How to Make the Perfect Roast Beef in the Oven

You can learn the best way and every detail of how to make the perfect roast beef in the oven. When you use this simple technique for cooking your roast beef in the oven, you will never want to try another way to make a flavorful and juicy tender roast beef. You will have roast beef perfection for any special occasion or Sunday dinner.

Roast beef on a wood cutting board.


How to Make Delicious Roast Beef

Growing up, it was on Sundays we would enjoy Roast Beef. As an adult, I make these on long weekends during the cooler months. There is just something about having a marvelous hearty roast to serve for dinner. If you have leftover roast beef, you can always turn it into delicious warm roast beef sandwiches.

Beef roasts are quite uncomplicated to make. Often I have put them in a crockpot, but there is something about slow-roasted roast beef that is so hard to resist.

How to Choose the Best Beef

This recipe works well for most cuts of beef when making roast beef. You can use most cuts of boneless roasts, from a rib-eye roast to a rump roast, a top sirloin roast, top round roast, bottom round roast, or even an eye of round roast. All of these cuts taste quite good.

Often my choice depends on what is available or on sale. This last week it happened to be that ribeye roasts were on sale. These are also known as standing rib roasts 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. During my training, we received a fair amount of training at the store. 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, those are select, choice, and prime.

Prime grade beef is the beef that is the highest quality. The fat marbling is throughout the meat. Prime beef has a lot of marbling throughout the meat; less than 5% of all meat is graded prime beef.

The next best grade of beef is Choice. It has less marbling than Prime but more than Select.

What I honestly like to do is to watch when meat goes on sale is to look at what grade of beef it is. I like to compare the price of Prime and Choice grade beef; if the difference is small, 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 a lot of discussions about how to season a roast. If you want to marinate your roast, you must do it a couple of days in advance. 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 aren’t going to make it all of the way through the meat. The old standbys 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 getting a special seasoning together. I promise salt and pepper will do the job quite well.

Roast beef slices on a wood cutting board.

Roast Beef Recipe Ingredients

Here is a list of what you need:

  • Beef roast
  • Kosher salt
  • Ground black pepper

Cooking the Roast

Ideally, it would be best to cook the roast low and slow. This has advantages over cooking the meat as quickly as it can be cooked. 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 slower means that the meat will cook more evenly; roasts are not always uniformly shaped you don’t want portions of the meat to be overcooked. So by slow cooking the roast, you ensure that it will cook more evenly.

How to Cook Roast Beef in the Oven

  1. Allow the meat to rest at room temperature for an hour before cooking it.
  2. Preheat your oven to 325°F.
  3. 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.
  4. 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). For example, a 4-pound roast will take approximately 120 minutes (2 hours).
  5. 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 internal temp is 10 degrees lower than your preferred doneness because of carry-over cooking.
  6. Allow the meat to rest for 15-30 minutes before enjoying!

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

Using a meat thermometer is the only true way to know when the roast has reached the correct temperature range that you want. If you estimate just by 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 will tell 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 this style of cooking which is roasting. A pot roast is a braised beef dish.

Braising means cooking with liquid, a couple of examples are beef broth or beef stock. Both roasting meat and braising meat are great ways to cook beef, but they are different from each other.

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. You can prepare the gravy, set the table, or even make some Yorkshire pudding while the meat is resting.

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.

a slice of roast beef on a cutting board

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 flavor, but it makes the beef look wonderful and brown.

To sear the beef, I suggest an iron skillet. I add some oil to the pan, and a good tablespoon. 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, it will let you pull it to 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 more smooth shape. This will contribute to cooking the roast evenly.

It also can make the roast easier to slice when it comes time to slice the beef.

Did you know that often you can ask the butcher to truss the roast for you? You can also truss the roast yourself with some butcher’s string that 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 over the meat or an umami-filled mushroom sauce. 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

You should store leftover roast beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Another option is to tightly wrap it in foil or plastic wrap, but there is a higher chance air will get in and deteriorate its quality, so a container is best. Allow it to fully cool before you transfer it to the refrigerator.

