Christmas Roast Beef Recipe (Holiday Dinner on a Budget)

This Christmas roast beef comes out juicy and tender, with garlic, rosemary, and a hint of orange zest working quietly in the background to build flavor. It starts with a blast of high heat for that golden crust, then finishes low and slow to keep the center perfectly pink. What you end up with is rich, savory beef that slices like butter and begs for a spoonful of pan gravy on top.

This recipe keeps things straightforward with lean beef, fresh garlic, rosemary, a splash of olive oil, and just enough citrus to brighten it up. Everything works together to build flavor without weighing the dish down or overcomplicating it. You still get all the protein, iron, and B12 packed into a meal that’s satisfying without being heavy. I’ve even grabbed a bargain cut and followed this method exactly, and it still came out juicy and tender like it cost twice as much.

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

• No guessing: Temp guide makes it easy to hit your perfect doneness.
• Oven does the work: Season it, pop it in, and forget about it for a while.
• Big flavor, simple ingredients: Garlic, herbs, and orange zest bring all the personality.
• Cheap cut, fancy results: Even budget beef turns out tender with this method.
• Holiday showstopper: Slices like a dream and looks great on the table.

🗝️ Key ingredients & substitutions

• Topside roast: Also called round roast, rump roast, or bottom round depending on where you shop. Lean, affordable, and turns tender with a slow roast. Chuck roast or sirloin tip work too.
• Salt: This goes on early to start tenderizing. Kosher salt is ideal, but sea salt’s fine if that’s what’s in your cupboard.
• Garlic cloves: Fresh only. These get tucked right into the meat and roast as it cooks, adding flavor from the inside out.
• Orange zest: Adds a little brightness without making it taste like citrus beef. One orange is enough, but go for two if you want that extra zing.
• Olive oil: Helps the herbs stick and gives you that crisp outer crust. Avocado oil’s a good backup.
• Black pepper: Balances the richness of the meat. Freshly ground has way more flavor than pre-ground.
• Fresh rosemary: Gives it that holiday roast flavor and smell. Swap for thyme if that’s what you have, or you can mix the two.

🥣 How to make this Christmas roast beef Recipe

1. Prep the meat: Take the beef out of the fridge, remove any packaging, and pat it dry with a paper towel. If it’s not already tied, grab some kitchen twine and tie it 2-3 times across the middle to help it cook evenly.
2. Season and rest: Rub salt all over the surface, wrap the roast loosely in parchment, and let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours. This helps it cook more evenly and keeps it tender.

3. Preheat the oven: After 2 hours, set your oven to 190°C (375°F) and place a clean rack in the center.
4. Make the rub: Zest one orange into a small bowl. Add olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and finely chopped rosemary, and mix it together. It should smell incredible!

5. Prep the garlic: Slice your garlic cloves in half or thirds if they’re big. You want chunky little wedges that will roast inside the meat.
6. Slot in the garlic: Unwrap the beef, use a small knife to make shallow slits in the top, bottom, and sides, and tuck in the garlic pieces. Don’t overthink the spacing, just try to get them spread out.
7. Coat the beef: Rub the olive oil mixture all over the meat, getting into every nook and cranny.

8. Set up to roast: Place a roasting pan on the lower rack to catch drips. Put the beef on a rack directly above it, so air circulates and the heat stays even.

9. Roast and reduce: Bake the beef at 190°C (375°F) for 30 minutes, then lower the oven to 110°C (225°F) and keep roasting until the internal temp reaches 135-140°F for medium-rare. That usually takes about 30 minutes per pound, but start checking 30 minutes before you think it’ll be done – every oven’s different.
10. Check the temperature: Use a meat thermometer in the center of the roast to check doneness. If it’s not quite there, keep roasting and check again in 10-15 minute bursts.

11. Rest the roast: Once it’s cooked, take it out and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This helps the juices settle and keeps the meat nice and tender.
12. Slice and serve: Cut off the twine, grab a sharp knife, and slice it thin on a cutting board. Serve it up with your favorite sides and optional gravy if you’ve got drippings to work with.

