your roast beef in the microwave, as the meat can get tough. Instead, place your meat in a moderate oven with an oven temperature of 350°F.
If you have gravy, au jus, or even beef broth, I like to add a bit to the pan, roast the beef, wrap it with foil, and reheat for about 20 minutes.
This ensures the meat comes out tender and juicy, just like the first time.
What to Serve with Roast Beef
Here are some delicious side dishes to make and serve with roast beef:
- Boiled Carrots
- Fried Okra
- Green Bean Bundles
- Jiffy Corn Casserole
- Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Red Potatoes
- Scalloped Potatoes
Popular Roast Recipes
- Beef Tenderloin Roast
- Eye of Round Roast
- New York Strip Roast
- Oven Brisket
- Ribeye Roast
- Tri Tip Roast
Look at even easier beef recipes and the best side dish recipes here on CopyKat!
Perfect Sunday Roast Beef: Foolproof Low & Slow Method
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pound roast like a ribeye roast
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 to 2 teaspoons black pepper, crushed or ground
Instructions
- To prepare the meat remove from the refrigerator 60 minutes before cooking. This will give the roast a chance to reach room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- If the roast is very lean you may want to drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil or two over the roast. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the roast. Place the roast on a wire rack on a baking sheet. Bake the roast for approximately 25 to 30 minutes for every pound of meat for a roast to be cooked to medium.
- Adjust accordingly for your preferred level of doneness. You should use a meat thermometer to determine when the roast is done. Push the meat thermometer all of the way into the center of the roast. Pull the roast from the oven when the inside temperature of the roast is about 10 degrees less than your desired level of doneness. The temperature of the roast may rise while the roast is resting.
- Let the roast rest for at least 15 minutes, tented in aluminum foil to keep warm, before carving to serve. Rare : 120 – 130 degrees – bright purple red, tender and juicy. Medium Rare: 130-135 degrees – bright red, warm, tender very juicy.Medium: 135 -145 degrees – rich pink, slightly juicy Medium well: 145 – 155 degrees – tan with slight pink, firm, slight juice Well Done: 155 and above – tan to brown, very little juice, meat can become tough.
- So if you want a medium rare roast remove it from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 120, it will rest for 15 minutes. The internal temperature will rise while the meat is resting. It is always best to use a meat thermometer if you have one to ensure you cook the roast to your desired level of doneness.PLEASE NOTE: Your cooking time depends on the size of your roast.
Video
Notes
- 🔪 PREP TIP : Room temperature meat roasts more evenly
- 🌡️ TEMP TIP : Remove roast 10°F below target temperature
- ⏰ TIMING TIP : Calculate 25-30 minutes per pound
I’ve always placed my roast in a speckled enamel roast pan, though I’m one of the guilty people who has always placed the lid on my pan just because that’s the way that my mom always did. Lol! For those who like a seasoned flavor and also are gravy eaters, this might be something that you make like to try. Rinse your roast, leaving it a little damp. Sprinkle one envelope of brown gravy mix onto roast. Using empty envelope, spread mix all over outside of roast, then bake as you normally would.
I have never cooked in an enamel roast pan, it sounds like that would be a great pan to use to roast in.
I have always stuck it in a crockpot but alas no more crockpot. I will be using my enameled roaster, and will use a potroast seasoning packet, actually a stew packet, its great flavor. Hubby used to just add water, which was bllah. I started with the gravy packet too, both are yummy.
Try lipton Onion Soup packets, it really makes an amazing gravy!
I bet that does make a great gravy.
That’s how my Mama taught me, she used Lipton onion soup, I have also used mushroom gravy and brown. We call them “the speckled pan” in our family too, not the easiest thing to find anymore, mine are dark blue (older) and few are black (newer). Love the “stickiness ” the soup creates in top. My Mom has been gone for 5 years, but this roast recipe has been a “must” for my 3 daughters and 2 granddaughters before they moved from my house. I got married at 17 and could make a hamburger and a cake, cause my Mama did all the cooking. I am now 64, love to cook, wish I had ALL my Mom’s recipes. I remember asking her, “what do you do to your roasts?”, her reply was, “nothing, just sprinkle and rub the soup on top, put the lid on, oven 325, and wait until it’s done! “. I tried everything, for years , searing , browning , better cuts of meat, crockpot, braising, water in the pan, finally, I thought, surely it can’t be that easy! Got my first “speckled pan”, then, and only, then, did the magic begin! About 10 years before she passed , I too, could make “sticky roast”. I snatch those pans up whenever I see them, in all sizes. New or resale, I don’t care. Yes, cookware has come a long way in the last 50 years, however, it’s all about that pan, ’bout that pan, not recipe!