How to Freeze Leftover Roast Beef

You can freeze leftover roast beef in tightly wrapped plastic wrap or a vacuum-sealed bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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

For reheating your roast beef, I do not recommend the microwave as the meat can get tough. Place your meat into a moderate oven with an oven temperature of 350°F.

If you have some gravy or some au jus, or even beef broth, I like to add a bit of that to the pan, add my roast beef, wrap with foil, and reheat for about 20 minutes.

This ensures that 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:

Take a look at even more easy beef recipes and the best side dish recipes here on CopyKat!

Roast beef on a wood cutting board

How to make the Perfect Roast Beef in the Oven

You can make the perfect roast beef in your oven, it’s actually very easy to cook a roast! 
5 from 116 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to make roast beef in the oven, Roast Beef
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 217kcal

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

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 0g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 3428mg | Potassium: 508mg | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin C: 81.7mg | Calcium: 508mg | Iron: 3.8mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. fatuglynerd

    I made this for my husband as a surprise meal after he arrived home from a long international trip. Needless to say, he was very happy, and we had leftovers for a couple of days as well. Even the dogs went nuts for it. Thank you for your recipe! 😀

    • stephaniemanley

      I am so happy you and your husband enjoyed the dish. There is nothing like making a meal for someone that loves your cooking.

  2. Mary Jones

    I am trying it tonight. I can’t wait. Needs to be tender for our old teeth. I have always tried to get people to stop spoiling the taste of meet by adding other stuff other than just plain old salt and pepper. Glad to see you specify that. I use green Beens with some onions and red cabbage as a side dish. Always try to have more veg. Choices than meat. I am using a choice chuck roast as the other was to expensive. Thanks for giving me confidence to try it.

  3. Michael Wolfert

    When you put that meet in front of the camera, I instinctively opened my mouth. I’m making roast Right Now ! heheh

  4. TiffanyLA

    i boil potatoes, onion, and carrots together in beef stock with a pcket of onion soup mix OR beef stock and 2 cans of french onion soup til fork tender. but this time around im roasted potatoes and carrots with italian dressing drizzled over them.

  5. Marie Shanahan

    I season mine with salt, pepper, thyme and sage first and sear on the stove top, then I put it into a slow oven (325 degrees) for two hours as I like mine medium well. It is served with mashed potatoes and peas. I only splurge like this once a week, but I make my mashed potatoes with plenty of light cream and real butter! It’s a proper, Sunday roast and there seems to be a balance and peace in wrecking your diet once a week. 🙂 I use a smallish roasting pan – but big enough to hold the roast. I never use a rack, but baste the roast often. This does two thing: It provides extra flavor for the gravy and as there is a good half a cup of water in the pan and the roast is immersed in about an inch of it so the roast roasts and “steams” at the same time. The juices flow directly into the water and this make a good, strong gravy. The end result is a strong “bark” of char on the outside and inside, the meat has literally “steamed” in it’s own juices – kind of like a pudding. LOL The roast comes out so tender, people don’t believe it’s home made!!

  6. Alison Grainger

    ribeye should be cut thickly…not thin as in your video….and i would suggest using an electric knife

  7. Alison Grainger

    yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes roasted veg and gravy…i don’t put salt anywhere near the roast…it encourages it to shrink…shrink=dryness

    • stephaniemanley

      Thomas, thank you for your comments. I totally respect your opinion as a chef. You have many great points in your comment. I would like to try to do a roast on a rack and perhaps even tie up the roast before cooking. I didn’t find that the juices steamed the meat too much. I appreciate your dropping by!

