The Shed

For either Roast Beef or Lamb -

put in casserole dish with 1cm of water, lid off

put in Oven 190C for 12 minutes, turn to 100C and place lid on casserole dish

Approx cooking times before checking the center temperature – cook for an hour if small roast, say.9 to 1.3kg or about 75 mins if around 1.5-1.8 kg or 80 mins if around 2kg – it’s important to test meat temperature early and then add a few minutes until temperature reached, but these times work for me in a gas oven.

remove from oven and test with meat thermometer – I have a digital one but they all work for this – stick into centre of meat.

The meat is completely cooked when the center is at -
60C – gives a pink centre
63C – PERFECT for me
65C – for medium
67+C for well done. I would say OVERDONE and expect some shrinkage.

The end game twist -
I like to catch the roast when the center is around 54C. I turn the oven up to 200C, take the lid of the roasting dish and finish the cooking, usually about a further 12-15 minutes. This caramelises all the juices that have oozed out onto the surface of the roast. Be very careful not to go too long because that will toughen and shrink the meat. This works in a gas oven because they are quick, I haven’t tried it in an electric oven.

Stop when the centre is at 63C,or your preferred temp between 60C & 65C, cover with towel and rest 20mins, carve and eat

The aim is for the roast NOT to shrink – professional chefs can’t afford meat shrinkage so they cook long and slow, this is a quick alternative.

there is no way to know what temp the meat is without the thermometer, this method relies completely on that.

I’ve cooked around 50+ roasts with this method, over the last few years and IT WORKS!!! When I see friends roasting at 150C + I cringe and the meat has usually shrunk and is tough.