I use Cavenders on both sides about 20 mins before baking. The pan you are going to use to bake it in put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in and
Place on stove, Heat oil to fry temp! Sear roast to brown on both sides. pre heat oven to 325, slice onions carrots and taters.
When roast is seared put veggies in all mixed. Add a cup of water, salt and pepper veggies, place in oven with lid on. Be sure to check water
from time to time so it does not dry out! after 2 hrs remove lid so roast can begin to dry and veggies brown. be sure to ck water. After an hour check for doneness you should have a bout 2″ of juice to make gravy! Pour this off make gravy. When gravy done serve to guest! I am actually headed to the kitchen in a few to make this scrumptious meal!
Thank you for your detailed tips, you definitely have me intrigued about the Cavenders. I am sure you make a delicious roast.
Love the way you roast those veggies. I am sure they are delicious.
Thanks for posting this Stephanie! I’m doing my first roast tomorrow for Thanksgiving and you’ve inspired me to add Yorkshire pudding to the menu. Both your article and the video are really helpful!
I hope this turned out well. I love Yorkshire pudding.
I like my meat red and juicy. I cooked a 6 pound roast for 2 hours and 45 minutes at 320 degrees, and it was overcooked and dry.
Steve, I am sorry that your roast was dry. Did you happen to use a meat thermometer? I really find these are key to making sure that you get meat to the level you personally like.
Using these directions on a 3-lb (small) roast tonight. In the pan,
I’ve got cabbage, carrots, and sweet potatoes. I’ll follow-up with
results. Thanks for this useful post; and thanks in advance for a juicy
roast! (Alas, and not to nitpick, but you’ve got a typo: “wrack”.)
Thank you Brian. I hope you enjoyed your roast.
No. Searing first DOES NOT “seal in the juices”
Here’s a nice write up by Amazing Ribs, the go-to site BBQ, grilling and all things Meat with some good science behind it:
http://www.amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/mythbusting_searing_seals_in_juices.html
Thank you for the correction. It does help with the flavor.
Searing starts the Maillard Reaction, which enhances the flavor of meat. It changes amino acids and sugars and gives the food a better flavor.
I totally appreciate your knowledge on this. Thank you very much.
Searing may not “seal in the juices.” However, it sounds like what is does is gets rid of water – according to this article – and thereby intensifies and/or concentrates the flavor in the meat, no? Not only that but produces those yummy concentrated brown bits that many meat-lovers covet!
Thank you for this info I’m going to try it today.
I hope this turned out well for you.
What an awsome Roast! I did add 2 bay leaves to my beef stock, cooked the roast on a chicken stand atop an aluminum non stick cake pan and my onions, potatoes, and carrots in a seperate dish and needless to say it turned out perfect! The whole family enjoyed it and plans on sandwiches from the left overs. Thank you so much Stephanie and followers, the bay leaves gave it an added touch, not just to the meat but the veggies as well! I am saving this recipe for future use.
Thank you for your lovely comment. I really wanted to show people how easy it is to make a roast. Love your ideas of the added seasonings. I am sure it was very nice.
I always find it funny when you ask a person how they do a roast beef…most will say they put a lid on it…well, thats a pot roast. Putting a lid on a rump or prime rib is a total. waste of good meat…and the other is when olive oil is used…it is animal so use animal. Lard gives it the flavour while cooking. just discard when making gravy….iolive oil is great if using italian or Greek flavours. but lard is the traditional way…
Shandal, great point about using lard. I think folks have gone away from this, and that’s unfortunate because lard has so much flavor.
great info Steph. thank you.
Glad to help! Let me know if you are looking for other recipes.
I like to add a bit of water and a tablespoon of beef base to the bottom of the pan. Combined with the meat juices, it makes wonderful gravy. And I only season with salt & pepper…roasting at 350 degrees for 3.5 hours. Always served with mashed potatoes (made with real butter and heavy cream) and either corn or green beans. No deviations at our house! I find that roast is one of the easiest dinners to make.