      • Thomas Brown

        This is the top found URL Link, Stephanie Manley, for Google Search : ” Best Roast Beef.”
        Therefore, can you put up on this WebPage here, Stephanie, a 2nd Recipe please, which takes into account all the comments herein, especially all the discussions by you and many others about actually steaming the roast – since that is in essence the vast majority of what is discussed in all these comments : that everyone talks about juices in the roasting pan, please Stephanie ?
        Further, rib eye roasts have a lot of poor meat on the outside swirls, portions like leather, a tremendous amount of fat, and rather an indifferent unremarkable eye, even.
        It’s just not that good a roast. It is not what is served, carved, when we go to fancy chef-carved in the dining room parties – always very tender, not what the cut of meat they even slice thinly in the local cafeteria which is always tender too, and just not the cut featured on roasts.
        It’s the wrong cut.
        I made the same 6-slice roast last evening. I went to Kroger, asked meat manager if he had a whole rib eye. He said he had one without bones. I said fine, cut me one-third please.
        With all the discussion of salt making the meat drier, drawing-out the juices, I did not salt it prior to roasting on a metal rack.
        Flavor was bland, even salted with sea salt and with cracked pepper, per slice at the table.
        There is much waste.
        It cooked too quickly and was ready before the dinner guests showed-up, causing me with single oven, to turn it off an hour almost early with temperature already met because it was so small a whole rib eye cut I purchased 6 lbs, and then to unload the oven to cook the baked potatoes. Very large Idaho largest I could find, no tinfoil, washed, directly on rack, oil, at 550 F for 55 minutes, at 30 minutes turned-over and pierced only then once with fork to make flaky bake potatoes. An art into itself, and required for any roast beef cut.
        I still would like to know the choice of cut used in all these examples I give here in my post right here now.
        And, how do they make it tender like that ?
        Simply by slicing paper-thin ?
        Steaming ?
        There is a trick to it, and it is not listed herein. Bringing me to my thought of roasting an entire tenderloin butt. At least I know that meat has no waste, is not tough, is not indifferent unremarkable center with fatty inedible tough exterior.
        Ok, Stephanie ?

      • stephaniemanley

        Thanks, I will make it a point to write a post about a leaner cut of beef.

        Please note, I wouldn’t buy a whole rib eye roast, right now I think they would run between 80-120 dollars for the whole rib eye.

        It is personal preference of whether you like the marbling or not, I personally love the outer ring of meat, and the inner one is the one I could just give to someone else. It definitely sounds like you and I wouldn’t order the same cut of beef to roast 😉 That’s ok, no one is right, and no one is wrong.

        Often restaurants are using a cheaper cut of meat like a sirloin, or a eye of round roast to have something that is not meaty and they cut it paper thin. So I will do a recipe with a leaner cut of beef in the future.

        I will have no impact over your cooking time, and personally if you let your meat rest up to 30 minutes before serving this shouldn’t be an issue.

        I really think you should salt your meat before cooking. Most chefs do. I understand some people feels that it dries out the beef. If you read chef textbooks they will tell you to salt the meat before cooking.

        Hope this helps.

      • Leslie

        Hey Thomas, I think I might be able to help you out a bit here, if Stephanie doesn’t mind me jumping in? I am also a Chef, in fact I am the Lead Chef at Cirque Du Soleil. I cook for the performers. I am hoping that this might clear up some of the confusion. Roasting is a dry cooking technique that is used in larger, cheaper cuts of meat. You will want to purchase a sirloin tip roast that has a fat cap, at around the 3-4 lbs. You see, the fancy restaurants chose a larger cut to prevent it from drying out. You will need to truss the roast with twine all the way down the length and then once you reach the end, thread it through from end to end. It will resemble a neat, tight bundle. Thomas, this is what keeps your roast from drying out. Not only does it keep its shape, but, also is much easier to slice and plate. You will also want to salt and pepper it liberally or it will have no flavor. Just think of how thin your going to slice it and you will want flavor in every slice. Next you will sear it on all sides. You will need an oil that has a high smoke point, like canola or a canola blend, which is 75% canola oil and 25% extra virgin. They sell it this way in the markets. Do not use non-stick. You will want to have a smoking hot pan when you do this. After you start the sear, you can turn in down a bit so the meat and the pepper does not burn. However, you will want it to be a beautiful golden brown on all side and on the ends. To brown the ends, you must hold it with tongs. Searing adds the crust, the flavor that makes you salivate when you eat it. You will need a sheet pan. Yes, the one you make cookies on. And you will put a flat rack on the bottom of the sheet pan so the roast has air flowing all around it. Fat cap side up. Roast it at 350F for 25 minute per pound or until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees for med rare, 135F for medium or 145 for well done. Let it rest for 15 minutes tented with foil. The carry over temp will make it cook a while longer while its resting. Remove the twine with kitchen sheers and use a carving knife to get those paper thin cuts like you would get at brunch. Your roast will have its own juice, I asure you. As for the Au jus. The restaurants make it from a package of powder.. Don’t let them know I told you. I always make my own horseradish sauce to go with it, which is a simple sauce: Jared horseradish 3T, white vinegar 1t, lemon juice 2t, sour cream 1/4C, heavy cream 2T, dry or bottled mustard 1/4 t, and salt and pepper to taste. I hope this helps Thomas.
        Good Luck and Warmest Regards,
        Chef Leslie.

