Cook the perfect roast beef for Sunday lunch or a dinner party. Well help you achieve tender, juicy meat whether youre cooking a rib, sirloin or fillet.
Roast beef is one of those classic dishes that suits any occasion. A roast beef centerpiece can instantly make any meal better, whether it’s a simple family dinner or a fancy dinner party with people you want to impress. Our guide has all the information you need to make the perfect roast beef, including how long to cook it, what temperature to use, how long to let it rest, and how to serve it. Advertisement.
Cooking up a mouthwatering beef joint is a staple meal for many families. There’s nothing more satisfying than carving into a tender, juicy piece of beef at the dinner table. However, achieving that ideal texture requires understanding how long different beef joints need to cook.
The cooking time primarily depends on two factors – the size and cut of beef. Here’s a guide to determine the oven roasting time for various common beef joints
Rib of Beef
One of the most impressive and tasty cuts of beef is a bone-in rib. It usually contains about 3 ribs.
Weight to Servings
- 2 ribs (1.5 to 2kg) serves 3-4
- 3 ribs (2.5 to 3kg) serves 6-8
- 4 ribs (4kg) serves 10-12
Oven Roasting Time
For a 3 rib roast weighing 25-3kg
- Rare: 13-15 minutes per 500g + 20 minutes
- Medium: 15-18 minutes per 500g + 20 minutes
- Well Done: 20 minutes per 500g + 20 minutes
Always start by searing the joint in a hot pan for 3-4 minutes before transferring to the oven preheated to 180°C/Gas 4.
Topside Beef
Topside is a lean and tender cut from the back leg. It’s an excellent large roasting joint.
Weight to Servings
- 1kg serves 3-4
- 1.5kg serves 5-6
- 2kg serves 8-10
Oven Roasting Time
- Rare: 20 minutes per 500g + 20 minutes
- Medium: 25 minutes per 500g + 20 minutes
- Well Done: 30 minutes per 500g + 20 minutes
Remember to sear before roasting at 180°C/Gas 4.
Rolled Sirloin
Boneless rolled sirloin makes an easy to carve roasting joint. It’s flavored with the fat rolled into the center.
Weight to Servings
- 1kg serves 3-4
- 1.5kg serves 6
- 2kg serves 8
Oven Roasting Time
- Rare: 20 minutes per 500g
- Medium: 25 minutes per 500g
- Well Done: 30 minutes per 500g
Cook at 180°C/Gas 4, No need to sear this joint first,
Top Rump Roast
Top rump is a good value roasting joint. It is fairly lean so cook carefully to avoid drying out.
Weight to Servings
- 750g serves 2-3
- 1kg serves 3-4
- 1.5kg serves 6
Oven Roasting Time
- Rare: 20 minutes per 500g + 15 minutes
- Medium: 25 minutes per 500g + 15 minutes
- Well Done: 30 minutes per 500g + 15 minutes
Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6 and sear the joint first before roasting.
Silverside
Silverside is cut from the rear of the animal. It has a layer of fat to keep it moist but cook carefully to prevent toughening.
Weight to Servings
- 750g serves 2-3
- 1kg serves 3-4
- 1.5kg serves 6
Oven Roasting Time
- Rare: 25 minutes per 500g
- Medium: 30 minutes per 500g
- Well Done: 35 minutes per 500g
Cook at 180°C/Gas 4. No need to sear first.
Cooking Tips for Perfect Beef Joints
Follow these tips for roasting beef joints to juicy perfection every time:
- Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking.
- Pat dry thoroughly and season well with salt and pepper.
- Sear in a hot pan before roasting to seal in flavor.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temp.
- Roast at 180-200°C. Higher temps cause drying.
- Let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.
The resting time after oven roasting is crucial to allow juices to redistribute through the meat. Always cover loosely in foil and let sit to finish cooking and become perfectly tender.
How to Tell When a Beef Joint Is Cooked
Checking doneness of a beef joint requires using more than just a cooking time guide. You need to rely on multiple indicators to determine when it’s ready for the table.
Internal Temperature
Use an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the joint, away from any bones. Target temperatures are:
- Rare: 60°C
- Medium Rare: 65°C
- Medium: 70°C
- Well Done: 75°C
The temperature will continue rising by about 5°C during resting time.
Meat Probe or Skewer Test
A meat probe or skewer should slide into and out of the center very easily with just a little resistance when beef is done cooking.