I bet his adds a really nice flavor! I will give this a try sometime soon.
What is the weight of the meat you are cooking? i’m making my first roast beef for christmas day, and I am trying to estimate my start time. I have a 4.28lb eye round, and I want to serve it at 6:00pm.
G – if you start at 3:00, you should be in good shape. Your roast should be done by about 5:30, and that gives you time to let the roast “rest” before carving and serving at 6:00.
I really enjoyed reading this page and I followed this recipe for last nights dinner. We LOVED it! What surprised me most was the only seasoning was salt and pepper. I’ve been making pot roast for years and can count on one hand the times I/we really enjoyed the dinner. My husband said this recipe is for keeps. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
I am so glad you enjoyed it. There is little better than making your family happy at dinner. I hope you enjoy the roast for many years to come.
Stephanie, Thank you for sharing. I am just learning how to cook and followed this recipe. My roast was super easy to make and turned out delicious.
Thank you for letting me know. I made one too yesterday 😉
You have got to try this dish, I made it last week, and wow was it delicious.
pretty simple, although I was shocked when I watched the chef double dip the fork while she was talking about making Yorkshire pudding- obviously other people was going to enjoy the meat.
Slice potatoes, onions thick and layer the roasting pan bottom, put rinsed roast on top of these, put few slices of onions on top of roast…THEN put McCormicks Grill Mates,
PEPPERCORN AND GARLIC all over top, cover in a 350 oven for two hours…delicious and nothing else needed…..certainly not water…makes it tough….
This sounds delicious.
I’m worried that if I put veggies in the pot from the beginning, that they will dry out and over cook. I wanted to add carrots too. Do you think adding the veggies towards the end is better? Also, I noticed that JetfireK said to “cover in the oven”, but you’re saying “not to cover”. Do you think covering it helps prevent the veggies from drying out? I’m torn about how to add veggies in the pan while cooking the roast 🙁
This mixing up two different methods of cooking. The one I mention is dry heat cooking. If you want to roast some veggies, do so in a different pan. Toss the vegetables with some cooking oil and some salt. It should take about 45 minutes to can hour to roast your vegetables.
This cooking method is a dry heat method, and not a braise. Braising is where you cook the meat slowly in liquid, this is more of a pot roast. Here you can cook the vegetables in the liquid, but add them late in the process.
Steph,
I have used your recipe 3 times now and it was great. My wife gave me a recipe she wants me to try but I need some clarification from you if possible. It calls for cooking the roast (bottom round) at a high heat, 5 minutes per lbs. Turn off heat and keep oven closed until internal temp reaches 120 degrees – 125 degrees. Does high heat mean 500, 525, or 550 degrees? I’m doing this for her birthday the first week in Sept. Can’t mess this up or….well you know.
That’s the seasoning/marinade I’ve taken to using for my steaks and roasts, huge fan. I even set it up on Amazon subscribe’n’save 🙂
I am a big fan of Amazon’s subscribe and save!
I use that brand seasoning but for steaks it’s delicious.
Put 1/2 inch beef stock in roasting dish ,put the roast on a wire rack ,cover with lid .Roast normally , use stock and juices to make gravy ………guarantee a tender moist roast and great gravy .
Great suggestion, I appreciate this.
I bet that makes brilliant gravy this way.
Try adding 1-2 bay leaf to the roasting pan
I will have to give this a try.
Thanks for sharing this. I don’t know how to cook a roast to save my life. This is getting saved so I can make a kick butt awesome roast next time my husband asks for one. Thanks so much for sharing. It looks delicious!
Traci, let me know how your experience goes. I bet you can make a kick butt roast. They really aren’t they hard to make. I think I am going to add this to my fool proof recipe recommendations.
I totally disagree. Cover both sides with Black Bean Sauce, marinate six hours covered at room temperature. Stand/prop upright in pan so fat from the cap is on top. Cook at 425F for 15 minutes/per lb for rare. Stand covered with a cloth for 15 minutes.
Bob, thank you for your insight. I have personally never tried a roast with black been sauce.
that sounds disgusting. sorry. eww