Roast Beef
A beef joint roasted to your liking and rested well, with the timings, temperatures and gravy for a proper Sunday lunch.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 25 min
- Total
- 2 hr 10 min
- Makes
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Course
- Main
- Cuisine
- English
Roast beef with Yorkshire puddings is the most famous British Sunday lunch. The secret is not the recipe but the timing: a hot start to brown the outside, a lower oven to finish, and a long rest before carving.
A meat thermometer is the surest way to get the beef exactly how you like it.
Ingredients
- 1½ kg beef roasting joint, topside, sirloin or rib, at room temperature
- 1 tbsp oil or beef dripping
- 1 tsp English mustard powder, optional
- 2 onions, thickly sliced
- 1 tbsp plain flour, for the gravy
- 500 ml beef stock, for the gravy
- salt and ground black pepper
Equipment
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Method
- 1
Take the beef out of the fridge an hour before cooking. Heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 7.
- 2
Rub the joint with the oil, mustard powder and plenty of salt and pepper. Sit it on the onions in a roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes.
- 3
Turn the oven down to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4 and roast for about 15 minutes per 500 g for medium-rare, 20 minutes for medium or 25 minutes for well done. With a thermometer, take it out at about 50°C in the centre for rare, 55°C for medium-rare, 60°C for medium or 70°C for well done.
- 4
Lift the beef onto a board, cover loosely with foil and rest for at least 20 minutes. The temperature rises a few degrees as it rests.
Photo: P1898 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped - 5
For the gravy, spoon off most of the fat from the tin, stir the flour into the onions and juices over a low heat, then gradually add the stock and any juices from the resting meat. Simmer for 5 minutes and strain.
- 6
Carve the beef thinly across the grain.
Tips
Serve with Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes and horseradish sauce. Put the Yorkshire puddings in while the beef rests, when the oven is free and hot again.
A meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of timing, and a sharp carving set makes thin slices easy.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Grey and overcooked | Left in too long | Use a thermometer and take it out a few degrees early; it keeps cooking as it rests |
| Tough slices | Carved with the grain, or not rested | Rest 20 minutes and slice thinly across the grain |
| Pale outside | Oven not hot enough at the start | Start at 220°C / 200°C fan and dry the joint before oiling |
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to eat roast beef pink?
Yes, for whole joints. The Food Standards Agency explains that whole cuts of beef and lamb only have bacteria on the outside, so they can be served pink once the outside is properly cooked. This does not apply to rolled joints, minced beef, poultry or pork, which must be cooked through.
Which beef joint is best for roasting?
Rib on the bone has the most flavour; sirloin is tender; topside is leaner and cheaper and best served pink and thinly sliced.
How long should roast beef rest?
At least 20 minutes for a 1.5 kg joint, loosely covered with foil. Resting lets the juices settle so they stay in the meat when you carve.
Sources
- Cooking your food, Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK), 18 December 2017. Checked 2 October 2026.
Guides for this recipe
Some of these guides contain shop links, which are affiliate links (disclosure).
Kitchen design
Range Cookers: Are They Right for Your Kitchen?
Buying guide
Roasting Tins: Choosing the Right Size and Material
Buying guide
Chef's Knives: How to Choose One
Kitchen design
Knife Storage: Blocks, Magnetic Strips and Drawer Inserts
Kitchen design
Copper Pans in the Kitchen: Cooking, Display and Care
Buying guide
Saucepans: Stainless, Non-Stick or Copper?
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Card photos: A traditional black cast-iron kitchen range, Wehha via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; Potatoes with rosemary in a roasting tin, ready for the oven, Chris Olszewski via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A chef's knife with a wooden handle, Frank Schulenburg via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Kitchen knives held on a wall-mounted magnetic strip, Phil! Gold from Pikesville, MD, USA via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped; Copper pans and a kettle on an old kitchen range, Silar via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A small stainless steel saucepan with a lid, Cooks & Kitchens from Darlington, UK via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped; A steak and ale pie served with gravy, broccoli and carrot, Andy Li via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; A golden, crimped Cornish pasty on a plate, David Johnson [1] via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; A roast chicken dinner plate with broccoli and gravy, Michael J. Bennett via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped. All credits: image credits.