How to Cook a Roast: Simple, Everyday Beef

Herbed Saint John’s organic roast.

Wondering how to cook a roast?

Roasts are a cost-effective way to enjoy our organic, grass-fed beef. They're versatile and go with just about everything.

We've eaten a lot of roast beef over the years! Here's how we get a nutritious, filling dinner on the table -- with minimal prep or active cooking.

Simple Preparation

The easiest preparation is to salt and pepper the outside of the roast, put the roast in a slow cooker with 2 cups water or broth, and cook on low for 7-8 hours. If an Instant Pot is more your style, follow the same steps and cook on the Meat/Stew function for 70 minutes.

How to crank up the flavor

Add even more flavor to the roast by searing 1-2 minutes over medium-high heat on all sides of the roast before cooking in the slow cooker or Instant Pot.

Add quartered onions, carrots, and minced garlic to your slow cooker or Instant Pot for a traditional pot roast meal. 

Serving Ideas

When we have the time, we serve roasts with mashed or baked potatoes, bread, carrots, and a crisp salad.

For a quick lunch, try a homemade roast beef sandwich! Slice the roast thinly and add to bread with mustard, mayo, tomato, and onion.

Warm Weather Roasts

With Spring just around the corner, having a hot slow cooker in the kitchen all day isn't always ideal. If you don't have an Instant Pot, a great alternative is to move the slow cooker outside and use an outdoor outlet.

For a warm day, try a "roast beef salad", similar to a chicken or tuna salad. Chop cooked and chilled roast beef and toss with celery, mayo, mustard, diced onion, and any herbs or spices you enjoy. We enjoy it with cilantro, lime juice, and paprika or chili powder on tortillas in the summer time.

Our favorite roast recipes

• Oven Braised Chuck Roast

• Instant Pot Roast with Red Wine

• Herb Rubbed Top Round Roast

Enjoy our organic, grass fed beef roasts, the simple, everyday meat!

Herb Rubbed Top Round Roast Beef

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/3 cup fresh parsley chopped fine

• 2 Tbsp minced fresh thyme

• 1 shallot minced

• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter room temperature

• (1) 4-5 lbs top round roast fat trimmed if needed

• 1 Tbsp salt

• 1 Tbsp pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix the parsley, thyme, and shallot in a small bowl.

2. Remove 2 Tbsp of the herb mix to another bowl and set aside.

3. Add the mustard, and add 1 Tbsp of the oil to the remaining herb mix and stir to combine.

4. With the previously reserved herbs, mash in the butter with a fork to mix everything well.

5. Butterfly the roast by carefully cutting down the center of the roast, folding the cut end of the beef back, flattening, until you have cut almost entirely through. This allows for a better seasoning application throughout the beef.

6. While spread flat, season liberally with salt and pepper on all sides.

7. Using your fingers, spread the mustard mixture evenly over the interior of the meat.

8. Fold the meat back up and tie with kitchen twine.

9. Cover and allow the beef to rest in the fridge at least 4 hours.

10. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

11. In a large oven-safe skillet, heat the remaining oil.

12. Sear the beef on all sides, until just browned, about 5 minutes per side.

13. Transfer to oven and allow to cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat temps at 125 degrees F.

14. Carefully transfer the beef to a cutting board to rest.

15. Spread a generous dollop of the herb butter over the roast and cover with foil.

16. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Corned Beef

Makes 2 pounds

INGREDIENTS:

1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges

3 sprigs fresh thyme

3 cloves peeled garlic

3 Tablespoons pickling spice

One 4-pound piece corned beef brisket, rinsed

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, split lengthwise, cleaned and cut into 1-inch lengths

4 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 small head green cabbage, core intact, cut into thick wedges

20 small red potatoes

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Sour cream, prepared horseradish and whole-grain mustard, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Put the onion, thyme, garlic, pickling spice, brisket and 6 cups water into an instant pot.

