Homemade roast beef is such an easy dish to make, and you can choose how well cooked you want the meat. Whether you like it well done, medium rare, or rare, with the help of a cooking thermometer, you can get it just right every time.
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Why making it at home
You can find already made roast beef at the supermarket, prepackaged or at a deli shop, and that is perfect if you are in a rush. But frankly making it at home it is so easy, cheaper and you can make enough to last for a few days.
In addition, everyone has its own preference on how well a roast beef should be cooked: rare, medium-rare, or well done. If you make it at home you can choose what your family likes best.
You just need a kitchen thermometer and by measuring the internal temperature of the cooked meat you will know exactly how well it is cooked inside. No surprises!
The best cut of beef for roast
You can use various cuts of beef for a roast but depending on the cut you choose, the result will be very different:
- The absolute best cut to use is the Sirloin (4 in the chart below), situated above the rear end of the filet it is lean and has light marbling. The best cut is between the 5th and the 9th rib.
- You can also use the Top Sirloin (5 in the chart below), the round central piece of the leg
- Or the Rump Steak (6 in the chart below), a very tender cut of beef, located at the top of the leg just before the tail.
- As a cheaper alternative, you can also use the Round (10 and 11 in the chart below) but the meat will be chewy as it has more connective tissues than the choices above.
If you want to find out more about cut of beef and how to use them you can read the article: Beef Cuts Diagram for French and Italian Recipes
Tools to make it perfect
To make the perfect roast beef, I use the following kitchen tools:
- Kitchen thermometer: to cook the beef to perfection, a kitchen thermometer is a fundamental tool. No matter how large or thick is the cut of beef, by measuring the internal temperature of the meat you will know exactly how well cook the meat is. My favorite thermometer is a digital one: it reads the temperature quickly and you can change from Fahrenheit to Celsius. You can also use it in many recipes that require the exact reading of the temperature like caramel in the Ile Flottant or Torrone.
- Dutch oven: if you don't want the roast beef to dry out, you should cook it in a dutch oven with a lid. The solid pot and cover will keep all the steam inside. It will create a nice juice full of flavor and you can pour it over the roast beef when you serve it. Depending on the number of your family members, and if you entertain a lot, you may want to get the size you will use more often. I have Le Creuset 7 quart/7 lt and even if it is big for 4 people, it is perfect when I have guests, which is often.
- Electric knife: an electric knife makes it easier to cut nice thin slices of roast beef, definitely worth having it. You can use it also for raw meat, bread, ham or salami. You can remove the blade and wash it in the dishwasher.
Preparing the meat
- In a dutch oven heat up 3 tablespoon of olive oil over a stovetop
- Season the sirloin with salt and pepper
- Sear the sirloin until becomes brown on every side
Cooking the beef
- Cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 30 minutes at 430 F - 220 C
- Remove the pot from the oven and check the internal temperature of the beef
- For rare reach the temperature of 50 C -120 F
- For medium-rare reach the temperature of 60 C - 140 F
- For well-done reach the temperature of 68 C - 154 F
Cutting the meat
- Once the beef is cooked at the desired internal temperature, remove from the oven
- Place on a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes covered with aluminum foil
- Cut it in thin slices
- Lay on a tray and pour over the juices left in the dutch oven over the roast beef
Different ways to eat roast beef
Roast beef is such a versatile main dish to make, you can serve it hot with a side of vegetables and potatoes. I like to serve it with microwave baked potatoes (if I am in a rush) or easy gratin Dauphinoise (more refined but still easy to make using the microwave).
If you have leftover, you can also serve it cold with a salad or making a homemade panini sandwich.
Either way, hot or cold, I like to serve it with sweet red onion relish, the perfect companion. For a festive dinner, you can serve it with Yorkshire pudding or with Chanterelle mushrooms with roasted potatoes
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📋Homemade Roast Beef
Ingredients (Commissions Earned)
- 2 lb Sirloin or Top Sirloin, Rump steak, Round
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- salt & pepper
- fresh rosemary
Optional for Cognac gravy
- ¼ cup Cognac
- 1 brown beef stock
- ¼ fresh water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Equipment (Commissions Earned)
Instructions
- In a dutch oven heat up 3 tablespoon of olive oil over a stovetop3 tablespoon olive oil
- Put the sirloin in the pan and season with salt and pepper. Add some rosmarin2 lb Sirloin, salt & pepper, fresh rosemary
- Sear the sirloin until becomes brown on each side
- Cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 30 minutes at 430 F - 220 C
- Remove the pot from the oven and check the internal temperature of the beef
- For rare reach the temperature of 50 C -120 F
- For medium-rare reach the temperature of 60 C - 140 F
- For well-done reach the temperature of 68 C - 154 F
- Once the beef is cooked at the desired internal temperature, remove it from the oven
- Place on a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes covered with aluminum foil
- Remove all the strings and cut it into thin slices
- Lay on a tray and pour over the juices left in the dutch oven over the roast beef
Optional: Cognac gravy
- To make the Cognac gravy add the Cognac, the water, the stock and the corn starch into the pan and let it simmer until the gravy thikens¼ cup Cognac, 1 brown beef stock, ¼ fresh water, 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Video
Notes
- The best cut of beef for a roast beef are:
- The absolute best cut to use is the Sirloin, situated above the rear end of the filet it is lean and has light marbling. The best cut is between the 5th and the 9th rib.
- You can also use the Top Sirloin, the round central piece of the leg
- Or the Rump Steak, a very tender cut of beef, located at the top of the leg just before the tail.
- As a cheaper alternative, you can also use the Round but the meat will be chewy as it has more connective tissues than the choices above.
- generally, 2 lb - 1 kg of beef needs 30 minutes cooking and 10 minutes more for each additional 2 lb - 1 kg
Priya Lakshminarayan
That's a perfect recipe for the summer weekend!
Laura
Indeed!
Andrea Metlika
I always have a hard time with roasts. Going to try this out. The cognac gravy sounds divine.
Laura
Great, let me know how it goes
Cate
Wow this looks SO tasty!! That gravy sounds absolutely amazing as well, thanks for the recipe!
Laura
You are welcome
Mirlene
Ohhhh how I love roast beef. Cant wait to try it.
Laura
I am sure you will like it
Nart at Cooking with Nart
That beef looks perfect....so hard to get it right. Thanks for sharing the tips!
Laura
Thanks, you are welcome