Homemade roast beef is tender, juicy, and delicious. You can make it at home with a lot less work than you think! Marinated beef is roasted on high heat and then slowly cooked on low heat to get the best texture: a perfect crust on the outside that is browned and chewy on the inside. This classic Sunday roast with vegetables is well-seasoned and packed with flavor. If you’ve never cooked roast beef before, this is the recipe for you. Even if you’ve never cooked before, this book is easy to follow and full of tips to help you make the best roast beef possible.
Cooking a perfect roast beef dinner feels like a daunting task. There’s the shopping, seasoning, roasting, resting, slicing, and gravy-making It’s a process that can easily take up your entire Sunday. But what if you could break up the work by preparing your roast a day ahead? Not only does this make the process more manageable, it can actually improve the flavor of your beef Read on to learn if you can cook roast beef the day before, the benefits of doing so, and tips for roasting, storing, and reheating to achieve roast beef perfection.
Why Cook Roast Beef in Advance?
There are several advantages to preparing your roast beef ahead of time
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Convenience – Tackle the roasting a day early so you’re not rushing to get everything ready right before dinner. This frees up your time on the big day.
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Enhanced flavor – Allowing the roast beef to rest overnight gives time for the flavors to develop fully. The spices and seasoning permeate the meat more deeply.
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Tenderness – The extended cooking gently breaks down the proteins and connective tissue in the beef, This results in a more tender and succulent final product
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Ease of slicing – Once cooled completely, the roast beef firms up, making it much easier to slice evenly and thinly. No shredding or crumbling!
So cooking your roast beef ahead provides some definite advantages. But how exactly do you go about it? Follow these simple steps for perfect results.
Step-by-Step Guide to Make-Ahead Roast Beef
1. Select and Prepare the Roast
Choose a lean, evenly-shaped roast in the 3-5 pound range. Top round, bottom round, eye of round, and sirloin tip are all good affordable options. Trim off any excess fat and rub the roast all over with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and other desired seasonings. Massaging the spices into the meat is key for maximum flavor infusion.
2. Roast at a High Temperature
Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place the seasoned roast beef on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes per pound. This high heat at the start helps ensure a well-browned exterior.
3. Turn Down the Temperature and Continue Roasting
After the initial blast of high heat, turn the oven temperature down to 325°F. Continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 120-125°F for medium-rare, 130-135° for medium, and 140-145°F for medium well. Plan on around 15-20 minutes per pound total cooking time.
4. Allow the Roast Beef to Rest
When the roast beef reaches 5-10°F below your target temperature, remove it from the oven. The internal temperature will continue rising as it rests. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes before refrigerating. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat for better moisture.
5. Refrigerate Once Completely Cooled
Resist the urge to slice into that tempting roast beef straight out of the oven! Allow it cool completely first, about 1-2 hours. Slice it once chilled, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Roast beef can be stored for up to 4 days.
6. Reheating and Serving
On the big day, preheat your oven to 325°F. Place the sliced roast beef and accumulated juices in a casserole dish or pan, cover with foil, and reheat for 15-20 minutes per pound until hot throughout. Make gravy from the juices, then serve your perfectly cooked, amazingly tender roast beef!
Handy Tips for Roast Beef Success
Follow these tips and tricks to ensure roast beef excellence when cooking ahead:
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Use a meat thermometer to accurately hit your target doneness.
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Allow even more resting time if possible – up to 45 minutes.
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Slice the beef as thinly as possible across the grain for maximum tenderness.
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Save the bone and drippings to make fragrant beef stock.
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Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking for food safety. Discard if left out too long.
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Add broth or water if the juices dry out while reheating.
Creative Flavor Variations
Basic salt and pepper is delicious, but you can also add more complex dimensions with spice rubs and marinades. Try the following:
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Herb-Crusted – Coat the roast beef with a blend of minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, and Dijon mustard.
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Coffee-Chile – Rub the beef with ancho chile powder, instant coffee, brown sugar, and cumin.
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Asian-Inspired – Marinate overnight in soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic.
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Mediterranean – Brush with a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, and crushed red pepper.
No matter what flavors you choose, cooking your roast beef ahead of time helps ensure it’s juicy, tender, and packed with seasoning. Just be sure to chill it properly. Now go enjoy your Sunday, relaxing instead of roasting! Roast beef dinner has never been so low-stress.
How to Make the Best Roast Beef
- Prepare the beef. With a paper towel, pat the round roast dry all the way through. Spread oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, Italian seasoning, and garlic out over the roast in a generous way. Set aside for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight. It’s best to let the beef come to room temperature before cooking it so that it cooks evenly and stays juicy.
- Prepare the vegetables. Put the potatoes, onions, carrots, oil, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar in a large bowl. Toss well to coat.
- Bake. There should be a rack in the roasting pan. Put the roast in the pan and spread the vegetables out evenly. Bake in an oven that has been heated to 425F for 20 minutes. Then lower the heat to 350F and keep cooking for another minute. 5. 5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 140 F for medium-rare. The goal temperature for medium doneness is 155 F, which takes about 2 hours. Use a digital meat thermometer inserted deep into the meat to check if it’s done.
- Rest. Take the pan out of the oven and cover the meat with aluminum foil to keep it moist. Let the beef roast rest for 15-20 minutes. After cooking, letting the meat rest helps the juices move around inside it again, since the temperature inside the meat keeps rising a little while it rests.
- Serve. Slice and serve with the roasted vegetables.
How to Cook Roast Beef in the Instant Pot
- Set the Instant Pot’s Sauté function to high and sear the beef that has been marinated until it is browned on all sides. This should take about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside on a plate.
- Put potatoes, onions, carrots, oil, salt, pepper, and vinegar in a large bowl. Toss well to coat and transfer into the pot.
- Add 1 cup of water or beef broth. Put the beef on top of the roast rack in the pot. Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the SEAL position. Pressure cook for 5 minutes. When the time is up, quickly let go of the pressure by moving the steam release valve to the venting position.
- Let the roast beef rest in the pot until it reaches 140 F for medium-rare doneness. Then set the Instant Pot to “Keep Warm.” The goal temperature for medium doneness is 155 F, which takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature every 5 to 10 minutes until it’s done the way you like it.
I’m NEVER Making Roast Beef Any Other Way AGAIN
FAQ
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