How to cook the perfect roast beef

Roast beef is a classic main dish for holidays, family get-togethers, and elegant dinners. This incredibly easy-to-follow, 4-ingredient recipe will help you create a flavorful, moist, and tender roast like no other. Learn how to make a mouthwatering roast, get tips on how long to cook roast beef, and find the best ways to use leftovers.

What Is Roast Beef?

Roast beef doesn't refer to just one cut of beef — eye of round, bottom round roast, top round roast, top sirloin roast, and bone-in rib roast are all commonly used cuts. Affordable eye of round roast is the best pick for this recipe — its rich flavors develop beautifully during slow cooking.

How to Cook a Roast Beef

Turn your kitchen into a delicious deli counter in just a few simple steps. You'll find the full recipe below with step-by-step instructions, but here's what you can expect when you make this top-rated recipe:

How Long to Cook Roast Beef in the Oven

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F, then tie your roast with twine to prevent the meat from drying out. Rub garlic seasoning blend into the meat before roasting for around 60 minutes (or 20 minutes per pound, adjusted to your roast's weight), using a meat thermometer to ensure the meat is at least 120 degrees F.

Remove the roast beef from the oven, transfer it to a cutting board, and let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. You'll have juicy, garlicky roast beef to enjoy in a variety of dishes.

How to Use Leftover Roast Beef

There are countless ways to use leftover roast beef, including casseroles, sandwiches, and soups. Try spicy roll-ups or a hearty beef pot pie for a unique spin on succulent, oven-roasted meat.

How to Store Roast Beef

Keep cooked roast in the refrigerator for up to four days. To maximize the shelf life, wrap the meat in foil or cling wrap, pressing out all excess air. Want to reheat roast beef without drying it out? Break up any large chunks and add a bit of liquid (broth or water works) before heating leftovers in the microwave or the oven.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"Incredibly simple recipe for an inexpensive cut of meat," says home cook DG. "I followed suggestions by others and doubled the amount of seasonings, plus added some thyme and onion powder."

"I made this for Sunday's supper, and it came out perfectly medium-rare, which my family loves!" shares reviewer RoseBea. "I added garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, and mushroom gravy."

"Love this recipe," says Nadine. "It is my go-to when preparing meals for a large crowd."

Editorial contributions by Rai Mincey

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Make sure roast is at room temperature. Tie roast at 3-inch intervals with cotton twine; this helps it from drying out and allows it to cook more evenly. Place roast on a rack in a baking pan.

3. Mix together salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub seasoning mixture into the meat.

4. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 60 minutes, or 20 minutes per pound if your roast is larger or smaller. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 120 to 125 degrees F (49 to 52 degrees C).

5. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Cover loosely with foil, and let rest so juices can redistribute, 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Slice and serve.

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Tips

Make sure your eye of round is at room temperature before cooking. Let beef sit at room temperature for at least 45 minutes (or 1 hour) before beginning this recipe. If your roast is not at room temperature, the cook time will be longer.

Regardless of the size of your roast, aim for cooking at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), for 20 minutes per pound.

After resting for 15 to 20 minutes your roast should reach its final internal temperature, which could be 5 to 15 degrees higher than when removed from the oven. The final temperatures (after resting) should be 120 to 125 degrees F (49 to 52 degrees C) for rare, 130 to 140 degrees F (54 to 60 degrees C) for medium-rare, and 140 to 150 degrees F (60 to 65 degrees C) for medium.

Tender, juicy and a bit pink in the middle. That is what we usually wish for while waiting for the roast beef to hit the table. There are so many variables to cooking the perfect roast beef: rare, medium, well done, the cut of meat you use, the cooking times, the gravy… Here are a few tips on how to cook great roast beef to everyone’s liking, every time.

When choosing the beef you're going to use, keep in mind that the ideal cuts for roasting are:-

1) Rib of Beef - which is usually cooked on the bone

2) Sirloin - which is usually boned and rolled and carries less fat that the rib of beef

3) Topside, Silverside and Top Rump - all three of which are quite lean with less marbling and are usually rolled with an outer layer of fat taken from the flank of the same animal and tied together to form a cylinder shape 

4) Fillet – which is often used for beef wellington and contains small slivers of fat that run through the flesh

Always allow the meat to get up to room temperature before cooking, drizzle it with a little olive oil and season with ground black pepper, rubbing it over the meat with your hands. Alternatively rub a Knorr Beef Stock Cube mixed with olive oil over the meat before cooking for extra depth of flavour.

When it comes to cooking temperatures, the oven should be preheated to 240°C 220°C fan, Gas Mark 9 and the beef roasted at this high temperature for 15 mins after which, the temperature can be reduced to 190°C 170°C fan, Gas Mark 5.

The most accurate way to judge the cooking time is to use a meat thermometer pushed into the thickest part of the beef. If you like rare beef, you need to take it out of the oven when the thermometer shows 60°C. For medium beef, cook until it reaches 70°C, and for well done, 80°C. Cooking times may vary depending on the oven you have and the weight of the meat but as a rough guide:-

For rare beef roast for 11-13 mins on the reduced heat for every 500g 

For medium beef roast for 16-18 mins on the reduced heat for every 500g

For well-done beef roast for 22-24 mins on the reduced heat for every 500g.

If you want to cook your beef rare but don't have a food thermometer to hand, make a little cut with a knife: it should be bright pink in the middle. If you prefer medium beef, it just needs to have a pinkish centre. For well-done meat, it should be completely cooked inside and show no signs of pink at all.

After taking it out of the oven, wrap the meat loosely in aluminium foil and leave to rest in a warm place. Resting for 20 minutes to 1 hour will release the juices, relaxing the muscles and helping to make the meat tender. 

Remember, for great extra taste, sear the beef in a hot oven for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature. This creates a nice brown colour on the outside of the beef and helps seals in the juices. Alternatively brown the meat in a hot pan on the stove with a dash of oil. Make sure to brown all around before placing in the oven. Baste the beef from time to time during cooking, this will greatly enhance the flavour.

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