      • stephaniemanley

        Thank you very much for your comment! I am very appreciative of your detailed instruction. I will shoot a video around your instructions and see how that one comes out. Thank you again.

  8. PepeLapiu

    Don’t add salt to your meat before cooking, it will thoughen up the meat. Leave the salt until cooking is done for better results.

  9. Mama Jill

    I always cook just like you are saying but about half way through I add baby carrots they are delicious cooked in the juice. Next I add potatoes 30 mins later it is wonderfil simple and delicious. Never a bite left!

  10. alan benfield

    It is about 1 to 8 zillion degrees below the tundra and I’m not really a meat eater on the whole I decided a roast beef and some mashed potatoes would be a great meal and I could make sandwiches and give them out to the homeless. I went to the meat market and asked the guy what is a good cut of beef to do this with. Anyway I forgot what cut I got but do remember it costs $6 and change a pound. It came out fabulous but was full of veins and grizzle. So I cut it very thin and gave it away and my mouth is still watering for a good roast beef. So my question is what is absolutely the best cut of beef I can get to do this and is there anything I should look for in that beef before I buy or not buy?

    • stephaniemanley

      So I am going to guess you got a chuck roast. I would suggest and eye of round, no gristle. The roast you see pictured is a rib eye roast, also great, but pricey. I hope this helps. I personally love the rib eye roast, but I like the marbling. If you are looking for something lean the eye of round is very nice.

      • alan benfield

        Stephanie, Thanks much, I don’t remember what I got as I threw the wrapper away when I started to marinate it and left if for 4 days. Don’t care what it costs as I eat meat 2/3 times a year and want to treat myself.
        At least I did a good deed as I cut out the fat/grizzle, put it in the blender and made hamburger and made sandwiches for the vets and homeless. Thanks again.

      • dr awkward

        Wow-fat and gristle in a blender for Vets and Homeless? I am astounded at this and the 1 up vote too.

  11. Carolyn H

    Ok I am do this today as I have 12 people coming for a late Christmas dinner. Sounds easy enough and good. Will come back later and tell of the out come. Thank you

  12. kenny

    4.6 lb roast, took it out at 135 deg, left for 12 min, it went to 150 deg,it was medium. Remember to allow 10 – 15 deg extra it cooks when it sits –

  13. ericka gee

    Made this today for Christmas as the recipe stated, made sure to sear first and then used a fair amount of kosher salt and pepper. Cooked a three pound eye roast for 1.5 hrs til about 140 degrees and it was juicy perfect!!!

  14. Jimmy Crackcorn

    My mom always seasoned the roast (salt, pepper, maybe some herbs) and then coated the roast in flour. This helps seal the pores and keeps it juicy. 25 min per pound at 325 (just as you recommend) and voila! roast is finished.

    • Badnblond

      She may have coated the roast in flour so the “gravy” thickened as it cooked. I know when I dredge fish or chicken in flour, I do it so when I add the wine or stock or other liquid Im simmering in, it thickens as it simmers. Just a thought. I am going to try to make an over the top roast tonight!

  15. Karen Espensen Sandoval

    thanks MUCH Steph, I’m making a six pound roast today. I usually don’t cook anything that large, this came in quite handy!

  16. Nana

    My family likes natural gravy on rice or mashed potatoes. I remove the roast from the pot leaving just the juice from the roast. I mix corn starch in cold water until dissolved. I then store that mixture into the hot roast juices slowly until the juices are the consistency I want. I do not add seasoning because the juice is already seasoned. The gravy has the taste of the roast and really makes rice or potatoes taste good.

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