Several cuts are well suited to oven roasting. The most elegant choice is a tenderloin roast, which is lean and tender, but very expensive. A rib roast (sometimes called a prime rib roast) isn't as lean and tender, but it's juicier and more flavorful. A good compromise between the two would be a rib-eye roast, which is basically a boneless, low-fat rib roast. Other candidates for roast beef are a top loin roast, top sirloin butt roast, tri-tip roast, round tip roast, and rump roast. Don't assume that anything with "roast" in its name will work as roast beef. Some roasts are intended for pot roast recipes, for it takes hours of cooking in a liquid to make them tender enough for civilized consumption.
Steps for Producing a Simple Roast Beef
The following roasting method works best for beef cuts that weigh about 2½ pounds. Adjustments in the roasting time will have to be made if using a smaller or larger piece of meat. A top sirloin butt roast, a tri-tip roast, or a top quality bottom round roast are good choices when using the following steps.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove the beef roast from the refrigerator and season the meat as desired. The meat may also be marinated for several hours before it is roasted. This may be especially desirable if roasting a bottom round, because even a top quality bottom round roast will not be as tender as the top sirloin butt or tri-tip roast.
Place the beef on a rack in a shallow roasting pan with the fat side up. Do not cover the roast or add any liquid (liquid is used for braising and not roasting).
Allow the beef to roast at 450°F for 45 minutes and then begin checking the internal temperature of the meat with a meat thermometer. Continue roasting the meat until the internal temperature has reached 5 or 10 degrees below the desired doneness. Cooking a small roast at high heat helps to sear the exterior, which provides a flavorful browned crust and and tender meat.
The total roasting time depends on the type of beef cut that is roasted, the weight of the beef cut, the level of doneness desired, and the accuracy of the oven. Generally, the total roasting time may range from 15 to 30 minutes per pound. The 2½ pound, bottom round roast pictured at the right, required 55 minutes cooking time to reach the desired doneness (medium/medium rare).
Remove the roast from the oven and place aluminum foil loosely over the meat to hold in the heat. Let the roast stand for 15 minutes. The temperature will continue to rise 5 or 10 degrees, reaching the proper doneness. The resting period will allow the juices to settle in the roast making it more tender and easier to carve.
A beef roast cooked to medium rare should have an internal temperature of 145°F - 150ºF after the resting period and a roast cooked to medium should have an internal temperature of 150°F to 165ºF. (See the note below).
Note: Traditional guidelines state that beef cooked very rare, rare, or medium rare should have an internal temperature ranging between 115ºF to 140°F. With increased concern over bacteria that may be present in the internal portions of beef , it is now recommended that whole beef cuts be cooked to an internal temperature of not less than 145°F.
