Roast Beef Cook Time

The taste of a tender roast beef and potatoes with a side dish of string beans and sweet corn is the perfect Sunday feast!  Of course some of us shy away from whipping up a traditional Sunday roast because we have trouble charting the perfect roast beef cook time. And often instead of a tender moist beef roast that melts in your mouth it ends up either under cooked and tough or over cooked and stringy.

Cook Time Tips and Times for Fabulous Roast Beef

Not to worry we've got just what you need to cook a roast beef to tender juicy perfection every time.   Naturally the biggest factors to the standard cook time for a roast beef is based purely on the type of roast, roast weight and oven type as well as temperature settings.  Also consider the quality of meat and cut too. Make sure to  have a roasting thermometer handy, especially if you are a beginner.

Consider the Cut

Considering the various types of beef roast and cut choices and determining the best beef roast to purchase is the first step to making the perfect roast.  While any roast can be prepared to tender perfection regardless of quality, lower quality roast beef choices tend to require more care and cooking time.  On the other hand high quality beef roasts have a very low fat content, which means you have to watch your cook times more carefully to prevent the roast from shrinking. Here are a few common roast beef choices and cook times to commit to memory:

Rib Roast at 4-8lbs requires baking at an oven temp of 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes for Rare.  You can add 4 minutes to this time for med-rare or another 6-15 minutes for medium to well done.

Rib Eye Roast weighing in at 4-6lbs should be baked at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes for rare, increasing the cook time by 2 minutes for Med-rare, 4 minutes for medium and 8 additional minutes for well done.

Sirloin Tip Roast typically weighting between 3.5 - 4 lbs at oven temp of 300 to 325 degrees will take 35 minutes for rare.  Increase rare cook time by 1 minute for med rare or by 2 minutes for medium and by 4 minutes for well done.

Whole Tenderloin weighing in at 4-5 lbs the oven should be set at 425 degrees.  Roast for 45 minutes to an hour for rare, an hour for medium rare and an hour and 15 minutes for medium well.

Calculate the Cooking Time and Temperature Carefully

Naturally cook times and oven temps are very important for a perfectly prepared roast.  Don't forget to incorporate great tasting roast beef seasoning and recipes.  We have the perfect roast beef recipe right here on our food channel.  Just take a moment to review the recipe or create your own seasonings to suit your taste!  Once the seasoning and proper cooking times are established, make sure to follow a few tips to seal in the flavor and produce perfectly prepared roast beef each and every time:

Choosing the best roast to prepare is essential across the board.  For the best tasting roast beef you want to pay close attention to the fat content and cut.

Thawing the roast at room temperature is recommended.  If frozen, take out of the freezer a day or so before cooking and let stand at room temperature for at least two hours before baking.  Never microwave to thaw!

Permit the roast to breathe while cooking.  This can be accomplished by taking a long two prong fork and stabbing the raw roast completely through particularly in the center.  This will allow circulation of natural juices and flavoring through the roast.

Always cook the roast at a consistent temperature generally on med or at least 350 degrees.

Preparing the roast in a Crockpot is a great time saver method. Simply get a head start and roast at med and occasionally baste the top of the roast.  Toss in some potatoes and carrots for the perfect roast beef feast from a crockpot.