Tough Beef Is It Me Or The Meat ??

firefox1956

Had several beef 'Roasting Joints' over the last few months & been very disappointed with the results after cooking.
Pinkish in the middle but can only describe the joints as tough or chewy.
2.25lb weight of the joint cooked at Gas Mark 4 for 20 minutes per lb plus 20 minutes.
So total cooking time of about 1 hour.
Is it me that's cooking the joint too quick or is it the meat that is at fault ??
The joints have been purchased from various places Aldi / Lidl / Sainsburys etc
Any thoughts ??

bouicca21

I'm always suspicious of "roasting joint". I want to know just what cut it is. And I'd do 15 mins a lb. but then I like it a bit more than pinkish.

Spendless

I always had a problem with beef being tough regardless on where bought and what it was. Then I started using roasting bags and beef comes out melt in the mouth each time.

TonyMMM

"Roasting Joint" often means a cheaper cut - usually silverside. It is lovely lean meat, but not really suited to serve rare. Slow roast or pot-roast it.

For fast roasting , you need topside or top rump, or even better, a rib of beef.

jackyann

I'm sorry to say, that in a lifetime of cooking, I have been quite unable to make even topside / silverside work well as a roast - whether pot or slow, it always seems dry to me, however long & slow I cook it, however long I rest it.
So this is what I do (in the spirit of sharing, I'm going to keep checking in, for any tips I've missed - and am interested in the idea of roasting bags)

Top rump, I ask for in slices, to make variations on beef olives / bracchiolini.
Pot roasts, and xmas spiced beef, I use brisket - I know some people find it stringy, but it works for me, and cheaper than the other pot roasting joints.

'Proper' roast beef is a once or maybe twice a year, special occasion, for people who will seriously appreciate it. Sirloin or rib, sometimes H-bone, properly hung, cut by a butcher I can talk to, sliced thin with the rare middle slices kept back for a 'dinner' sandwich the next day.

nik0510

Hello, I always buy my beef vac packed from Sainsbury's when it is on offer, I can honestly say I have never had a tough joint, I put my joint in a roasting tin put some water in the bottom and cover with tin foil, near to the finish I take the foil off, it always comes up nice and the juices/water makes lovely gravy. Hope this helps

POPPYOSCAR

Usually buy our meat from the fresh meat counter in Waitrose when it is reduced.

Never had a bad joint yet.

You should always leave it out of the fridge for a while before cooking and also leave to rest after it comes of the oven.

maman

Personally I've never had a problem with those cheap beef joints. I tend to buy a big one and cut it into smaller pieces as I generally only cook for two of us. I always start it off with 15 minutes on a high (220) heat to seal so not sure if that makes a difference.

I've also cut it into cubes for casseroles or thick slices for braising as it's usually better value than ready cut pieces.

jackyann

I have a sense that the idea of 'dryness' as well as other qualities, is quite individual, as I have done all of these (except the roasting bags). And I'm not that bad a cook!

There was a thread very recently about flank / skirt which I cut into strips and grill like steak, eat rare, and find very nice.I know that others regard it as 'stringy' or 'chewy'.

Whilst we don't have the MSE test kitchen for us all to taste each others' recipes and cooking tips, we have to rely on these descriptions!

But I would say to OP, that sometimes (and this applies to many things) despite your best efforts, some things just don't suit. So I'd suggest the more forgiving joints, especially lamb, which I think makes the best roast.

srn

I agree about the sense of "dryness" being individual. My husband dislikes casseroles because he says it makes the meat"dry". I can't understand this as I think anything cooked in gravy can't be dry, but I don't cook casseroles any more. We always buy sirloin to roast from Makro, we find their meat is excellent. Unfotunately there is not a butcher within 5 miles of us. I cook my own food for my dogs and use the roasting joints from the supermarkets when they are on offer for them, believe it or not it works out cheaper than the better brands of dog food.

Chris25

if I buy the long roasting joints from the supermarket I roast them as instructions but then let them get cold, slice into portions, cover with gravy & either freeze or re-heat in the oven the next day. I also mince some of the cooked meat to make cottage pie.

I find the meat is very tender & tastes better - bit more like pot-roast - but that suits all of my family, maybe not others.

If I'm going to roast beef for that day I'll use a rib or sirloin cut which has either been reduced or bought because it's a special occasion.