Perfect Roast Beef

Ingredients (Serves 6):-

1 - 1.5 kg beef striploin or ribeye roast
1 tbsp coarse sea salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil


Method:-

1) Remove beef from fridge at least 30 minutes beforehand.
2) Preheat oven to 180 C.
3) Mix salt, pepper and olive oil in a bowl. Rub seasoning into the beef and place it in a roasting tin with an oven-proof meat thermometer inserted into its thickest part.
4) Slip the tray into the oven and start cooking. Cooking time varies from 1 - 1.5 hours depending on how you want your beef.
5) When done, remove from oven and let meat rest for 10 minutes before carving.


Note:-

1) Very Rare - 49 C - blood red in the centre and barely warm.
2) Rare - 52 C - red in the centre and warm throughout
3) Medium Rare - 55 C to 57 C - pinkish red in the centre and fairly hot
4) Medium - 60 C to 63 C - pink in the centre, greyish brown surrounding, hot throughout.
5) Medium Well - 66 C to 68 C - greyish brown centre, only a trace of pink.
6) Well Done - 71 C - grey in the centre.
7) Because you are roasting a whole piece of beef, you will get different doneness depending on which part of the beef you cut. The outer pieces will be more cooked compared to those in the middle.


[recipe from Food & Travel Magazine June 2008 issue]