Foolproof Roast Beef??

[Uberly]

Is it possible?

I've tried roasting beef several times and ended up with overcooked, tough meat :(

I know that cooking times are dependent on weight, but what cut of meat? Sear or not sear? Cooking temp and times? Resting time? Any other tips?

I'm aiming for that medium rare, melt-in-the-mouth beef.

Is it possible? Any help warmly welcomed! Thanks

I use Nigella's method and it's always worked perfectly. Rib of beef, 44 minutes per kilo and half hour's resting whilst your yorkshire pudddings cook. Has never failed me yet.

Watching thread with interest - I am sick of eating beef like shoe leather.

Particularly interested in any slow-cooker recipes.

I usually put the oven on as hot as it will go ( risk of smoking out kitchen, have the fan on). Cook for 10mins, loosly cover in foil, then turn down to 180fan for rest of cooking time. I go 50mis well done, 45 medium, 40 rare/ kilo but I add 20 mins at the end to. Leave loosely covered and rest for at least 20 mins before carving, as another poster suggests a bit longer and your Yorkshire puds are cooked.

Oops forget to say joint should be out of fridge for a couple of hours to be at room temp before going in oven, a very cold joint changes cooking times.

You need a reasonable-sized (4lbs+) piece of fore rib, sirloin or silverside with plenty of 'marbling' or fat running through it. Too small or too lean and it'll dry out. Season with salt and pepper only. Heat the oven to its highest setting and roast, uncovered, on a low shelf for 15 mins. Then give it about 15-20 mins per lb at Gas 5/190C or 170C in a fan. Remove from the oven and let it sit for about half an hour under a piece of greaseproof paper with a tea-towel over the top. This means the juices calm down and stay in the meat rather than spilling out when you carve.

I have until recently had mixed success with beef and know how annoying it is to get tough dry reults after nurturing it in the oven.

I recently tried the slow cooker. I do nothing to my beef. Literally a splash of water to literally just cover the bottom of the pot. Cut an onion in half (skin on) and sit the beef ontop. Cook of low all day for a large joint maybe 4/5 hours for a smaller one.

It turns out succulent, moist and tender EVERY time. No rush or stress if the veg isnt ready/you get held up with something else - it wont over do. I now cook all my meats like this with similar good results.

A friend did point out to me this was not really roasting - but so what- the results are better imo.

Good to know I'm not the only one jazzchickens! To me this is like the Holy Grail! lol :o

Thanks for all your replies. I'm already thinking my downfall has been that the joint has been too small and I probably cooked straight from the fridge.

In these dodgy financial times, I'm watching the purse strings too. Would I get sucess from a pre-packed, bog-standard joint from the supermarket, rather than from butchers or from a premium range? (If that makes sense)

Queenofcake - sounds brilliant! Only problem is that I haven't got the space in my kitchen for a slow cooker....would LOVE one though!

The supermarket pre-packed joint may not be quite as good quality as more expensive options but, if you treat it carefully and choose one that looks a good colour and has plenty of marbling, it should be fine.

Thanks :)

This is fool proof and delicious! Gravy is divine

This was also fantastic!

General tip : you're better undercooking the beef rather than overcooking..

Slow cooked pot roast beef is easy and foolproof. I cut slits into the meat for little slivers of garlic, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, cover and bung in the oven on 120 for 5ish hours. Use the juice to make a gravy at the end after removing the meat... Deglaze with a splash of red wine, add stock and thicken with cornflour. It's not rare, but is definitely soft and melt in the mouth! I do the same with pork, rolled in dried sage and without the garlic.

I bought sirloin recently as it was marked down and cooked it with nothing but a bit of foil loosely over the top and it was delicious, I didnt put it on a high heat but I left it out the fridge to come to room temp first.

It didnt shrink or lose any water at all.

Topside is always tough when I buy it.

I do brisket in my slow cooker, on low all day with a bit of stock, always moist and tasty.