Pegg's Oven Roast Beef

This roast beef method is about as hands-off as cooking gets. One hour at high heat sears the outside and starts the cooking, then the oven gets turned off and the roast sits in the slowly declining heat for five hours. No basting, no checking, no thermometer poking. You don’t even open the door.

The physics are simple. The initial blast of high heat browns the exterior and raises the internal temperature. As the oven cools gradually over hours, the roast finishes cooking gently in an environment that drops from searing to low and slow. The result is evenly cooked beef that’s tender throughout instead of grey on the outside and raw in the middle.

Bringing the roast to room temperature before it goes in is the one step you can’t skip. A cold roast thrown into a hot oven will cook unevenly, with an overdone exterior and an underdone core.

Chef Tips

• Do not open the oven door during the five-hour resting period. Every time you open it, heat escapes and the slow-cooking process is disrupted.
• This method works best with larger roasts. A small cut finishes cooking too quickly and may overcook during the long rest.
• Season the roast with salt and pepper before cooking. With just one ingredient, good seasoning is everything.
• Use a meat thermometer after the five hours to check doneness before carving.

Variations

• Rub the roast with garlic and rosemary before the initial sear for an herbed crust.
• Place quartered onions and carrots in the pan underneath the roast to cook in the drippings.
• Slice leftovers thin for sandwiches the next day. This roast is just as good cold.