Roast Beef Dinner

This roast beef dinner is a classic dish that is perfect for any occasion. This recipe will teach you how to choose the best cut of beef and cook it to perfection. The result is a juicy, flavorful roast beef that your guests not only love but will ask for seconds.

When I was growing up, roast beef dinner was the meal each of my four siblings and I would pick for celebrating our birthdays because it was so flavorful and delicious. My mother cooked it to perfection; always medium rare.

My mother also cooked roast beef at least once a month for Sunday dinner. Do people still cook and enjoy a big Sunday dinner? I’d love to know.

My sister Robyn started up the Sunday dinner tradition again recently and all of her kids and their significant others really enjoy and look forward to it. I remember how much I loved my family’s Sunday roast meal, especially when there was roast beef to look forward to!!

And even though I don’t make mashed potatoes much anymore. There is nothing like some potatoes and gravy with your beef.

Which cut of roast beef is best?

I really like top round, bottom round, eye of round roast for my roast beef dinners especially when I’m roasting it in the oven. That said, if money isn’t an issue, beef tenderloin roast, and sirloin tip roast are probably the best choices. Here is a great article explaining the different cuts of roast beef.

My favorite meat for the slow cooker roast beef is a chuck roast.

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Helpful Tips

• Take the beef out at least an hour before starting the recipe. The reason you do this is to gradually raise the surface temperature of the meat so once you start roasting the beef, it quickly reaches browning temperature and will form a crust.
• Choose grass-fed beef whenever you can. I enjoy the meat I buy from ButcherBox, a meat subscription company that delivers the products directly to your door monthly or bi-monthly. I really trust the quality of meat they sell.
• Experiment with herbs and spices to suit your taste, but I really enjoy the combination of seasonings I call for in this recipe.
• Use organic herbs as they are superior to conventional. Plus, a little goes a long way so they are cost effective.
• When you cook meat, the proteins set and push the juices to the middle of the meat. Allowing the roast to rest for 20 – 30 minutes after it’s finished allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.
• I don’t usually make gravy or other sauces for my roast beef. I actually prefer to spoon the juices from the meat back over it.
• Want a wonderful side to this meal? Try my scalloped potatoes!
• For any leftovers, place the meat in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. I sometimes freeze it in a gallon ziplock bag for up to 3 months.
• One of the things I love about having leftover roast beef is making roast beef sandwiches on a bulkie roll.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Beef – grass-fed top round roast.
• Onion – Vidalia because I like the slightly sweet taste, but yellow onion will work just as well.
• Garlic – use as much as you like. I say the more the merrier.
• Basil – organic. You can use any frest herbs, as well.
• Tarragon – organic. Or thyme.
• Rosemary – organic.
• Kosher salt – helps flavor the meat.
• Pepper – I only use a little because hubby isn’t fond of it, but use as much as you want.

How to Make a Roast Beef Dinner

Pre-step

Take your cut of beef out of the refrigerator one hour before you start the recipe.

Get a roasting pan.

Step one

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step two

Cut a large onion in thick slices and get garlic cloves.

Step three

Unwrap the beef. The roast pictured weighs 2.81 pounds. (A)

Step four

Place onion slices in the roasting pan and place the roast beef on top of them.

Step five

Cut as many slivers out of the cloves of garlic you’re going to use and take a small sharp knife and make slits all over the roast beef.

Step six

Stick the slivers of garlic into the slits. (B)

Step seven

Gather the ingredients to make your rub: dried rosemary, basil, tarragon, garlic powder, kosher salt and pepper. You can also use fresh herbs.

Step eight

Place the rub ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk them to combine.

Pick the roast up in your hand and sprinkle some of the rub over the bottom of the roast. Replace the meat in the pan and sprinkle the rest of the rub over the roast beef. Use your hands to rub the herbs and spices evenly over the roast beef.

Step nine

Bake until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees Fahrenheit. I use this digital thermometer to check the temperature.

Figure 20 – 30 minutes of cooking time per pound. My 2.81 pound roast took a little over an hour.

Let the roast beef rest for 30 minutes before slicing into it.

Yeeee-HAW!  Perfect! I love this roast beef dinner so much!

Time to plate it with vegetables and a baked potato.

Then I spoon on some the juices from the roast or au jus.

So good.

I hope you enjoyed this roast beef dinner recipe! Christopher and I enjoyed eating it!

Other popular meat recipes

• Sirloin filets
• Leg of lamb
• Turkey breast
• Instant pot bottom round roast

And as always, may all your dishes be delish!

If you’ve tried this recipe, I’d love the know what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

Originially published in April of 2016.