Roast beef is a beloved centerpiece for family dinners and special occasions. When properly prepared, it emerges from the oven tender and juicy with a savory depth of flavor. While roast beef seems straightforward, not all cuts of meat are created equal when it comes to delivering the ideal texture and taste.
When selecting meat for roast beef opting for the right cut is essential. The optimal pieces of meat have marbling and fat caps that keep the meat moist. They also possess connective tissues that dissolve into luscious gelatin when subjected to slow roasting. These elements impart savoriness and lush texture. Leaner cuts lacking fat and connective tissue can dry out and toughen when roasted.
Here are the best cuts of meat for melt-in-your-mouth roast beef
Rib Roast
The rib roast, also known as prime rib, is a premium cut sourced from the rib section of the cow. It contains ribs 6 through 12 and is abundantly marbled with fat, ensuring moist, flavorful results. The distinctive fat cap further prevents the meat from drying out when roasted. For the perfect ratio of meat to bone, choose a roast containing 3 to 4 ribs. Allow 1 rib bone per person.
Chuck Roast
Chuck roast comes from the shoulder region. It boasts fat marbling and a decent fat cap. Abundant connective tissue melts into succulent gelatin when slowly cooked, leaving meat that is moist and tender. Opt for a boneless roast for easier carving. Chuck roast is also more budget-friendly than other cuts like rib roast.
Rump Roast
The rump roast is cut from the round primal located in the back leg. It possesses lots of connective tissue that must be slowly rendered out. Well-marbled choice grade rump roasts yield the best flavor and texture. Trim off any silver skin or excess fat before seasoning and roasting.
Top Sirloin Roast
Taken from the sirloin primal approaching the rear of the cow, top sirloin roast offers good marbling and fat. Remove any silverskin or excess fat before cooking. Sear the roast first to develop a flavorful crust before roasting to medium rare doneness.
Brisket
Brisket hails from the breast region and contains abundant intramuscular fat and connective tissue. Opt for a whole untrimmed brisket with a nice fat cap. The deckle cut of the brisket is fattier with more intense beefy flavor. Cook low and slow until extremely tender.
Avoid These Cuts for Roast Beef
- Tenderloin – Too lean; lacks fat and connective tissue; becomes dry and mushy when roasted
- Skirt or flank steak – Too lean; chewy when overcooked; need fast high-heat cooking
- Short ribs – Too bony and fatty; best for braising into fall-off-the-bone tenderness
When choosing a roast, look for good marbling, adequate fat, and some connective tissue. Meat should be roasted uncovered to promote browning. Use a meat thermometer to gauge doneness and avoid overcooking. Remove roast when it reaches 5°F below the desired final temperature and let rest 15 minutes before carving. The temperature will continue rising as the juices redistribute. Roasting low and slow followed by proper resting yields the juiciest, most flavorful roast beef.
How to Prepare Roast Beef
Follow these tips for perfect roast beef:
- Choose a well-marbled prime rib, chuck, rump, or sirloin roast.
- Trim off any excess hard fat or silver skin.
- Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper. Coat with olive oil or rub with herbs.
- Place fat side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Do not cover.
- Roast at 225-250°F, allowing 15-20 minutes per pound, until 5°F below desired doneness.
- Use a meat thermometer to gauge doneness; 120°F for rare, 125°F for medium rare.
- Rest roast 15 minutes before carving against the grain into thin slices.
With the right cut of meat and proper roasting technique, you will achieve tender, juicy roast beef worthy of any special meal. Experiment with different herbs and spice rubs to make this classic dish truly stand out.
Whole Sirloin or Striploin
Sirloin is from the large part of the T-bone area. It is full of taste and flavour, and is a great choice for a roast.
While this is on the medium to higher end of roast pricing options, it is a great choice to give you a tender piece of meat while being friendly to your wallet.
When selecting your sirloin, look for a top cut as this will be the most tender, and make sure you brown the meat before placing in the oven.
Beef bolar blade is an excellent choice for the family dinner. It’s also a more affordable option per kilo than some of the other roast options. Taken from the shoulder blade of the animal, the cut contains a fair amount of connective tissue and sinew, so it does need a long time for this to break down. But if prepared well, you’re left with a full flavoured and tender cut of beef.
Taken from the butt fillet, this is a cut that delivers on both rich flavour and tenderness. At the pricier end of the scale, it is a more decadent roast option but its beautiful intense flavour will not disappoint.
A favourite of many meat aficionados, rump cap is an excellent, and underused, cut for roasting. Also known as picanha, this cut is the top piece of the beef rump and doesn’t take too long to cook, so make sure you have a meat thermometer handy to ensure you don’t overcook it.
The Best Cuts Of Beef For Roasting – Teys Certified Angus Premium Beef
FAQ
What cut of beef is best for roast beef?
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Reddit · r/Cookinghttps://www.reddit.comAdvice on cuts for roast beef? : r/Cooking – RedditNov 2, 2021 — tri-tip roast is pretty tasty… especially if you sous-vide it for 12+ hours to tenderize it (tri-tip is a tougher cut that’s often sliced across th…
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Delishhttps://www.delish.comBest Roast Beef Recipe – How To Cook Roast Beef In The Oven – DelishAug 15, 2024 — Recipe Tips. The best cut of beef for roast beef: There’s no single cut of beef that is necessary to make roast beef; some common cuts include top-r…
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NYT Cookinghttps://cooking.nytimes.comThe Best Roast Beef for Sandwiches Recipe (with Video) – NYT CookingRoast beef sandwiches work better made from a leaner cut, preferably one with a mineral, earthy taste and a nice chew. A top loin roast is ideal. … This said,
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The Spruce Eatshttps://www.thespruceeats.comA Guide to Beef Roasts and the Best Ways to Cook ThemNov 13, 2023 — Rib Roast * The Standing Rib Roast is cut with at least three ribs and up to seven ribs and roasted propped upright on its ribs, which allows the m…
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Pumpkin Creek Ranchhttps://pumpkincreekranchco.comWhat are the best beef roasts? – Pumpkin Creek RanchApr 22, 2023 — The boneless chuck roast is among the most popular roasts on the market due to its incredible beefy taste, fat content (it’s well marbled), and effo…
Which part of meat is good for roast beef?
Whole Sirloin or Striploin – Sirloin is from the large part of the T-bone area. It is full of taste and flavour, and is a great choice for a roast.
What is the best beef for sliced roast beef?
What beef to use for homemade deli roast beef? Eye of round has plenty of beefy flavor, is wonderfully lean, and has a pretty uniform shape. It’s kind of perfect for this project. I recommend you start with eye or top sirloin.
What is the best cut of beef for fall apart roast?
To make an excellent, fall-apart tender pot roast, choose a 2-3 pound piece of chuck roast. This particular cut of beef is marbled with a lot of fat and connective tissues and is initially quite tough, but becomes very juicy and fork tender if cooked the right way. The fat also adds a lot of flavor!