How to make roast beef

O roast beef or roast beef It is an English-style beef, similar to cold meat, which is seared to obtain a golden exterior and roasted in the oven quickly, without completely cooking the center of the meat. The name comes from the English roast and beef. Well known by Brazilians thanks to the Beirut sandwich, very popular in São Paulo in Arab cuisine restaurants.

How is roast beef made?

The industrial processing of roast beef involves the steps of cutting the meat, preparing the brine, marinating, cooking, cooling and packaging.

What cuts of meat should I use to make roast beef?

The cut and quality of the meat have a big impact on the final product. The most commonly used cuts are: flank steak, rib eye, chuck steak and loin.

How is roast beef seasoned?

A mixture of a variety of herbs and spices, such as salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic, and others, is often used. A brine is created that can be injected or marinated into the meat to ensure that it penetrates properly.

What is the brine formulation for roast beef?

The brine formulation can vary and is generally calculated based on one kilo of beef. A suggested formulation is shown below.

For 1 kg of meat:

• 2 liters of water (enough to cover the meat);
• 40 g of salt;
• 3 g of type 1 curing salt;
• 3 crushed teeth;
• 2 g nutmeg;
• 3 bay leaves;
• 3 g of antioxidant erythorbate;
• 0.5 g of carmine dye;
• 5 g of sugar;
• 5 g of emulsifier (phosphates, carrageenan and/or soy protein);
• 10 g of liquid smoke;
• 100 ml of wine.

How to prepare brine for roast beef?

Mix all the ingredients, boil for 5 minutes, turn off the heat, let it cool and refrigerate. Add the meat after the brine is very cold. Leave the meat in this brine for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Marinating the meat in this brine improves the properties of the roast beef, such as texture, flavor and juiciness.

How to cook roast beef?

Remove the meat from the brine, dry it well and seal the meat, preferably in a frying pan. Seal all sides and then bake for 20 minutes at 180ºC. The meat should be well cooked on the outside and still soft and pink in the center.