'roast beef' question

squirtthecat · October 02, 2009, 06:24:31 AM

I know I've asked this before, but I can't find the thread responses.

I'm smoking a bunch of stuff this weekend, but none of it for us. (doing pulled pork and a cheap smoked ham for the office cafeteria, and a turkey breast roast for a coworker)

So I though I would pick up a small roast at the store and cook it tonight, while the butt starts it's overnight journey into juicy porky goodness...

I'd like to cook the roast to MR, maybe M and vacpak/chill. Then slice thin tomorrow for sammys.

Any tips on what cut I should get? Top, bottom, arm? I'd like it to be done in about 4 hours or so.

This will be a small roast. Maybe 2-3 pounds, tops. The Mrs doesn't like roast beef for sammys, so I will be the primary consumer.

Caneyscud · October 02, 2009, 06:52:50 AM

My first choice would be a "7 bone" chuck roast. However, that would be larger than you wanted - so then I would opt for one of the smaller, boneless chuckies. A tri-tip would be perfect if you could find one - they cook quickly. A well-marbled eye or round it also quite excellent

Smoked Eye-Of-Round Roast

1 eye-of-round roast - the more marbled the better!
Your favorite dry rub or just salt and pepper

Prepare your smoker. - preheat to 250 or more

Rub all over with your favorite dry rub. Place prepared roast on the smoker rack. Reset temp to 230. Smoke until internal temperature reaches 125° to 130&degF for medium-rare (using a good meat thermometer).

Remove from smoker and let it rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before carving (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven). To serve, slice very thin.

squirtthecat · October 02, 2009, 06:59:44 AM

Tri-tip/eye o' round, check. Sounds good to me!

Would 140 be considered 'medium'? I don't want it to overcook, but I don't want it bleeding all over my slicer, either. Maybe pull at 135 and let rest?

I'm mixing up a bunch of Iceman's rub tonight. Maybe I'll hit both the butt and the roast-to-be-named-later with it..

Thanks!

FLBentRider · October 02, 2009, 07:10:23 AM

If you want "roast beef" - for slicing deli-style - I would use a sirlion or round.

For that small a roast, it will reach the target IT faster than you think - and remember that carry-over will increase the temp a few degrees.

I would use a target IT of 132-135F.

It will probably only take 2-3 hours.

Ka Honu · October 02, 2009, 07:17:40 AM

Quote from: squirtthecat on October 02, 2009, 06:59:44 AMWould 140 be considered 'medium'? I don't want it to overcook, but I don't want it bleeding all over my slicer, either. Maybe pull at 135 and let rest?

I did a boneless rib roast in a slow (200^o) oven the other night to an IT of 140^o. After 15 minutes or so of loose tenting, it carved as a perfect medium.

Oddly enough, my Maverick ET-7 setting for rare beef is 140^o. I wonder where that came from - must be a New Jersey thing.

squirtthecat · October 02, 2009, 07:25:09 AM

Quote from: FLBentRider on October 02, 2009, 07:10:23 AM
If you want "roast beef" - for slicing deli-style - I would use a sirlion or round.

For that small a roast, it will reach the target IT faster than you think - and remember that carry-over will increase the temp a few degrees.

I would use a target IT of 132-135F.

It will probably only take 2-3 hours.

10-4.. 135 max. I'll put my Maverick on the job.

FLBentRider · October 02, 2009, 07:28:30 AM

Just for fun - it you FTC it - leave the Maverick probe in and see if and how far the temp climbs.

Caneyscud · October 02, 2009, 07:32:24 AM

* Medium rare beef is very pink in the center, slightly brown toward the exterior.
* Medium beef is light pink in center, brown toward the exterior.
* Well done beef is uniformly brown throughout.

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association Culinary Center recommends cooking steaks just to medium rare (145°F) or medium (160°F) doneness. NOTE - these are final Temps. And also note these are not precise for every cut - some will be "done" before others depending on a lot of factors, including toughness, amount of fat, amount of natural moisture within the meat, marbling, barometric pressure, cooking heat, what Brittney is wearing or not wearing this week, who is on Letterman, moon phases, tides, mood your wife is in, etc......

To achieve the desired doneness (145°F for medium rare; 160°F for medium), remove the roast from the smoker when the thermometer registers 5°F to 10°F (5 deg for the smaller - 10 deg for larger cuts) below the desired doneness. Let roast stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving. The internal temperature will continue to rise during standing and reach the desired temperature. And if you are off 2 or 3 degrees - it don't matter!

squirtthecat · October 02, 2009, 07:34:07 AM

Quotewho is on Letterman

who is Letterman on...

Ka Honu · October 02, 2009, 08:11:48 AM

Quote from: Caneyscud on October 02, 2009, 07:32:24 AM
* Medium rare beef is very pink in the center, slightly brown toward the exterior.
* Medium beef is light pink in center, brown toward the exterior.
* Well done beef is uniformly brown throughout.

Not to argue with them National Cattlemen, but that's kind of a "steak table." If you use a slow oven for a roast (200^o oven or comparable), it takes longer (45-60 minutes per pound) but you get the color of your choice uniformly all the way through with just a small band of brown at the edges. That's how delis and restaurants get it to look that way (and, as an added benefit, you lose far less weight to shrinkage). Only downside is that you don't get as much drippings for au jus or whatever.

Cooking for Engineers has a guide here.

classicrockgriller · October 02, 2009, 08:21:15 AM

squirt, I did a sirloin and left the temp probe in while FTCing and it was interesting to watch (like FBR suggested). CRG

squirtthecat · October 02, 2009, 08:26:17 AM

Quote from: classicrockgriller on October 02, 2009, 08:21:15 AM
squirt, I did a sirloin and left the temp probe in while FTCing and it was interesting to watch (like FBR suggested). CRG

Yeah, I'm going to give that a shot as well. The Mrs is gone to a bball game tonight, so it'll just be me, the cats, beer and a whole lotta MEAT..

squirtthecat · October 02, 2009, 10:36:48 AM

Well, this little guy followed me back to the office from the store (seems to happen a lot these days), so we'll see how he does.

Cr@p parking lot picture.. That is a 3.5lb sirloin tip roast, marked down to $2.99 a lb.
Hmm... He's netted as well. Maybe I'll string him up vertical like my 'flying' turkeys?

The box to the top/right needs no explanation. :D

FLBentRider · October 02, 2009, 10:38:11 AM

I love the "used meat" rack too...

squirtthecat · October 02, 2009, 10:43:40 AM

Quote from: FLBentRider on October 02, 2009, 10:38:11 AM
I love the "used meat" rack too...

;D

Almost got elbowed out of the way by an little old lady... I think she wanted it as well.

Meat Case Throwdown

Not a good day to get in a tussle at the supermarket. My wife is the Assistant Principal of her school on Fridays, and I'd be in deep doo doo if she had to leave to bail my butt out of jail..