You should cover a beef roast with kitchen foil for at least part of the cooking time.
Leftovers, advance prep, and freezing tips:
- To ensure leftovers are even better the second time around, store the cooked meat in the remaining juice. There should be enough to almost fully submerge it. This essentially marinates the cooked beef, making it even more tender and flavorful.
- The leftover meat may also be frozen in the juices.
- You may fully prepare this recipe the day before, cool, and then cover and refrigerate. The next day all of the fat that has cooked out of the beef will rise to the top and harden, at which point you can scrape it off and discard.
The soup mix, either store-bought or homemade, acts as a dry rub and imparts incredible flavor as the roast transforms into juicy, fall-apart-tender meat. A light coating of olive oil helps the mix cling to the meat.
The photo above shows a bone-in cut while the one below is boneless. Either option works well. Though chuck roast is my go-to, I recently used a shoulder roast with excellent results.
Use heavy-duty foil (or a double layer or regular foil) to form a packet. This will lock in the flavorful juices that cook out of the roast. These natural juices flavor and tenderize the meat as it cooks and are delicious for drizzling later. The packet makes for easy cleanup, too!
When doubling the recipe, I place the roasts in separate packets and lay them side-by-side on the rimmed baking sheet.
The cooked meat is tender, juicy, brimming with flavor, and shreds beautifully. Leftover meat is delicious simply reheated or stirred into soups, stews, and sauces.
- 1 (3 to 3½ pound) chuck roast (see notes*)
- Olive oil
- 1 packet Lipton onion soup mix (or this homemade version)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300℉. Place the roast on a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil (or a double layer of regular) that has been set on a rimmed baking sheet. Rub a thin layer of olive oil over both sides of the roast. Sprinkle half of the soup mix packet on the top of the roast, half on the bottom. This will act as a dry rub. Bring the sides of the foil up and fold over to seal them, and then fold over the ends a few times to seal them, too. You will have a packet that should hold the juice that will cook out of the roast, but the baking sheet is essential as leaks do occur. (I do leave a bit of an air pocket at the top of the packet rather than wrapping the roast tight.)
- Bake the roast for 3½ hours or until the meat is fall-apart tender. If your roast is in the 3½ to 4-pound range, cook for approximately 4 hours. Remove the tray from the oven and allow the roast to sit, in the packet, for 10 minutes (longer is fine). When opening the foil packet, be careful of the hot steam that will escape. Serve right from the foil or transfer the meat to a serving dish and pour the juices overtop.**
Notes
* Sometimes I cook two smaller (approximately 2½ pound) chuck roasts, placing them in separate foil packages. In this case, I typically use about half of a second packet of soup mix to lightly coat both sides of the two roasts.
** This dish is delicious leftover and may easily be prepared in advance. Because the roast’s fat and connective tissue break down and melt away during the slow cooking process, the pan juices do become fatty. As the juices cool in the refrigerator, the fat will rise to the top and harden, at which point it can be easily scraped off the top. The remaining juices will be every bit as flavorful without the fat. For those who like gadgets, a fat separator will do the job while the liquid is warm.
Chuck roast recipe first posted September 2013
Given that youve started with a good cut of beef, roast beef is a relatively easy, hands-off meal to make. You just season the roast, lay it in a shallow roasting pan, pop it in the oven, and allow it to cook at a low temperature for about one to three hours, depending on how big it is. This can mean the difference between moist, mouthwatering meat and a dry disappointing disaster. The trick is knowing when to cover your roast beef, and were here to tell you it shouldnt be during but after it cooks.
The one exception to the rule is for roasts that are 8 pounds or more. Larger roasts mean longer cooking times and a greater chance of over-cooking. Thats why loosely covering larger roasts in foil about halfway through the cooking process is your safest bet for retaining maximum moisture while preventing the outer layer from turning into utter shoe leather. Follow these simple guidelines and your next holiday or family shindig is sure to leave your guests toasting and boasting about your roast.
The reason for this is simple: the trapped moisture will cause the beef to steam rather than roast and you wont get that lovely browned outer crust. Instead, you want to wait until just after its reached the desired temperature (at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit), remove it from the oven, cover it with an aluminum foil tent, and let it steam and rest for between 15-30 minutes. This will allow the juices to soak back in, permeating the beef thoroughly and ensuring a succulent cut, trusting youve avoided the common timing mistakes during its preparation.
A traditional choice for holidays, family gatherings, and Sunday dinners, theres something comforting about roast beef — the ritual of preparing it and the anticipation that builds while it roasts in the oven, the savory aroma filling the house. And when it turns out tender and juicy, the hours of waiting and the often hefty price tag are well worth it. What you dont want is tough, gray, overcooked meat that keeps your guests asking for more gravy (or wine) just to get it down.
Should you cover beef with foil when roasting?
FAQ
Should you roast beef covered or uncovered?
Do you cover beef with foil roasting?
Do you have to cover meat with foil?
Is it better to cook a roast at 325 or 350?
Should you cover beef with foil when roasting?
Yes, covering beef with foil when roasting is recommended for the first half of the cooking time. This helps to seal in the juices and prevent the meat from drying out. However, it is important to remove the foil for the last portion of the cooking time to allow the meat to develop a crispy and flavorful crust.
Should you cover roast beef when cooking?
If you’re cooking roast beef, it’s important to cover it while it’s cooking. This will help to lock in the juices and keep the meat moist. You can use a lid or a foil tent to cover the meat. It’s also important to cook roast beef at a low temperature. This will help to ensure that the meat is cooked evenly and that it doesn’t dry out.
Should you cover beef with aluminum foil?
If you see that the top or edges of the meat are almost enough cooked but the center of the beef still needs a little extra time, then consider covering it with aluminum foil. In that way, you will stop cooking it further on the exterior and you will win some time to allow the meat to cook slowly in the interior. When Should You Cover the Beef?
Should you wrap a roast in foil?
Just be sure not to wrap the foil too tightly, otherwise it will steam your joint. But loosely covering a hefty cut of beef halfway through as it roasts in the oven will keep it succulent.