After almost 15 years of raising my own meat, I’ve gotten pretty good at cooking nearly any cut. Until recently, however, I lacked confidence when it came to preparing a beef roast. Over Labour Day Weekend I decided to conquer my fear and cook roast beef for a crowd. I’m happy to say I’ve discovered the secrets to success, and I’m here to share them with you!

I’m not one for following recipes at all. I’m more into techniques or guidelines that I know will lead me in the right direction, but allow for experimentation, creativity, and flexibility to adjust for whatever resources and time I’ve got that day. This is what I was lacking when it came to beef roasts – a foolproof technique that would yield great results on either the barbeque or in the oven, and with any cut.

Whenever I’m looking for a new cooking technique, I always turn to Serious Eats. I trust their science-based approach to cooking, and they’ve never let me down. So when I pulled six giant beef round roasts out of the freezer to cook for a party, I immediately looked for roast beef recipes on their website. I read their recipe, tweaked it to suit my own needs (I’m incapable of following any recipe exactly), and the result was perfection. This technique will work on any beef roast, but I tried it on round roasts with excellent results. So check out my five pointers below.

To cook the perfect beef roast do these five things:

1. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper and allow it to rest, uncovered in the fridge overnight.

2. Allow the roast to come to room temperature before putting it in the oven.

3. Roast in the oven, smoker, or BBQ at 225° until the internal temperature is 115° – 120°.

4. Sear after roasting rather than before. If you are using a barbeque or smoker to cook your roast, searing will likely not be necessary.

5. Serve with a jus.

optional: if you are cooking a leaner roast, drape it with bacon

Another important key is a sharp knife. I found this round roast most enjoyable sliced very thinly — something that’s impossible to do and frustrating to attempt with a dull knife! However, if you are roasting a more premium roast, like prime rib, thicker slices may be desired.
I love smoking meat on my propane barbeque. It’s not meant to be a smoker, but all I do is turn the temp super low to 225°, sprinkle the bottom of the barbeque with apple wood chips, and occasionally hit the woodchips with the butane torch to get them smoking a bit more. I keep a spray bottle of water on hand in case the chips catch on fire.
I found that smoking the roast meant a sear wasn’t needed at all – look at that beautiful smoke crust! Be sure to rest the roast for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
You are likely to want wine in the jus as well as in a glass. To make the jus, sautee onions or shallots, deglaze the pan with red wine, add beef or chicken stock, and simmer to thicken.