Reverse-Sear Roast Beef

There’s nothing quite like serving a beef roast to a hungry crowd. But the cost of larger cuts of beef can add up quickly, with prime roasts often blowing the budget. I wanted to find a roast that would please a crowd without completely breaking the bank.

Cuts from the loin are the best for roast beef. These cuts come from the back along the spine and don’t do much work for the cow, ensuring more tender meat. These cuts include the following:

• Prime rib roast
• Strip loin roast
• Tenderloin roast
• Top loin roast
• Tri-tip roast

The first three are classic holiday centerpieces, but come with a hefty price tag. Top loin and tri-tip roasts are excellent options for beefy bang for your buck. If you can find one with a fat cap, all the better, but trimmed roasts are still an excellent option.

Cuts from the round (rump, sirloin tip, eye of round, top/bottom round) can be used for roasts, but have a much tighter grain and are tougher. They come from the hindquarters, where they did a lot of work moving the cow around. These cuts do better very thinly sliced — especially when you’re serving cold roast beef. The same technique can be used to cook them, but may take longer, as the shape tends to be much thicker and rounder.

Tying a roast is often done for irregular cuts of meat, forcing it into an even shape for more even cooking. It can also be done to help cuts retain a rounder shape during the cooking process, but it isn’t strictly necessary.

The tri-tip used for this recipe is very irregularly shaped, forming a triangle. As is, the narrower end will end up more well-done than the thicker end. I actually find this ideal for larger gatherings. You’re able to serve a roast with an array of doneness for a variety of palates. To ensure a little bit of everything for everyone, pull the roast from the oven when the thickest part registers nearer the rare side.

If, however, you know everyone you are serving prefers medium rare end-to-end, you can simply fold the narrow end under itself and tie it with a few lengths of butcher’s twine. (Ask the meat counter for a length of it if you don’t have any on hand.) There are certainly fancy techniques for tying a roast with a single long length of twine, but there’s nothing wrong with cutting a few 8-inch lengths and tying them a few inches apart.

I opted to cook this roast at a low temperature, then seared it on the stovetop for a browned crust. Because tri-tip roasts are so much thinner than the larger cuts like a rib roast, attempting to get a good crust in the oven ends up in overcooked meat. A tri-tip roast will cook in about an hour-and-a-half, but times can vary depending on size and thickness.

I like to check its progress after the first hour to get a benchmark on where it’s at. If it’s under 100ºF, you can likely wait another 20 minutes before checking it again. If it’s over 100ºF, keep a closer eye on it. After searing, let it rest five to 10 minutes before slicing the meat and serving.