Roast Beef - British Style

When I was growing up, Sunday dinner was a big event. The meal would be a roast joint of some kind, a chicken, pork leg, leg of lamb or everybody's favorite, roast beef!

For the best roast beef, you ideally need a good quality cut (or joint in the UK), preferably a rib or sirloin tip. Beef for roasting needs a good marbling of fat or it will dry out. If buying a rib roast, on the bone tastes better than boneless. You can also use eye of round/topside if it is good quality.

Also, get a meat thermometer! It makes it so much easier especially if you haven't roasted beef much before. You really don't want to ruin an expensive roasting joint by overcooking. Ones that can stay in the roast during the entire cooking time are easiest. A roaster pan with a rack is a good thing to have too, because it lifts the beef out of its own juices, allowing it to get good and crispy on all sides instead of 'stewing' on the bottom.

I like to sear a roast on all sides on the stove top before putting it in the oven. Some people prefer to roast at a high temperature for the first 20 minutes instead, but I think you run a greater risk of over-cooking it that way. I roast at a steady 325 F/160 C for the entire cooking time.

Internal Temperatures and approx cooking times:

Rare:120°F to 125°F, (49°C to 52°C), 15-17 mins per pound
Medium Rare: 130°F to 140°F (55°C to 60°C) , 18-20 mins per pound
Medium: 145°F to 150°F (63°C to 66°C) , 21-23 mins per pound
Well Done: 155°F to 165°F (68°C to 74°C), 25-28 mins per pound

Rare and medium rare are best! Cooking times are very approximate and will be longer for lower quality cuts. Let beef stand on a rack for at least 15 minutes before you carve it.

Next post will be the accompaniments, including Yorkshire Pudding (yummmy!).