Cooking beef to perfection can seem intimidating With so many different cuts and cooking methods, it’s easy to end up with an overcooked, dry steak or undercooked, tough roast. However, with the right techniques and cooking times, you can reliably turn out juicy, tender beef dishes This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about cooking times for various beef cuts so you can nail the perfect doneness every time.
Factors That Affect Cooking Time
Several key factors impact how long it takes to cook beef:
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Cut of beef – Tender cuts like tenderloin and ribeye cook quickly, while tougher cuts like brisket and chuck roast need longer cooking times.
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Thickness – Thinner cuts cook faster than thick cuts. A 1-inch steak may only need 6 minutes per side while a 2-inch steak could take 10-12 minutes.
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Bone-in or boneless – Bone conducts heat helping meat cook faster. Boneless roasts may need 15-30 minutes longer than bone-in.
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Cooking method – Grilling, broiling, pan frying, and pressure cooking are faster. Braising, roasting, and slow cooking take hours.
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Doneness – Rare beef cooks in less time than medium or well-done.
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Starting temperature – Meat straight from the fridge takes longer than meat at room temperature.
Now let’s look at estimated cooking times for various beef cuts and cooking methods.
Grilling/Broiling Beef
These high-heat, dry cooking methods are great for tender steaks and chops but can dry out tougher cuts. Cook to 5°F below your desired doneness since the meat will continue cooking after removed from heat.
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Tenderloin, ribeye, NY strip, filet mignon – 4 to 8 minutes per side for 1-inch steaks
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Sirloin, flank steak – 6 to 10 minutes per side for 1-inch steaks
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T-bone, porterhouse – 8 to 12 minutes per side for 1-inch steaks
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Burgers – 8 to 12 minutes total for 4-ounce patties
Pan-Frying Beef
Similar to grilling and broiling, pan frying utilizes high heat to quickly cook the exterior while leaving the interior juicy. Use a heavy skillet preheated over medium-high to high heat.
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Tenderloin, ribeye, NY strip – 3 to 5 minutes per side for 1-inch steaks
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Sirloin, flank steak – 4 to 7 minutes per side for 1-inch steaks
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Stir fry cuts – 2 to 5 minutes total
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Ground beef – 5 to 7 minutes total for formation of crust
Roasting Beef
Roasting uses dry oven heat to slowly tenderize tough cuts. Use a meat thermometer and allow carryover cooking.
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Rib roast, top sirloin – 15 to 20 minutes per pound at 325°F
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Eye roast, chuck roast, rump roast – 25 to 30 minutes per pound at 325°F
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Beef tenderloin – 45 to 60 minutes total at 400°F
Braising/Stewing Beef
Braising and stewing involve cooking beef in a small amount of liquid for hours until fork tender.
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Chuck roast, brisket – 2 to 3 hours in 350°F oven
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Short ribs – 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours in 325°F oven
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Stew meat – 1 1/2 to 2 hours on stovetop
Sous Vide Beef
With this method, beef is cooked gently in a precisely temperature-controlled water bath.
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Steaks – 1 to 4 hours at 120°F to 135°F
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Roasts – 24 to 48 hours at 135°F to 155°F
Pressure Cooking Beef
A pressure cooker dramatically decreases cooking time by raising the internal pressure.
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Chuck roast – 60 to 75 minutes total
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Short ribs – 25 to 35 minutes total
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Stew meat – 15 to 25 minutes total
Key Takeaways
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Cook tender cuts like steaks and chops using dry-heat methods like grilling, broiling, and pan frying.
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Braise or roast tougher cuts like roasts and brisket until fork tender.
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Use a meat thermometer for roasts and thick cuts to ensure proper doneness.
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Allow meat to rest after cooking for best results.
With the proper technique for your chosen cut, you can reliably cook beef to juicy, tender perfection every time. Just follow the guidelines above for approximate cooking times. Pay attention to visual cues and use a thermometer when needed. With practice, you’ll soon be an expert on how long you need to cook beef!
How To Make Perfect Roast Beef
- Beef: Roast beef demands a cut that is large and lean and evenly shaped. My go-to is top round, which ticks all those boxes and is the most tender of all the cuts from the beef round (a region of the hind leg).
- Olive Oil: A little oil is necessary to turn the garlic and herbs into a paste we can slather over the roast. The oil also conducts heat, aiding crust formation.
- Garlic: Garlic and Mediterranean herbs just have chemistry. I love the way the garlic turns roasty in the oven.
- Herbs: I went with the classic combo of thyme and rosemary, but feel free to swap in any of your favorite herbs (sage, parsley, oregano, etc.) or use dried if you prefer.
- Salt: Large cuts of meat require a generous amount of salt. A good rule of thumb is to use 1 tsp. kosher salt for every pound of beef.
- Black Pepper: There’s just something about the sharp, woodsy kick of black pepper that makes beef taste beefier.
To get a great crust, it helps to let the surface of the beef dry out a bit before the roast hits the oven—it’ll brown much faster this way. To that end, I recommend placing the roast on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet and refrigerating it for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. Do not cover the roast—we need it exposed to the circulating air of the fridge. This step is optional, but I strongly recommend it.
Okay, let’s get ready to roast! Rev up your oven to 450°. While the oven is preheating, make the herb rub. Stir the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to combine. Do bear in mind the golden rule of 1 tsp. salt per pound of beef and adjust accordingly, depending on the size of your roast. Massage the rub all over the roast—don’t forget the bottom!