Meat Color
- Rare beef is bright red in the center
- Medium rare is pinkish-red
- Medium is light pink
- Well done has no pink remaining
Fat Color
The outer fat should be lightly browned and crispy when the beef is cooked.
Juices
- Rare beef will have red juices
- Medium is pink juices
- Well done juices run clear
Using multiple doneness tests will guarantee your beef joint is cooked accurately without cutting into it prematurely. The thermometer reading backed up by a skewer slide test ensures perfect results.
Serving Suggestions for Beef Joints
An oven roasted beef joint deserves accompaniments to match. Consider these serving ideas:
Carving Board
Present the roast on a wooden carving board. Garnish with sprigs of rosemary or thyme and drizzle with the pan juices.
Pan Gravy
Make a simple gravy while the joint rests by using the meaty pan drippings. Stir in a bit of flour then add beef stock and red wine to make an easy sauce.
Horseradish Cream
Mix grated horseradish into whipped cream or creme fraiche and serve alongside sliced beef. The flavor cuts through the richness.
au Jus
Simmer pan drippings with red wine and beef stock. Strain and serve the savory juices in a boat for dipping slices of tender beef.
Root Vegetables
Roast potatoes, parsnips, carrots and other root veg in the beef fat for added flavor. They make perfect accompaniments.
Yorkshire Puddings
No British roast beef meal is complete without big baked Yorkshire puddings to soak up the meaty juices.
Red Wine
A full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec complements the richness of beef. Let it breathe while the joint rests.
Take your roast beef spread over the top with these classic pairings. Don’t forget to drizzle extra meat juices from the carved joint over the vegetables and Yorkshire puds on each plate.
Beef Joint Meal Ideas
Roast beef isn’t just for Sunday lunch! Try these creative meals:
French Dip Sandwiches
Pile thinly sliced roast beef on crusty rolls. Serve au jus broth for dipping along with a tangy horseradish sauce.
Salad Niçoise
Toss beef slices into this classic composed salad with tuna, green beans, tomatoes, olives, boiled eggs and mustard vinaigrette.
Vietnamese Rice Bowls
Thinly slice beef and add to rice bowls with pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, cilantro, and nuoc cham dressing.
Barbecue Beef Subs
Shred beef and pile it onto cheesy garlic bread. Add your favorite barbecue sauce along with melted cheese, peppers and crispy onions.
Beef Tacos
Warm corn tortillas, shredded beef, guacamole, pico de gallo, queso fresco and lime wedges for squeezing make simple yet satisfying tacos.
Leftover roasted beef also works in hearty pasta sauces, rice bowls, fajitas, pies or sandwiches. Slice it, dice it, or shred it for endless easy meals throughout the week.
Conclusion
When cooking beef joints, allow 20-25 minutes per 500g for rare to medium doneness, increasing to 30 minutes per 500g for well done meat. Always sear the joint first to seal in flavors and juices. Roast at a moderate 180-200°C oven temperature and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Look for multiple signs of doneness like internal temp, meat color, juices and probe tenderness tests. Pair roaste
How to cook roast beef
People generally agree that whether it’s a sirloin joint or a rib roast, roast beef should always be cooked on the bone because the bone conducts heat and adds flavor. But not everyone likes this, and some of our most popular recipes don’t have bones and are much easier to carve. Buy what suits you best.
The fat is more important than the bone, so don’t cut it off. It will baste your meat while it cooks. You can always cut it away when you serve it. To get the fat to form a crust, you need to sprinkle or rub it with flour and/or mustard powder. This will soak up the fat that rises to the top.
More often than not, roast beef is cooked at a high temperature until the outside turns caramelized. This method can also be used backwards, with a lower temperature at the beginning and a big blast of heat at the end. As an example, see our herb-scented slow-roasted recipe.
Best roast beef dishes
Carve this rolled sirloin at the Christmas dinner table. The porcini butter adds a fabulous umami note and pickled peppercorns cut through the creamy sauce.
It’s easy to turn béarnaise sauce into flavored butter. It tastes just as good and goes great with pepper-crusted roast beef for Christmas lunch.
Wow guests with an intensely flavoursome, peppered sirloin joint. Serve alongside our potatoes dauphinoise enriched with tarragon, shallots and gruyère.
This classic recipe makes the perfect Sunday lunch and will feed eight people easily. The beef has a tasty crust made of herbs and pepper. They will get darker as they cook, but don’t worry about that.
For a bone-free and cheaper cut, try a beef top rump for your roast.
How to Cook Perfect Roast Beef | Jamie Oliver
FAQ
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