Roast Beef
intro
Tender, juicy roast beef with a crisp herby crust and perfectly pink center, ideal for cozy shared family meals with roasted vegetables.
Ingredients
Steps
Season the beef
Pat the 1000g beef top round roast completely dry with paper towels. Mix 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme in a small bowl. Rub the entire beef surface with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then coat evenly with the spice mix, pressing gently to help the seasoning adhere. Let the seasoned beef rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to ensure even cooking later.
Prep the roasting pan
Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F). Toss the cut 200g yellow onion wedges, 180g carrot chunks, and 4 lightly crushed garlic cloves with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy cast-iron or stainless steel roasting pan. Spread the vegetables in a single, even layer across the pan bottom to act as a natural roasting rack for the beef.
Sear at high heat
Set the seasoned room-temperature beef directly on top of the vegetable bed in the roasting pan. Place the pan on the middle oven rack, and roast at 220°C (425°F) for 15 minutes to develop a deep, crisp, golden-brown herby crust on the beef exterior without overcooking the center.
Roast to target temp
Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (325°F), opening the oven door as briefly as possible to minimize heat loss. Continue roasting for 45 to 55 minutes, dotting the top of the beef with 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter halfway through this cooking time to baste the crust. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast (not touching fat or pan) reads 54°C (130°F) for medium-rare, or 60°C (140°F) for medium doneness.
Rest the cooked roast
Once the beef reaches your target internal temperature, carefully transfer it from the roasting pan to a clean grooved wooden cutting board. Tent the roast loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil, and let it rest undisturbed for 20 full minutes to allow muscle fibers to relax and redistribute juices evenly throughout the meat.
Slice and serve
After the 20-minute rest, remove the foil tent. Use a sharp long carving knife to cut the beef against the grain into uniform 5mm (1/4 inch) thick slices. Serve alongside the roasted pan vegetables, paired with horseradish cream or simple pan gravy if desired.
Tips
2.Do not skip the 20-minute resting period: slicing roast beef immediately after removing it from the oven will cause all the hot, flavorful juices to run out onto the cutting board, leaving the meat dry and less flavorful.
3.For the most tender, easy-to-chew slices, always cut perpendicular (against) the direction of the long muscle fibers of the roast; cutting with the grain will result in chewy, stringy bites even if the beef is cooked perfectly.
Tried this for my first ever roast beef cook for my roommate’s birthday and it didn’t disappoint! Only thing is I didn’t have fresh rosemary so I used dried, still turned out bomb. Will absolutely make again.
Made this for my in-laws who are super picky about roast beef and they raved! The crust had so much garlic and herb flavor, and the meat was so juicy no one even needed extra au jus. 10/10, adding this to our permanent rotation.
Meal prepped this on Sunday and ate slices all week for lunch on sandwiches, salads, even with roasted veggies. Held up so well in the fridge, didn’t get dry at all! Total game changer, way better than buying deli roast beef that’s loaded with sodium.
Brought this to our neighborhood block party potluck last weekend and the platter was empty in 10 minutes! So many people asked for the recipe I just sent the link to the whole group chat. Absolute crowd pleaser.
I’m the worst at cooking red meat, I always overcook it until it’s tough and leathery. Followed this recipe’s temp guide exactly and pulled it at 135F, let it rest, and it was perfect medium rare! My wife couldn’t believe I made it.
OMG my kids loved it! I was worried the herb crust would be too “fancy” for their picky palates but they ate every bite and asked if we could have it for their birthday dinner next month. Win for mom!
Been making roast beef for over 40 years and decided to give this recipe a shot when the grandkids came to visit. The herb crust is a nice touch, added just the right amount of zing without overpowering the beef. Will be adding this to my Sunday rotation.
Wait, cook time says 1 hour 30 minutes but mine took almost 2 hours to hit temp? I have a standard convection oven, did I do something wrong? Flavor was great but I was stressed waiting for it to be done in time for dinner.
I know it says medium difficulty but I found this super doable even on a weeknight! Prepped the herb rub while the oven preheated, popped it in, and had time to make sides while it roasted. So good, no fancy skills needed.
Made this for my son’s post-soccer team dinner and those teen boys ate almost the entire 4lb roast! I served it with mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli and every single plate was clean. Already got texts from a few of the moms asking for the recipe.
I follow a pretty strict high protein diet and this is perfect for hitting my protein goals without eating boring, bland chicken every night. The herb crust adds so much flavor I don’t even need sauce, it’s perfect on its own.
Brought this in for our office holiday potluck last month and it won the “best dish” prize! Beat out like 3 different casseroles and a whole spread of cookies. People still stop me in the hallway to ask when I’m making it again.
I used my own homemade herb blend from my garden (rosemary, thyme, a little oregano) for the crust and it turned out absolutely divine! The meat was so juicy, even the well-done end pieces that my husband likes were tender and not dry at all.
Made this for a date night at my apartment and my girlfriend thought I was a professional chef! I had to show her the recipe link because she didn’t believe I pulled it off with my tiny dorm oven. 10/10, great date night meal.
Obsessed with how crispy the herb crust gets! I was worried the herbs would burn in the oven but the cook time was perfect, it was golden and crunchy and packed so much flavor against the tender beef. Will make this for every special occasion from now on.
I used a bottom round roast instead of the top sirloin the recipe calls for because it was on sale at the grocery store, did I mess up? It was a little chewier than I expected but flavor was still great.
I made a quick horseradish cream sauce to go with this and it was chef’s kiss. The tang of the horseradish cuts right through the rich beef and herby crust, perfect pairing. Highly recommend adding that if you’re a horseradish fan like me.
Total win for budget meal planning! I bought a roast on manager’s special for $12, made this recipe, and it fed me and my roommate for 3 nights straight. Way cheaper than takeout and way more delicious too.
So happy this recipe is naturally gluten free! I have celiac and so many roast recipes call for flour in the rub or to coat the pan, but this one uses just herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper so I could eat it no problem. Came out amazing.
I grew up eating my mom’s dry, overcooked roast beef covered in gravy to make it palatable, so this recipe was a total revelation. Juicy, flavorful, no gravy needed! My husband said it’s better than the roast we had at the fancy steakhouse for our anniversary.