Roast Beef

At Thanksgiving, we love a roasted turkey. At Easter, a beautiful glazed ham. But for Christmas, many people turn to the choice of roast beef. Prized for being easy to make and big enough to feed a large family (with plenty of leftovers), roast beef is a great choice no matter the holiday.

As a bonus, roast beef can be made with a variety of beef cuts, which means you can be flexible for your budget, and once you learn the technique, you'll find an excuse to make this wonderful centerpiece dish many times in the year.

Here, learn how to make roast beef, and discover ways to use any of leftovers you might have in unique new dishes.

What Is Roast Beef?

A roast beef recipe yields a large roast that is seasoned and baked until medium-rare. The beef is often usually broiled or seared to create a crust, too.

Technically, even something like a prime rib or a beef tenderloin are both a roast beef dish, though they often use very techniques. This technique is great because you can roast less expensive cuts of beef, like bottom round roast that we use here, and still have a tender, flavorful centerpiece.

Ingredients for Roast Beef

This easy roast beef recipe requires just eight ingredients, and a few are pantry staples like salt and pepper.

• Bottom round roast: We loved this cut of beef because it's less expensive but still resulted in a melt-in-your-mouth dish. There are a few tricks to get that result, and we'll explain more. Bottom round roast is available year-round at grocery stores. You’ll still need to have your butcher cut the meat; six pounds is larger than a typical roast in the meat case.
• Anchovy fillets: Because the bottom round doesn’t have the juicy fat of other cuts, we spread an anchovy rub over the roast to amp up the meatiness. The rub doesn’t taste fishy. It’s very savory and salty.
• Dijon mustard: We paired the anchovy with Dijon, another pungent ingredient, to add another distinct flavor.
• Canola oil: Bottom round roast is a more lean cut of beef. You can make up for some of the missing fat or marbling with oil.
• Fresh rosemary: A classic partner to beef, rosemary adds a wonderful herbal flavor.
• Grated garlic: Adds bite and depth to the roast's flavor.
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper: For seasoning the roast.

How To Cook a Roast Beef

While this roast beef recipe takes several hours from start to finish, it's really not a complicated dish. With a meat thermometer, you'll turn out a perfect dish every time.

• Step 1. Bring the roast out of the fridge about 2 hours before you plan to start cooking it. It needs to warm up closer to room temperature for more even cooking. A cold roast won't warm evenly.
• Step 2. Make the seasoning by cutting and smashing the anchovy fillets until they form a paste. Then, combine the anchovies with the Dijon, rosemary, oil, and garlic.
• Step 3. Season the roast with salt and pepper, and spread the anchovy mixture all over the roast.
• Step 4. Place the roast in a broiler-safe roasting pan, on top of a broiler-safe wire rack. (For easier cleanup, line the roasting pan with aluminum foil.) Turn the roast so that the fat side is up. As the roast cooks, the fat will drip down, helping keep the roast moist.
• Step 5. Bake in a 225°F oven until the thickest part of the roast registers 110°F. This should take between 2 hours and 15 minutes and a little less than 3 hours. (The best way to know is to use a probe thermometer.)
• Step 6. When the roast reaches 110°F, remove it from the oven, and turn the oven to broil. After the oven is preheated for about 5 minutes, return the roast to the oven. Broil until the crust is browned. Then, remove the roast from the oven.
• Step 7. Move the roast to a cutting board, and let it rest for 20 minutes. Thinly slice the roast against the grain. Serve immediately with any sauce or side dishes you want.

How Long To Cook Roast Beef

Typically, you should cook roast beef about 20 to 30 minutes per pound, However, if you sear the beef on the stove or in the oven at any point, your cooking time may be shortened because of the extra heat.

Instead of looking at the clock, watch your thermometer and cook based on that. We would recommend you cook roast until it is medium-rare (135°F), but you will need to pull it earlier (around 125°F) to account for carry-over cooking during a long resting time.

Roast Beef Temperatures
Doneness	Pull From Oven	Final Temp
Medium-Rare	125°F	135°F
Medium	135°F	145°F
Medium-Well	140°F	150°F

How To Slice Roast Beef

We want to really emphasize this: You must slice the beef across the grain into thin slices before serving. Really, it’s a game changer.

When we did this, pros in the Southern Living Test Kitchen said they would not guess they were eating bottom round roast. Other high-ranking roast beef recipes don’t call for this step, but it’s a critical part of the recipe.

Also, you may need to cut the roast in half to make slicing it a little more manageable. That may also seem like an unusual step, but it works. You do the same for other large cuts like brisket, so why not roast beef? 

Tips for Melt-in-Your-Mouth Roast Beef

Before you get started with this roast beef recipe, it's important you get all the information you might need. Because while this cut of beef is cheaper than a tenderloin or prime rib, it's still an investment. So these tips from the pros will help.

• Don't rush the cooking: Cooking roast beef slow at a low heat is key. It yields a more even doneness from the center to the edges of the beef.
• Don't overcook: Because the bottom round roast doesn’t have the marbling like a traditional prime rib roast, you’re looking for a nice medium-rare throughout because it is too tough at a higher internal temperature. Low and slow will get you there with minimal gray spots. 
• Position the beef for more even cooking: Unfortunately, the bottom round isn’t a perfectly round roast. So first, try to place the roast on the rack so it sits somewhat evenly. Then, place the roast in the oven so that the meatiest side faces the back of the oven. It can take the extra heat.
• Use the right utensils: If you have a slicing knife, this is the time to break it out for those long, thin slices. 

Sauces for Roast Beef

We suggest serving roast with a dipping sauce, like a horseradish, mustard-cream, or peppercorn sauce. Something creamy and bright like those will balance the assertive flavors in the rubs, as would a gremolata. Creme fraiche with finely chopped shallots, herbs, grated garlic, and loads of black pepper would be good, too.

What To Do With Leftover Roast Beef

A six-pound roast will make quite a lot of meat (enough to feed about 10 people), so if your crowd is smaller or people eat less than expected, you'll get the gift of some leftover beef. Here are a few ways to use it:

• Potato-Bacon Hash with roast beef added
• Philly cheesesteak sandwich or Philly Cheesesteak Dip
  
• A classic roast beef sandwich
• Beef crostini
• Po'boy sandwich

How To Store Roast Beef

To store, slice the roast and place it in an airtight container. Drizzle with beef or chicken stock and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

If you have leftover roast beef that you want to reheat without drying out, cover the beef in stock, and reheat it in a low oven, about 325°F