Roast Beef

Roast beef is a baked piece of beef that suits both a festive table and everyday meals. Roast beef can be made from tenderloin, shoulder, round and other cuts of beef, and the finished meat is sliced thinly before serving. Roast beef can be eaten freshly cooked while still warm, or later from the refrigerator when the flavour has settled.

Mustard, dried herbs and the beef itself each have a clear role in the recipe. Dijon mustard tenderises the meat very well, so tougher beef needs a longer marinating time, while black pepper, dried thyme and dried rosemary season the surface before cooking. Fresh thyme and rosemary are briefly fried in butter to intensify their flavour, and that aromatic butter is then used for searing the beef.

Care during searing and baking keeps roast beef juicy. Remove all coarse sinews, connective tissue and the silvery membrane before cooking, because those parts stay tough. Do not salt the beef before searing, brown the meat on all sides including the narrow cut edges, then salt it only after transferring it to the baking dish and wrap it in foil. Bake at 160°C for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the doneness you want, and use the oven setting with top and bottom heat because it brings the meat to a juicy finish slowly and reliably.

The main seasonings can be changed within the same idea. Dried thyme and dried rosemary can be replaced with dried oregano, savory or dried parsley. For the storage mixture, ground coriander can be replaced with paprika, ground cumin or a mixed pepper blend. Beef can also be chosen from different cuts, with the understanding that rougher meat benefits from a longer marinade.

Serve roast beef in thin slices so the texture stays delicate. Thin slices make the baked beef easier to eat and show off the juicy interior. Freshly cooked roast beef can go straight to the table after slicing, and chilled roast beef can be served later in the same thin slices.

Storage is part of the recipe when you want the roast beef to keep for a week. To keep roast beef for up to 7 days and let it become more flavourful each day, pour refined vegetable oil into a container, add soy sauce, ground coriander and ground black pepper, then place the cooked roast beef into that mixture and refrigerate it. The roast beef absorbs the soy sauce without losing its salt, and the vegetable oil helps the roast beef stay juicy. The nutrition given here is for freshly cooked roast beef and does not include the oil storage mixture.

Questions about this recipe

How long does roast beef take to make?

The total time is 1 hour 40 minutes, with 20 minutes of active work and about 1 hour 20 minutes of cooking. Marinating time should be counted separately if you leave the beef longer than 30 minutes.

How do I store roast beef in the fridge so it does not dry out?

Store the cooked roast beef in a mixture of vegetable oil, soy sauce, ground coriander and ground black pepper. Roast beef kept in that mixture in the refrigerator stays juicy for up to 7 days and becomes more flavourful each day.

Can I change the herbs or spices in this roast beef?

Dried thyme and dried rosemary can be replaced with dried oregano, savory or dried parsley. Ground coriander in the storage mixture can be replaced with paprika, ground cumin or a mixed pepper blend.

Can I freeze roast beef?

Yes, roast beef can be frozen either sliced or in a whole piece if it is wrapped tightly. Roast beef keeps in the freezer for up to 2 months, and it is best thawed in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature.