meat. I have tried to cook rolled roast beef in many different ways - roasting dish, oven bag, crock pot and tonight I cooked one in my new Easy Cook oven. It looked lovely and was nicely medium done. Yet again it was tough and almost inedible. I have yet to have one turn out really tender. I'm beginning to think it must be the quality of the meat, as I don't have too many problems with other meats. Any suggestions would be welcome. I'd love to cook one like my Mum used to. Mind you, Dad killed the beasts and they hung for quite a while. The meat was always tender.
eastie3,
Jan 21, 1:15am
By no means an expert, but bringing the meat to room temp before cooking and then resting it (covered) for 20mins or so once it comes out of the oven might help. I have had problems in the past too, so will watch with interest to see other suggestions. It's always a good idea to blame the meat, not the cook. .
dbab,
Jan 21, 1:19am
I did have it at room temperature, and I covered it with tinfoil for about 15-20 minutes to let it rest while I cooked the veges. Sigh! ! !
3jtrader,
Jan 21, 1:21am
I can cook a topside from frozen and it doesn't turn out tough, but I have no idea how or why! I do my roasts at 180 degrees, 4 hours for frozen, 3 if it's defrosted, and put plenty of water in the roasting dish. Stand the roast in the dish before serving, like eastie3 said.
coach2,
Jan 21, 3:59am
I sear mine on all sides and then turn down low and throw in some chopped onions, salt, pepper and then I put in a can of beer. Lid on and simmer on very low heat for a couple of hours. Very yummy.
biker_69,
Jan 21, 5:08am
Rolled roasts are often tougher. Go topside. And turn the oven down to 130ºC and use a meat thermometer. It obviously takes longer but it's worth it because it's delicious.
buzzy110,
Jan 21, 5:22am
Rolled roast beef from the supermarket is the only meat I cooked in my slow cooker. It looks naff when if comes out but it is generally fall apart tender and surprisingly moist.
I never used my slow cooker for anything else. I can't remember how long or what temperature I cooked it now as I have graduated to my Dinerite pots which can turn out a succulent rolled roast in about 45mins.
yeahright0,
Jan 21, 1:24pm
I just put mine in the Slow Cooker when frozen, takes 6 hours on high or about 12 on low. They always turn out yummy. I do the same for Corned Beef and Chicken if the chicken is small enough to fit in the slow cooker otherwise chook goes in the oven
doug57,
Jan 21, 1:32pm
I always use my slow cooker and 'normally' the meat is falling apart tender. BUT I recently bought a rolled roast beef from a different supermarket and it was AWFUL! Tough and VERY fatty all through [almost more fat than meat in the middle of the roll]. . the dog got it. . none of us could face it. [and we're not scared of fat ! LOL]
fifie,
Jan 21, 3:02pm
Lately i have been having the same trouble with some roasts. Normally do mine in the crockpot, seared with seasonings and meat rub, oil or garlic, thawed out from room temperature and rested, and its usually lovely and tender just falls apart. I am a great believer if the animal is stressed before its killed you will end up with tough meat andalso a lot now has no fat on it at all, I don't like a lot of fat either, but some is needed to give it some flavour and lots of timesits never hung like it used to be, just rushed to the market for the $$$$ so recon we are all up against this, I'm with #1 home kill is the best, Once the bad fatty bits was chucked outnow they roll up anything, stuff it and call it a roast. . My Solution is find a good butcher, ( thats the hard bit lol) choose your meat carefully, slow cooking is the key, brown it well in a hot frying pan, if cooking in the crockpot to seal in flavours, or cook it in a oven bag on a low temperature, or pot roast it long and slow, sprinkle a little balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar over roast before cooking for added flavour, and you should have a nice moist roast, making sure you carve it on the right grain also helps...
purplegoanna,
Jan 21, 3:08pm
long and slow with any roast nowadays, since most of our best meat is sold overseas, use a oven bag, i cook most meat at 150-160' for at least 3-4 hours then turn it upto 200' to crisp skins for the last 10mins.
toxious,
Jan 21, 3:10pm
I use the electric fry pan and my roasts are always nice and tender and moist
uli,
Jan 21, 3:22pm
Roast beef and rolled roast are two different things. I think you just mixed the terms maybe?
Roast beef which is seared on all sides, then roasted for a short while, rested and carved will still be slightly pink inside. For this you use what is called topside in NZ.
Rolled roast is what is peeled off the ribcage and is in most countries cooked with veges to produce a beef broth/soup, then eaten with potatoes, the veges and horseradish sauce. In NZ it is rolled up and sold as a roast, which you need to roast or cook (I use the crockpot for mine) for at least 4 hours to get it soft and edible.
uli,
Jan 21, 3:38pm
Beef cuts to roast
Fillet, rib-eye, standing rib, rolled rib, wing rib, sirloin, rump. All of these tender cuts except rolled rib (slow roast) can be roasted high and fast (200° C). Topside, bolar, chuck. These less tender cuts are more suitable for slow roasting (160° C) or pot-roasting.
more here: http://www.beeflambnz.co.nz/cookingTips/cookingMethods-roast ing.html
http://www.beeflambnz.co.nz/downloads/Brochure_BeefCuts. pdf
dbab,
Jan 21, 4:34pm
Thanks uli, but I did mean the rolled roasts. My dad used to make his own when we lived on a farm as kids, and they were always beautiful. I'm quite sure the meat we get nowadays is nothing like what we used to have. i can't find any decent schnitzel lately either. Trouble with living in a small town I guess -not a lot of choice for shopping.
uli,
Jan 21, 5:31pm
Ok - then you knew which is which. My only suggestion would be then a long slow cook in the slow cooker. Good luck :)
valentino,
Jan 21, 7:33pm
Have you got a hooded BBQ with the rotisserie attachment, if so, try it.
Note in the thread "BBQ Recipes... . including etc etc... " (near the top of page 2 of recipes MSB) are some need ideas especially the last few postings re doing chickens and veges... . in your scenario, instead of the chicken bit use rolled beef and use a nice basting like the one for the Topside towards the beginning of that thread... .
Someone noted use of water, yep, can concur, but one puts some water in with the veges, the moisture then is added from this within the BBQ, so it gets both the nice BBQ heat plus a bit of moisture.
If you don't have a Hooded BBQ then slowcooker is the preferable method but only with say about 1/4 c of water and a tablespoon of olive oil plus a few fresh herbs and a little bit of seasoning.
Cheers.
cary3339,
Jan 21, 7:48pm
It is the beef have had the same trouble too Last time decided to cook it like my mum used to I pot roasted it in a pot on the stove with a little oil and water Was very tender and fell apart My daughter does hers in the crockpot and seems to be the answer for her Hope this
taratoo,
Jan 22, 3:56pm
True roast beef - Try the Mad Butchers Easy Carve range, Beef Sirloin. Cook in oven 3 hours @150-160. Season as you please. Put the meat on a rack above the pan (this helps to get that "roasted" taste you can't get in any crockpot. ) I love their lamb & pork too, cook the same. Found this Easy carve range much better then what I get in grocery when I want a real roast and not a pot roast.
dbab,
Jul 15, 7:17am
Thanks taratoo, but we live in a small town - no Mad butcher!
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