Roasting time! If you’ve got a probe thermometer, now’s the time to use it—it makes it a breeze to monitor the internal temperature of the roast. Just make sure the probe is inserted into the center of the roast and no further—you can make sure of this by rehearsing the insertion depth with the probe pressed against one end of the roast. No probe thermometer? No problem. Any instant-read thermometer will get the job done. Roast the beef, still on the wire rack, for 15 minutes to kickstart browning. Reduce the oven temperature to 325° and continue to roast until the beef reaches an internal temperature of 130° to 135°, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. At this point it’s tempting to slice the beef and serve it fresh from the oven. Don’t do it—the juices will run right out of the roast. Instead, loosely tent the roast with foil and allow it to rest for 30 minutes to give the juices time to redistribute within the roast.
If the roast was trussed, snip off and remove the butcher’s twine. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and cut crosswise into thin slices. And there you have it: tender roast beef with a gorgeous, deeply browned crust.
Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.
- The best cut of beef for roast beef: Theres no single cut of beef that is necessary to make roast beef; some common cuts include top-round roast, top sirloin roast, bottom-round roast, and eye of round roast. I usually use a top-round roast, but a bottom-round roast would work too. If youre unsure, ask your butcher! Since the meat is slow-roasted, tougher, leaner cuts of meat are ideal because they will still come out tender. Just be aware that if you choose a particularly lean cut of meat, it should be sliced relatively thin to avoid being too chewy.
- How long should I cook my roast beef? That depends on two things: the size of your roast and your desired doneness. My 4-lb. roast was medium after 2 hours. If you prefer it done medium-well, roast for 2 hours 15 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer. It takes the guesswork out of cooking big pieces of meat, and I swear itll come in handy more than just this once. Pro tip: For an accurate reading make sure youre inserting your thermometer deep enough to hit the center of the roast. For medium-rare, aim for an internal temperature of about 130°; for medium, aim for 145°. The internal temperature will continue to rise a bit as the roast rests.
- What to do with leftover roast beef: One of my favorite ways to use up roast beef leftovers is in the classic French dip sandwich. Other great options include beef stroganoff and steak au poivre soup.
Leftover roast beef can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To help the meat retain moisture, leave leftovers unsliced until ready to reheat. To freeze, wrap leftovers in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Advertisement – Continue Reading Below
- 1 (4-lb.) round roast
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
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- Step 1 Recommended: Place roast on a wire rack set in a baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
- Step 2 Preheat oven to 450°. In a small bowl, combine oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub all over roast.
- Step 3 Place roast in roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack. Roast 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 325° and roast 1 hours 45 minutes more for medium, or 2 hours for medium well.
- Step 4 Remove from oven and let rest 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
How to Make Tender Roast Beef: Go Low and Slow
She starts the roast at a high temperature to get browning for flavor, and then lowers the oven temp and cooks the beef “slow and low” for a couple hours.
This slow roasting method at low heat is good for tougher cuts of beef; the lower heat prevents gristle from getting too tough. Roast beef made this way is easy, relatively inexpensive (compared to other cuts of beef), and you get great leftovers for roast beef sandwiches.
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How to Cook Perfect Roast Beef | Jamie Oliver
FAQ
How long does the beef take to cook?
| beef cut | oven temperature (preheated) | Approximate Total Cooking TIme |
|---|---|---|
| Sirloin Tip Center Roast | 325°F | Medium Rare: 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours |
| Rump Roast, Bottom Round Roast | 325°F | Medium Rare: 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hours |
| Eye of Round Roast | 325°F | Medium Rare: 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours |
How long do you cook beef per lb?
Cooking Time (for medium):
If you like your meat rare reduce the cooking time to 15 minutes per lb + 15 minutes. For well done increase the cooking time to 30 minutes per lb + 30 minutes. NOTES: Baste: Spoon over the juices from the joint at least 2 to 3 times during cooking.
How long does diced beef take to cook?
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Reddit · r/AskCulinaryhttps://www.reddit.comHow to cook lean diced beef so it’s soft? : r/AskCulinary – RedditMay 31, 2024 — Depending on the cut of beef, you could very well require three to four hours of slow braising. That’s why I strongly recommend doing so in the oven…
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Seasoned Advicehttps://cooking.stackexchange.comStewing beef – how long is too long? – Seasoned Advice – Stack ExchangeNov 20, 2012 — I use a slow cooker to cook beef all the time. The general rule of thumb is that a high temp setting usually finishes cooking the contents in 4 abou…
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YouTubehttps://www.youtube.comHow to Make Roasted Beef Cubes – YouTubeFeb 3, 2024 — Bake for 30 minutes at 400F (200C), then reduce the heat to 350F (180C) and bake for 3-4 hours, until the beef and veggies are very tender. Note: eve…
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wikiHowhttps://www.wikihow.comHow to Cook Diced Beef: 14 Steps (with Pictures) – wikiHowHow long does it take to cook diced beef? Beef that’s been cut into small, bite-sized cubes needs to be cooked for at least 2 minutes to be fully cooked through…
How long to cook a 2 lb beef roast?
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Oven Temperature:Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
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Roasting Time:A 2-pound roast should be roasted for about 40 minutes for medium-rare (20 minutes per pound). For a more well-done roast, you may need to increase the cooking time.
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Internal Temperature:Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Aim for 120°F for rare, 130-135°F for medium-rare, and 145°F or higher for medium.
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Resting:After removing the roast from the oven, let it rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more tender roast.