Perfect roast beef- HELP!

[CJ0374]

I'm a competent cook, perfect yorkshires and roasties, but the roast beef is always disappointing. I've tried 36day aged, from the butchers, extra special, grass fed etc and only cook it medium or even medium-rare, but its always tough and tasteless. What am I doing wrong?

What joint are you using? Topside is popular but tasteless I think.

I usually do a rib of beef because it’s more forgiving. I keep it simple - salt, pepper and some olive oil, roasted on a bed of veg. I have also had success with a sirloin joint. A friend does a full fillet of beef - sears it first then cooks on low. Comes out beautifully.

I like a sirloin joint. Cooked medium. (That gives a few slices each end that are well done)

I sear it in a hot roasting tray, then put it in a HOT oven (220C) for 20 min. Turn it down to 180 for the rest of the time - depending on thickness of the meat. (Ours around 1kg is usually 40 more min)

Cooking beef in the slow cooker was a game changer for me

My MiL cooks her beef in water on low and slow. It's not rare as I prefer it but she slices it up and puts it in a thick gravy and it is so tender it falls apart. I cook mine in olive oil and vegetable oil mix, about 1cm all over pan. I cook it on hot oven 200 degrees. It is always rare in the middle. One slice each end is well done, all other slices medium to rare. I take it out to rest, wrapped in foil then throw roast potatoes to cook in oil.

I found this site a few years ago, I use it to calculate the cooking times for beef and lamb and the meat has been perfect every time.

http://www.stourhead.com/shop/roasting.html

@SpaceOP - Hmm, in the past I have cooked a rib of beef and do now recall it being delicious.🤔I think I'd forgotten how tasty. Its expensive though and not as easy to find unless I go to a butchers.

I always get the meat out of the fridge beforehand and let it rest after cooking. Its also only cooked to medium at most. Maybe I need wafer thing slices instead?

You really have to get a good cut of meat, most of what supermarkets sell as 'roast' are never tender enough for ordinary cooking. Slow cooker works but imo that's actually not roast beef at all, it's braised/stewed call it what you like but it's not properly roast, will be delicious though. For the real thing you need to use a cut a restaurant or hotel would use, not cheap unfortunately!

I am not sure about topside cost as I never buy it, but rib is usually cheaper than other beef cuts here which is one if the reasons I buy it. Its about £22/kg vs crazy £35 for others. But then, I seldom do roasts like this full stop.because of the cost. Even at £22/kg it's usually too rich for my blood..

Most of the times we over cook beef because we cook to medium before taking it out of the oven. It carries on cooking during the resting period

I follow Jamie Oliver's advice and its worked every time

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/perfect-roast-beef/

Obviously adjust the times for the size of joint

I cook it in the slow cooker over night and then make gravy with the liquid.

If you do it in the oven it barely needs any time in the oven at all compared to other meats. Get it out when it's still showing blood in the juices when you test it and wrap it in foil and leave it for at least half an hour to rest.