Beef roast temperature question!

[dwessler]

Hey, all! I'm excited to have joined this forum; I'm an at-home cook, always looking to expand my recipe repertoire.

Right off the bat, I have a question regarding internal temperature of beef roast. I don't seem to find much agreement amongst my resources regarding what the correct internal temperature should be for different levels of doneness. If I'm making a 3-pound beef bottom round roast, looking for it to be medium rare, what should my final internal temperature be? It seems USDA suggests the final internal temp should be 145F (taking the roast out of the oven at 135, as it will cook for another 10 degrees after removal during rest). But lots of professional chefs seem to suggest a final internal temp of 130-135F (removal from the oven at 120-125). That's a big difference! What would you all suggest for a medium-rare final internal temperature of a beef roast?

 

[Andy M.]

I'd definitely go with the lower temps the pros recommend. I go with 120ºF-125ºF for MR.

Be advised you have to be careful where you stick your thermometer probe and then double check in different spots in the roast. Not all parts of a roast will be MR. Thinner parts will be more well done.

 

[buckytom]

I agree with Andy. Err on the side of lower temps. You can't go back from medium to rare, but you can always heat it longer if too red if need be.

 

[msmofet]

I pull my beef roast at internal temp 115-120F.

 

[Josie1945]

Welcome to DC

Josie

 

[salt and pepper]

Welcome, I would go with the lower temp on a smaller roast.

 

[msmofet]

I pull my beef roast at internal temp 115-120F.

I usually estimate 15 minutes per pound of roast and then check when 15 minutes is left just in case it may be ready early. The shape of the roast effects cooking time. A long narrow eye round reaches temp faster than a shorter, fatter rump or bottom round roast. Check temp at least 15 minutes early of estimated time and as stated above check several place in the roast because under done can be cooked more but overdone is ruined.

 

[msmofet]

I usually estimate 15 minutes per pound of roast and then check when 15 minutes is left just in case it may be ready early. The shape of the roast effects cooking time. A long narrow eye round reaches temp faster than a shorter, fatter rump or bottom round roast. Check temp at least 15 minutes early of estimated time and as stated above check several place in the roast because under done can be cooked more but overdone is ruined.

Here are some pictures I have of an eye round roast I cooked.

 

[GotGarlic]

You are the queen of eye round roast, msmofet

 

[Whiskadoodle]

I can see who's method I want to follow and achieve, MsM.

What oven temp do you roast at, please.

 

[msmofet]

You are the queen of eye round roast, msmofet

Thank you GG.

I can see who's method I want to follow and achieve, MsM.

What oven temp do you roast at, please.

Thank you Whiska.

Here you go:

Ms. Mofet's Roast Beef Method

I cook my Eye round roast on convection roast setting but regular bake is fine.

I rub roast with a small amount of olive oil all over and season with all purpose seasoning blend (my blend below) of whatever herbs and spices you like.
Place on a round rack inside a cast iron skillet; fat side up.
May allow to stand an hour at room temperature after seasoning.
Calculate 15 minutes per pound - So if the roast is 4 pounds that would be approx. 1 hour or till internal temp is 115°F to 120°F for medium.
I start at 500°F for the first 15 minutes to start the browning then lower to 350°F and roast for the time left that you calculated.
I like it cooked to 120°F - 125°F degrees internal temp (med rare - pink and warm in the center, about 15 minutes per pound).
(The shape of the roast effects cooking time. A long narrow eye round reaches temp faster than a shorter, fatter rump or bottom round roast. Check temp at least 15 minutes early of estimated time and as stated above check several places in the roast)
When it reaches the temp of 115°F to 120°F remove from oven, place on board or platter and let rest for at least 20 minutes (it will continue to cook and the juices will redistribute in the roast and not run out so much when you slice and will be very juicy).

My all purpose seasoning blend (the last batch I added a small amount of powdered vinegar to the blend)
Ms. Mofet's All Purpose Seasoning Blend

 

[buckytom]

Wow, mofet. That looks delicioso!

 

[msmofet]

Wow, mofet. That looks delicioso!

Thank you Bucky!
I like to serve with Burgundy pan gravy and Yorkshire Pudding.

 

[CraigC]

Here are some pictures I have of an eye round roast I cooked.

That looks excellent!

 

[msmofet]

That looks excellent!

Thank you CC

 

[Zagut]

To the OP.

I suggest you experiment to find the internal temp that you find best.
Don't experiment on $12.00 a pound roasts but use lesser cuts.
It shouldn't take many to see what you want and as a plus you get to eat the results of your experiment.
Cooking is not set in stone and experimenting to find what you want as the result is half the fun.
Rare, Medium Rare, Medium, Medium Well, and Well Done mean different things to different people.

I agree to start at lower temps since you can't un-cook something but you can cook it longer later if need be.







Msmofet, That looks mighty tasty and tender.

Thanks for the method.

I'm gonna give it a try one of these days.

Eye of round is a tasty cut and doesn't break the bank either.

I've used it very thin sliced for steak sammies but I see a roast in my future.

 

[Caslon]

Oven temp probe. They cost like $5 now. Hehe, the damn thing with mine is...it wants to turn itself off to save battery power, after I've set my max temp (for the alarm to go off). I'll have to re-read the tiny instructions, which requires a magnifying glass.