How to Make Perfect Beef Roast in the Oven
Worried about making your first beef roast? Looking to perfect your cooking technique? Skip over the feelings of intimidation and tackle the perfect beef roast with these six cooking tips that cover everything from cooking time to temperature.
Bruce and Jeanne Lubin
Let the Air Flow for Roasts
Always use a shallow pot for cooking roasts. It will allow air to circulate more efficiently. Elevating the meat by cooking it atop celery ribs, carrot sticks, thick onion slices also helps get the air underneath the meat (and gives it a great flavor!).
Reduce Roast Beef Splatters
Roast beef has a tendency to splatter both in the oven and all over the stove when you take it out. Keep the splatters and resulting smoke to a minimum by placing some water in the bottom of the pan before it goes in the oven. Monitor it periodically and add more if needed.
How Long to Cook a Roast in the Oven
Wondering how long to cook beef in the oven? Check out this handy chart, which tells you about how long you’ll need to cook your roast based on how much it weighs.
How to Speed Up Cooking a Roast
The dinner party guests have eaten their way through the hors d’oeuvres, but the roast you’re making still isn’t close to being done. Speed up the process by making incisions in the meat every inch or so (don’t cut more than halfway down) and then tying the roast together with string. The heat will be better able to penetrate through the incisions, and you’ll get dinner on the table sooner.
Let the Roast Rest
Let a roast stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes before you carve it. This gives the juices time to be reabsorbed and distribute evenly. When you cook a roast, the juices tend to be forced to the center as those near the surface are evaporated by the heat. Resting the roast also allows the meat to firm up a bit, making it easier to carve into thinner slices.
See also: 10 Tricks for Smoking Meat
What to Do if You Burn the Roast!
There are few kitchen disasters more disheartening than burning a roast. But there’s help! If you burn or scorch a roast, remove it from the pan and cover it with a towel dampened with hot water for about five minutes, which will stop the cooking. Then remove or scrape off any burnt areas with a sharp knife, and put the roast back in the oven to reheat if necessary.
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Image by Shutterstock.
About the Author
Bruce Lubin and Jeanne Bossolina-Lubin are the proud parents of three boys and more than a dozen books. After saving thousands per year using everyday tips and simple lifehacks, they started their own business in the hopes of sharing their knowledge with others. They have been known to go into their friends’ refrigerators to turn their eggs upside down so that they last longer.