Set and cook on high pressure for 85 minutes. Follow the manufacturer’s guide for quick release, then remove the meat and set aside. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl and return 2 cups back to the instant pot along with the butter.

Put the potatoes in a microwave safe dish and cook for 3 minutes then add the leeks, carrots, cabbage and potatoes to the Instant Pot. Seal and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Quick release the steam. Thinly slice the brisket across the grain and transfer to a serving platter. Arrange the vegetable and potatoes around the meat, sprinkle with the parsley and serve with the sour cream, horseradish and mustard on the side.

Oven-Braised Chuck Roast

INGREDIENTS

5-ish pound roast

3 tablespoons oil

3 teaspoons paprika

4 teaspoons salt (one for veggies)

4 teaspoons pepper (one for veggies)

4 teaspoons garlic powder (one for veggies)

2 medium potatoes

2 large carrots

1 small onion

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350° (Try to preheat the oven at least 30 minutes before you cook the roast so it reaches 350 °F (177 °C) when your roast is ready to bake)

• Place the chuck roast on a flat surface and season the top liberally with an even mixture of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Flip the chuck roast over and season the bottom side as well.

• Chop the onions, carrots, and potatoes and place them in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of olive oil and a teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir together.

• Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

• Choose an oven-safe skillet so you can put it directly into the oven.

• Place the roast in the pan and sear the bottom side for 4-5 minutes or until it turns brown, Then, flip the roast over and sear the other side for 4-5 minutes or until it browns as well.

• This will create a crust over the roast that helps keep in moisture and flavor while you cook it.

• Remove the seared chuck roast from the skillet and set it on a plate.

• Place the chopped vegetables in the skillet for about 5-10 minutes or until the onions become translucent, and the carrots and potatoes have a softer texture.

• Like the roast, the vegetables will have more time to cook thoroughly while you bake them.

• Place your chuck roast and vegetables in a baking pan or oven-safe skillet. Cover the top of the chuck roast and vegetables in tin foil, or lid.

• Set the pan or skillet in the oven and close the door, setting a timer for 3 1/2 hours. Take the roast out of the oven when the meat browns and develops a tender, pull-apart texture.

You can watch a video to see how we completed each of the steps below. We hope you enjoy as much as we did!

Chuck roast made from certified organic grass fed beef from Emmett Idaho. Visit us at saintjohnsorganicfarm.com for pricing, info, recipes, and more!

Sous Vide Chuck Roast Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

• Chuck roast

• 1 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1 Tbsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp ginger powder

• 2 Tbsp salt

• 1 1/2 tsp pepper

• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire

• 6 Tbsp butter

• Onion (for sandwich)

• Hoagie rolls (for sandwich)

• Cheese (for sandwich)

• Horseradish (for sandwich)

• Mayo (for sandwich)

DIRECTIONS

• Heat waterbath to 135° F.

• Pat chuck roast dry. 

• Mix seasonings together in a bowl. Rub the seasoning all over the roast. 

• Place roast, butter, and Worcestershire sauce into vacuum sealed bag (if using a ziplock bag, don't forget to use the water displacement method to remove all air from bag).

• Place sealed bag into prepared water bath. 

• Let cook in water bath for 24-30 hours. 

• Take roast out of water bath and sear the outside of roast on high heat until just barely browned. Slice and serve on a hoagie roll with sautéed onion, mayo, and horseradish. Enjoy!

Tri-Tip Roast--for slicing and sandwich meat!

1. Preheat oven to 400º.

2. Coat tri-tip Roast in a mixture of salt pepper and onion powder on all sides.

3. Heat avocado oil in a pan over high heat until smoking. Sear roast on all sides to brown quickly and seal in juices.

4. Transfer to roasting pan or cast iron pan and place in the pre-heated 400º oven.

5. Roast 10-15 min. Flip the roast over and roast another 10-15 min or until internal temperature reads 125º.

6. Remove roast and allow to sit for at least 20 min before slicing. If you slice too soon all the juices will run out!