Mastering how to cook melt-in-the-mouth roast beef is easy when you know how. Once you’ve found the best roasting joint for you, perfected your cooking times and discovered the ideal recipe, every meal will be a memorable occasion.
Roast beef cooking tips
- Remove from the fridge 30 minutes – 1 hour before cooking.
- Keep the fat for flavour and moisture.
- No need to cover either – it helps form a good, outer crust!
- Use a tin just larger than the joint to keep juices from evaporating.
- Add a halved onion and herbs under your joint for the gravy.
- Baste 2-3 times with all the juices.
Roast beef cooking times & temperatures
Waitrose chef Alex Szrok shows how to cook the perfect roast beef.
How to cook topside beef, sirloin and rib of beef
Oven 180ºC | Fan 160ºC | Gas 4
For cuts over 1.5kg, start at 240ºC (fan 220ºC, gas 9) for 20 minutes to form an outer crust.
Then reduce the temperature and subtract 20 minutes from the total cooking time.
Medium-rare: 20 minutes per 500g
Medium: 25 minutes per 500g
Well-done: 30 minutes, per 500g
How to cook beef fillet
Oven 180ºC | Fan 160ºC | Gas 4
Rub with a little oil, season, then pan-sear all over for 4-5 minutes.
Transfer to a roasting tin and roast for:
Medium-rare: 15-20 minutes per 500g
Medium: 20-25 minutes per 500g
Well-done: 25-30 minutes per 500g
Based on 1.8-2kg cut.
How to cook beef brisket
Oven 180ºC | Fan 160ºC | Gas 4
Sear the brisket in a casserole, then add thickly sliced onions and aromatics, plus 300-500ml of stock, beer, cider or wine. Cover and simmer gently on the hob or transfer to the oven for:
35-40 minutes per 500g, plus 35-40 minutes (check your recipe for specific cooking instructions and timings)
Roast beef recipes
There are so many wonderful ways to cook a beef roasting joint, whether you want to keep it traditional with a mustard-crusted roast sirloin of beef, or create something a little different like our Thai-inspired fillet of beef with a herby peanut relish.
Which cut of beef to use?
How to check roast beef is cooked
Pierce the thickest part with a skewer: pinky-red juices mean medium-rare, slightly pink is medium and clear is well-done.
A meat thermometer is best – insert it near the centre, avoiding bones. Leave it for 20 seconds; rare is 50ºC, medium 60ºC and well-done 70ºC.
Give your roast beef a rest
Resting lets juices redistribute, making beef juicier and easier to carve. Transfer to a clean board and cover with foil.
Leave it to rest for 20 minutes – leaner cuts like topside need 30 minutes.
Use this time for gravy and trimmings, adding the resting juices for extra flavour.
What wine to serve?
Just like steak, roast beef calls for a smooth, juicy red. Our wine guru Pierpaolo Petrassi recommends Chianti as a delightful accompaniment; look for Chianti Classico which is made in the historic heart of the winemaking region.
Shop Waitrose red wine
Cooking for a crowd?
Let us help you with prepared roasting joints, ready to go in the oven. For a big celebration, pre-order our No.1 30 Day Dry Aged Jubilee Rib of British Beef (which serves 20), or for a small but special occasion, treat yourself to a No.1 Chateaubriand with Garlic & Chive Butter, ideal for 2 or 3 people to share.
BEST of British Beef
We’ve worked exclusively with many of our British beef farmers for more than 10 years – and in some cases, more than 25 years. This long-term partnership offers our farmers the security they need to invest in sustainable farming practices that help to benefit the environment and encourage local wildlife.
