How to Cook
COOKING A ROAST
How To Cook a Roast Beef
There it is. A whole roast, just waiting for you to take culinary control. Whether it's a tri-tip roast for a weeknight dinner, an elegant beef tenderloin, or a wow-worthy prime rib, there are hungry meat lovers depending on you.
So if you're wondering right about now just how to cook roast beef, we're here to help out.
No matter what the cut, the principles of how to cook a roast are similar and we've put together what you need to know in the instructions below. Cooking a roast in the oven is always great, but if you'd like try roast beef on the grill, we've got you covered there too.
We've also included a chart that will tell you how long to cook a roast and to what temperature, depending the level of doneness you prefer (be sure to use a meat thermometer for the best results).
And be prepared for lots of cheering when you bring that incredible roast to the table!
How To Cook a Roast In The Oven
- Be sure your roast is completely thawed. If frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator. For larger roasts, this could take up to 2 days, so allow plenty of time.
- Bring the meat to room temperature. Remove your roast from the refrigerator at least an hour (but no more than two hours) before roasting.
- Preheat your oven, following the temperatures in the chart below.
- Season the roast well. Our Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning is an excellent choice.
- Place the roast on a rack in a roasting pan, fat-side up if applicable. Do not add water or cover the roast.
- Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the roast reads 10°F lower than the desired doneness, following the chart below. Your roast will continue to warm after removing it from the oven.
- Transfer your roast to a carving board and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 10-20 minutes before carving; the temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 10°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). While resting the juices in the roast will redistribute evenly throughout the meat, ensuring the best succulence, texture and flavor.
- Once your roast has rested, it's time to carve. Make sure your carving knife is sharp (See our Expert Tips for How to Sharpen a Knife).
Grilled Beef Roast
Roast on the grill is one of life's special pleasures. A grill can function as an oven, with the added benefit of that unmistakable grilled-over-an-open-flame flavor.
Charcoal Grill
- Be sure your roast is completely thawed. If frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator. For larger roasts, this could take up to 2 days, so allow plenty of time.
- Bring the meat to room temperature. Remove your roast from the refrigerator at least an hour (but no more than two hours) before roasting.
- Season the roast well. Our Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning is an excellent choice.
- Prepare charcoal grill for indirect cooking by arranging an equal number of charcoal briquettes on each side and placing an aluminum foil drip pan in the middle of the grill. When coals are medium, ash-covered (about 25 minutes), add a few new briquettes to each side. Position the cooking rack handles over coals so adding extra briquettes is easy.
- Place the seasoned roast on cooking rack directly over the drip pan and cover with the grill lid.
- Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the roast reads 10°F lower than the desired doneness, following the chart below. Your roast will continue to warm after removing it from the oven.
- You will need to turn your roast periodically to ensure even cooking.
- Add three to four additional charcoal briquettes to each side of the grill every 30 minutes or as necessary to maintain proper heat during grilling.
- Transfer your roast to a carving board and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 10 — 20 minutes before carving; the temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 10°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). While resting, the juices in the roast will redistribute evenly throughout the meat, ensuring the best succulence, texture and flavor.
- Once your roast has rested, it's time to carve. Make sure your carving knife is sharp (See our Expert Tips for How to Sharpen a Knife).
Gas Grill
- Be sure your roast is completely thawed. If frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator. For larger roasts, this could take up to 2 days, so allow plenty of time.
- Bring the meat to room temperature. Remove your roast from the refrigerator at least an hour (but no more than two hours) before roasting.
- Season the roast well. Our Kansas City Steak Original Steak Seasoning is an excellent choice.
- Preheat grill on high.
- Place the seasoned roast in the center of the grill and turn off the burners directly under the roast (there's no need for a drip pan when using a gas grill). Close grill lid.
- Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the roast reads 10°F lower than the desired doneness, following the chart below. Your roast will continue to warm after removing it from the oven.
- You will need to turn your roast periodically to ensure even cooking.
- Transfer your roast to a carving board and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 10 - 20 minutes before carving; the temperature of the meat will continue to rise for as much as 10°F during this time (this is called "carryover cooking"). While resting, the juices in the roast will redistribute evenly throughout the meat, ensuring the best succulence, texture and flavor.
- Once your roast has rested, it's time to carve. Make sure your carving knife is sharp (See our Expert Tips for How to Sharpen a Knife).
Measuring Doneness
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1
Rare
125°F - Center is bright red; pinkish towards the outside
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2
Medium-Rare
135°F - Center is very pink; slightly brown towards the outside
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3
Medium
145°F - Center is light pink; outer portion is brown
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4
Medium-Well
155°F - Center is slightly pink; outer portion is brown
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5
Well
165°F - Uniformly brown throughout
Remove when your roast is 10 degrees less than the temperatures listed. The center will continue to warm as it rests.
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Related
- Beef Tenderloin step-by-step cooking instructions and cooking times
- Tri-Tip step-by-step cooking instructions and cooking times
- Prime Rib Roast step-by-step cooking instructions and cooking times
- Bone-in Prime Rib Roast step-by-step cooking instructions and cooking times
- How to carve a roast
- How to sharpen a knife