Roast beef is a beloved dish that stars in holiday feasts, Sunday dinners, and deli sandwiches. When properly prepared, roast beef is fork-tender and full of flavor. But achieving roast beef perfection begins with choosing the right cut of meat. With so many options to pick from, it can get confusing determining what type of meat works best. This complete guide covers everything you need to know about selecting the perfect roast beef.
An Overview of Beef Cuts for Roasting
Certain cuts of beef deliver better results for roast beef. The best cuts come from sections of the cow that get little exercise, making the meat naturally tender. Well-marbled cuts also perform better since the fat bastes the meat from the inside during roasting. Here are some top cuts to consider
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Rib Roast – This premium cut comes from the rib primal and features the iconic rib bone. The meat is very tender, flavorful, and juicy, making it the gold standard.
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Strip Loin or Top Loin Roast – From the short loin primal, this boneless roast is also tender and juicy when roasted. It offers great value.
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Tenderloin – The most tender cut available though it contains little fat so requires some attention when roasting.
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Tri-Tip Roast – Smaller and affordable, from the bottom sirloin. Good for smaller gatherings
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Rump Roast – A lean, flavorful cut that must be roasted carefully to prevent dryness. A budget-friendly option.
Types of Roast Beef
Within these prime cuts, there are a few types of roasts to choose from:
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Bone-In Roast – Roasts like rib and tri-tip that feature a bone, which adds flavor. The bone also shields the meat during cooking.
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Boneless Roast – Cuts like tenderloin and strip loin that offer more even cooking.
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Rolled Roast – Boneless meat tied into a uniform shape, like rump roast.
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Standing Rib Roast – A bone-in rib roast with the meat “Frenched” or trimmed off the bones. It’s elegant for dinner parties.
Factors Impacting Roast Beef Quality
A few factors affect the final tenderness, flavor, and juiciness of your roast beef. Keep these in mind when selecting meat:
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Grade – The USDA assigns beef grades based on marbling and age. Prime is best, followed by Choice and Select. Grass-fed beef tends to be leaner than grain-fed.
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Marbling – The flecks of fat within the lean beef add moisture, flavor, and tenderness. Well-marbled beef makes the finest roast.
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Thickness – Choose a roast with uniform thickness for even cooking. Ideal is 2-3 inches thick.
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Age – Dry-aged beef develops more flavor but costs more. Wet-aged beef is more common. Look for beef aged at least 14 days.
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Preparation Method – Proper roasting technique is vital, but low-and-slow is best for tender, juicy results.
Best Budget Cuts for Roast Beef
While prime rib and tenderloin make superb roast beef, they come at a premium cost. Here are some budget-friendly options that still make fantastic roast beef:
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Eye of Round – Lean yet flavorful. Must be roasted carefully and sliced thinly against the grain.
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Bottom Round – Also lean. Can be roasted slowly or braised first for tenderness. Great flavor.
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Tri-Tip Roast – Small, convenient, and tasty. Perfect for two.
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Chuck Shoulder Roast – Similar well-marbled quality to prime rib. Requires slow roasting but delivers big flavor.
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Rump Roast – Big beefy flavor. Must slice against the grain after oven roasting.
Tips for Roasting Lesser Cuts
Follow these tips to get the most out of more affordable roast beef cuts:
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Baste frequently with pan drippings to prevent drying out.
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Roast at lower oven temperatures, 250°F – 325°F, for tender results.
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Wrap tougher cuts in bacon to impart moisture and fat.
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Allow roasts to rest before carving to redistribute juices.
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Slice across the grain for optimal tenderness.
What Part of the Cow Does Roast Beef Come From?
Roast beef can come from a variety of parts of the cow. However, certain areas consistently produce the best roast beef cuts:
Rib
This area runs along the upper middle part of the cow, and it’s where the iconic rib roasts come from, like prime rib and standing rib roast. Rib cuts are tender, juicy, and well-marbled.
Loin
The section behind the ribs towards the rear, the loin provides tender cuts like strip loin roast and tenderloin. These roasts are succulent and flavorful.
Round
The rear legs and rump offer leaner roasts like eye of round, bottom round, and rump roast. Careful roasting renders these cuts fork-tender.
Chuck
The shoulder area contains roasts like chuck shoulder roast with great marbling. These require slow cooking but deliver bold beef flavor.
What cut of meat is roast beef?
Imagine a cow: the head, the front and back legs, and the middle. Each of these sections is going to provide a different cut of meat. Right in the middle, you have the ribs and loin cuts (tenderloin, sirloin, etc). These are going to be the tenderest cuts because they have the least muscle in them.
The front legs and shoulders are called the chuck and the back legs and shoulders are called the round. Since cows are carrying around a lot of weight, they are obviously going to have the most muscle and, therefore, be toughest when cooking. This means two things: They’re going to be cheaper than the middle parts, and they’ll need to be slow cooked to soften them up.
Roast beef, in reality, can be made from any part of the cow—except maybe the head or the organs. However, the commercial deli roast beef you get at the grocery store will most likely come from the round.
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 meat is used for roast beef?
Is Arby’s roast beef real meat?
- Real Beef: Arby’s roast beef is made from beef, not imitation meat.
- Beef Round Roast: The beef used is sourced from a beef round roast, which is then processed.
- Self-Basting Solution: A self-basting solution is used to help keep the meat juicy throughout the roasting and slicing process. This solution contains water, salt, and sodium phosphates.
- Processing Method: The beef is finely processed, which means it’s not a whole muscle cut, but rather a slurry-like product.
- Not Pink Slime: While the process may resemble “pink slime,” Arby’s roast beef is made from beef and does not contain “pink slime”.
- Common Process: The method used to prepare Arby’s roast beef is a common process for creating many other processed meats, such as lunch meats.
What cut of beef is deli roast beef?
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The Seattle Timeshttps://www.seattletimes.comA roast beef sandwich the way a New York deli makes it | The Seattle TimesSep 8, 2015 — Most Read Life Stories. The answer is to put the sandwich first and find the best cut of beef to serve cold, skipping the hot part of the bargain ent…
Is a roast beef the same as a prime rib?
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Roast Beef:This refers to the method of cooking a large piece of beef in an oven. The specific cut of beef can vary, such as sirloin, rump, tenderloin, or even prime rib.
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Prime Rib:This is a specific cut of beef, a section of the primal rib, that includes the ribs and surrounding loin muscle. It’s known for its marbling and rich flavor.
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Rib Roast:This is another term for prime rib, referring to the entire roast with the ribs attached.
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Ribeye steaks are cut from the prime rib roast, usually one rib bone thick. They can also be purchased boneless.
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Quality:Prime rib is often associated with higher quality beef, with marbling being a key indicator.