Roast beef is one of those classic meals that's great for holidays or Sunday night dinner. Beef has a rich and deep flavor all on its own, and it really doesn't need a lot of help. Plus when your roast is large, it will also provide lots of leftovers that can be turned into beef dips, or even chili.
But, just like any cut of meat, roast beef can dry out fairly quickly when it's not cooked properly. Even those who like their roast beef well-done should never end up with dry and tough roast beef, because cooking it to this temperature doesn't mean simply cooking it until it's turned into a brick. If you always end up with roast beef that is tough and dry, follow the tips below and enjoy only juicy and delicious roast beef from here on out!
1. Bring the roast up to room temperature Placing a cold roast into a hot oven is one of the most common mistakes people make; and cooking it this way will almost guarantee that you'll end up with a roast that's tough to cut and chew. Instead, pull the roast out of the fridge several hours before you plan to cook it and let it come up to room temperature.
Doing this will allow the entire roast to be the same temperature, right to its center. When it's then placed into a hot oven, it will all cook evenly and at the same time. So you won't end up with a tough exterior before the center cooks through and every bite will be perfect.
2. Dry the roast Most cuts of meat needed to be blotted dry with a paper towel before they're put in the oven and this holds true for roast beef, too. When roasts are packaged, they're wrapped very tightly but some of their juices still leave the roast. And as the roast sits in those juices, it can become very wet. This can cause the roast to steam in the oven rather than roast, and steaming meat turns it tough and chewy.
To avoid this, wait until the roast has come up to room temperature and then blot it dry with paper towels. There won't be any juices to steam and you'll get a perfectly roasted piece of meat.
3. Use a spice rub Again, roast beef is pretty close to perfection all on its own, so you may just want to use salt and pepper. And those two basic seasonings will still make for a perfect roast. Just remember to use them generously so that they can both really penetrate the meat and flavor it from the outside in.
Adding other spices can kick up the flavor of roast beef even more though. And there's really no wrong spice to use. As long as you like it, it can go on your roast. Some spices to try are garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, chili powder, Cajun seasoning, thyme, and rosemary. Again, there's no wrong spice for a roast beef.
4. Cook it fat-side up Many roasts will have a fat cap on them, or a thick piece of fat that sits on just one side of the roast. Many people cut this off, mistakenly thinking that this fat is bad for them. But fat has been proven not to be so bad for us after all, and it can actually help make your roast juicier.
To use this fat to your full advantage, place the roast in the oven with the fat cap side up. As the roast cooks, the fat cap will melt all over the roast, giving it more juices and protecting it from the heat of the oven. Truthfully, anytime you're cooking meat that has a side of fat, it should always be cooked this way.
5. Cook it right on the oven rack It's natural to place a roast in a roasting pan before it goes into the oven; and this is another big mistake people make with their roast beef. But when roast beef is in a pan the juices collect in the bottom as it cooks, leaving the roast to sit in those juices. As it does, it will become soggy and any crust you've worked so hard to achieve will become ruined.
Roast beef should actually be cooked directly on the oven rack. This prevents it from sitting in its own juices and becoming soggy, but it will also let the heat circulate around the entire roast and cook it more evenly. If you're worried about the pan drippings catching fire as it cooks, or just making a mess of your oven, you can place a sheet pan on the rack underneath the roast. There will still be plenty of room for the heat to get on all sides of the roast, but will also keep your oven safe, too.
6. Use a thermometer Again, meat thermometers should be used any time meat is being cooked, particularly when that piece of meat is very large. This is one of the only ways to tell what the temperature is inside the roast and not ruining it by cutting into it partway through its cooking time. The best kind of meat thermometer are those that have a probe that can be inserted into the roast for the duration of its cooking time, and that are connected to a digital display that can be set outside of the oven. This way you won't have to open the oven during cook time and lose some of that precious heat.
