The Ultimate Roasting Guide by Certified Angus Beef®

 

Restless over which roast?
Troubled by cooking temperature?
Stressed over seasoning?

Rest easy, roast master. Chef is here to guide you.

 

Size of roast.

As a general rule of thumb: the typical serving size is 8 oz. (½ pound) per guest. Add a pound or two to the total if you want leftovers or have a bunch of big eaters at your table.

Choose your roast.

Ultimately, there are no wrong answers here. Your selection will depend on budget and your party size. No matter which cut you choose, your Certified Angus Beef® Roast from Shop Intercity will be aged to perfection for 28+ days for that steakhouse flavour, expertly hand-cut by our butchers and individually vacuum sealed for your convenience.

BONE-IN PRIME

The king of beef roasts. The Bone-In Prime Rib, also known as a standing rib roast, is richly marbled, robustly flavoured and naturally tender. When a roast of this calibre is served at the head of the table, eyes widen and jaws drop.

BONELESS PRIME RIB

Now this is how you make a grand impression. The boneless prime rib will have generous marbling, supreme tenderness and incredible steakhouse flavour from our ageing process. You won’t have to worry about the bones with this roast, making it easy to cook and carve.

STRIPLOIN ROAST

Just as impressive as a Prime Rib, but with great cost savings. If you enjoy the marbling and tenderness of our New York Steaks, then you’ll love this cut as a roast, too. Start a new holiday tradition with this lean, flavourful and easy-to-carve roast.

Let’s defrost your roast.

You beat the holiday rush, and bought a frozen roast from Shop Intercity. Great job! Now, you want to to defrost is as slowly as possible to retain as much moisture. Defrost beef in the fridge, never on the kitchen counter. Keep packages on a plate or a tray to catch any juices that might leak. (Also, it’s best to thaw beef on the lowest shelf in your fridge.)

1. Leave it in its vacuum sealed packaging (it should be airtight)
2. Place in fridge and defrost for approximately 6 hours per pound, so at least a full day before you plan to cook.
3. Once defrosted, cook immediately.

Plan ahead! Depending on the weight and thickness of your roast, and the temperatures of your freezer and fridge, it can take two days or more to thaw your roast. The FDA recommends setting your freezer at 0 ̊F or lower. The faster foods freeze, the smaller the ice crystals that will develop. That means a better texture after thawing.

MYTH BUSTERS: Should you bring beef to room temperature before cooking it?

No. Recent research shows that, contrary to popular belief, beef cooked at room temperature doesn’t cook significantly quicker or more evenly. To minimise any food safety concerns, take it directly from the fridge and cook it immediately.

Let’s Talk Seasoning

Starting with the Certified Angus Beef ® brand means you don’t need to do a lot to make it taste good. A generous sprinkling of coarse kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper is the perfect way to enhance your roast’s natural flavours.

PRO TIP: The perfect ratio of salt to pepper is 2:1.

Show off your culinary flair with a custom seasoning blend. Flavours that go well with most roasts include:

• Aromatics: garlic, onion, shallot
• Herbs: thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, oregano
• Sweet: brown sugar, granulated honey, maple syrup
• Heat: pepper (black, white, pink, cayenne or crushed red), horseradish, ginger or mustard

You can use fresh or dried herbs and seasonings. Just remember that you’ll need more fresh than dried to achieve the same flavour. Also, dried herbs lose their punch over time. If you don’t smell their aroma when you open them, it’s time to restock.

PRO TIP: Using a paring knife to add scores or studs to your roast is a creat way to add additional flavour to your roast.

SCORED: Before seasoning, use a sharp knife to make long diagonal cuts about 1/2 inch deep, and an inch apart, across the entire top surface of your roast. Turn your roast 90 degrees and repeat, making a diamond cross-hatch pattern across its surface. Rub generously with your seasoning, making sure you get it into each of those cuts. As the roast cooks, it’ll develop a crunchy, flavorful scored exterior that doesn’t just look amazing, but tastes great, too!

STUDDED: Use a paring knife to make small slits, about 1 inch wide and 1 inch deep, across the top of your roast. Insert a small garlic clove and sprig of rosemary in each cut, then rub the entire roast with the seasoning of your choice. This technique ensures great flavor from the inside out.

Ready To Roast?

Essential tools:

• Roasting pan with a rack
• Salt and pepper mills
• Instant-read thermometer
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board

If you don’t already have a favourite recipe for beef roasts, you can head over to our other blog post, 6 Recipes For Certified Angus Beef® WOW-Factor Roasts, to find your new favourite.

Or, follow this simple guideline:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F
2. Season roast
3. Place in a roasting pan fitted with a rack, fat side up
4. Cook 15 minutes
5. Reduce oven to 325°F and continue roasting (time will vary depending on cut, size and desired doneness)
6. Remove from oven when 5-10° lower than target temperature
7. Rest before serving

Note: these instructions are tested and proven for a variety of roasts but are a general guide. If your recipe has specific instructions, follow them.

Degree Of Doneness 

Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. Insert it through the side of the cut, to the center, not touching any bone or fat. Remove from oven when the thermometer registers 5-10°F lower than your target temperature.

Give your roast a rest. Letting it relax a few minutes before serving will allow all of the flavorful juices to redistribute throughout the roast. You can tent it loosely with foil if you like, but larger roasts will stay plenty warm while resting.

• 10 minutes for roasts less than 4 lbs.
• 15 minutes for 4-10 lb. roasts
• 20 minutes for roasts larger than 10 lbs.

How To Carve A Bone-In Prime Rib

Now, it’s time to carve. You’ll need a large cutting board and a long, sharp, non-serrated knife. Ask your guests if they’d prefer thick or thin slices, and how much they’d like to be served. They’ll appreciate the personal touch.

Carving a bone-in roast, like a Prime Rib, doesn’t need to be intimidating.

1. Start by holding the bones perpendicular to the cutting board.
2. Hold your knife parallel to the bones, and carefully slice down to the board. When you’re done with this cut, you’ll have separated the bones from the main roast.
3. Set the bone-in portion aside and carve the roast as described above. If your guests request it, you can slice in between the bones and distribute those at the table as well.

PRO TIP: Alternatively, you can separate the bones from the Prime Rib before cooking. Make the same cut described above before you season the roast, then use butcher’s twine to tie the bones back in place before cooking. After the roast has rested, snip away the twines and the bones will fall away, allowing for easy carving tableside.