Beef Roasting Guide

No one loves a Sunday roast more than us, so we understand the comfort that comes from a warm slice of juicy beef carved straight from the perfect centrepiece. We have a delicious range of roasts and have put together a helpful guide on how to get the most from your roast, from selecting your cut all the way to leftover recipes, especially for beef lovers!

Choosing Your Cut:

Each cut has its own name which simply indicates where it has been cut from.

Every cut of beef has variances in flavour and texture unique to itself, and particular cuts are better for some recipes than others. For example, if you’re looking for a cut to cook at a low temperature for a meltingly tender finish the Hand Trimmed Centre Cut Fillet is the way to go.

Defrosting:

Ensure your roast is fully defrosted prior to cooking.

You can use a digital temperature probe to check products are fully defrosted prior to cooking, and to check that they have achieved your desired temperature after cooking, but you must clean the probe thoroughly in-between checks to prevent cross contamination.

To make sure your joint is fully defrosted using a meat thermometer, probe the centre to check the thickest part is above 0°C before allowing it to reach room temperature.

Defrosting times may vary from roast to roast however, we have put together a guide to help you through the process:

It is important to keep the defrosting time in mind when scheduling your delivery, to ensure you leave enough time for both defrosting and cooking.

Cooking/Roasting:

The full cooking instructions for each of our roasts can be found on their individual product page on our website.

When checking if your beef is cooked to your liking, probe the centre of the joint to make sure the internal temperature matches your desired finish:

If you do not have a probe to check the temperature of your beef roast, the following time and temperature combinations can be used as a guide to accomplish your desired finish:

Resting the product is also important as the product can still rise in temperature whilst resting, and achieve the desired temperatures during this time, through residual cooking.

Residual cooking, also called ‘carry-over’ cooking, is when food continues to cook after it has been removed from a heat source. The heat held within the food itself raises its overall temperature before it starts to cool down. It’s a more gentle, radiating heat that equalizes the temperature throughout the food.

Whilst your joint is resting, you can use the time to make a tangy Rich Onion Gravy to accompany your roast beef dinner.

Carving:

Once your roast is cooked to your liking and well-rested, transfer the beef to a carving board, preferably with a moat to catch any juices.

The use of a meat fork will stabilise your roast and placing a damp tea towel under your board ensures it does not slip or move on your countertop while carving.

Using a sharp, straight-edged knife, in smooth strokes cut across the grain of the beef, this will ensure your slices are more tender to chew. Using a sharp knife will negate the need for ‘sawing’ at your roast and allows you to make straight cuts, creating slices or steaks that are uniform in thickness.

Arrange your slices or steaks onto a warm platter, serve with your choice of sides & vegetables and enjoy with your loved ones.

Leftover Recipes:

The Sunday roast has been enjoyed and now you’re wondering what delicious things can be done with your leftover beef.