13. Make gravy (optional): If you’ve got enough drippings in the roasting pan, don’t let them go to waste. Pour about 2 cups into a saucepan (or top it up with beef broth if needed) and bring it to a simmer. Add a pinch of garlic powder or onion powder if the flavor needs a boost. In a small bowl, stir together 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water to make a slurry, then whisk it into the simmering liquid. Add a splash of red wine and a bay leaf if you’re feeling fancy. Keep whisking until it thickens and tastes good enough to pour on everything.

🪄 Recipe notes & tips

• Cheap cuts are fine: You don’t need a prime rib roast. Bottom round, rump, or chuck all work with this method.
• Know the weight: Jot down the roast’s weight before you toss the packaging or you’ll be guessing your cook time later.
• Use a thermometer: Don’t rely on the clock alone. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out completely.
• Don’t skip the rest: Letting the beef rest for 30 minutes is what keeps it juicy. Cut too early, and you’ll lose all those good juices to the board.
• Garlic goes in early: Tuck the garlic in before cooking so it softens from the inside and infuses flavor as the meat roasts.
• Citrus makes it pop: The orange zest doesn’t make it citrusy, it just lifts the flavor and keeps the beef from feeling too heavy.

🫙 Storage instructions

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Slice it first, then freeze in portions so you can grab what you need later. Thaw fully before serving.
• Reheat: If you must, keep the slices thin and reheat gently in a skillet. Anything more aggressive and it’ll dry out fast.
• Best use for leftovers: Sandwiches, wraps, salads – anything that gives the beef a second life without needing to warm it much.

✨ Variations

• Add onions or mushrooms: Toss some in the bottom of the roasting pan with a little beef broth. Bonus: they soak up the drippings.
• Herb swap: Try thyme or sage instead of rosemary, or mix them together for a deeper flavor.
• Spice it up: Add a pinch of paprika or chili flakes to the rub for a little heat.
• Wine-forward gravy: Splash in extra red wine and reduce it down for a richer, more elegant sauce.
• Garlic everywhere: Add extra garlic to the rub or toss some in the roasting pan for punchier flavor.
• No citrus: Skip the orange zest if you’re not into it, the beef will still be full of flavor.
• Use a Dutch oven: If you don’t have a roasting rack, sear the meat first and cook it low and slow in a Dutch oven instead.

🍽️ What to serve with roast beef?

• Classic sides: Yorkshire pudding, Air Fryer Diced Potatoes, green beans, Air Fryer Carrots, or a pile of buttery peas.
• Sauces: Creamy horseradish, mushroom gravy, or a red wine reduction.
• Bread & starches: Crusty rolls, Whole30 Mashed Potatoes, or a big dish of cheesy cauliflower gratin.
• Salads: Something crisp like a winter slaw, arugula salad with parmesan, or a Wedge Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing.
• Wine pairings: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or a bold red blend.
• Looking for more sides for this Christmas Roast Beef? Check out this post of Over 60 Christmas Side Dishes!

❓ Frequently asked questions

😋 More festive meat recipes you will love

• Roasted Citrus Turkey Recipe with Herb Butter
• Authentic Slow Roasted Greek Leg of Lamb Recipe
• Paleo Pork Tenderloin Recipe with Apple Sauce
• The BEST Slow Roasted Chicken Recipe with Crispy Skin
• Smoked Spatchcock Turkey with Au Jus
• BEST Smoked Pork Shoulder Recipe (Smoked Pork Butt)
• Holiday Chicken Breast Recipe
• Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy

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📖 Recipe

Easy Roast Beef Recipe

Bethany Galloway

This Christmas roast beef comes out juicy and tender, with garlic, rosemary, and a hint of orange zest working quietly in the background to build flavor. It starts with a blast of high heat for that golden crust, then finishes low and slow to keep the center perfectly pink. What you end up with is rich, savory beef that slices like butter and begs for a spoonful of pan gravy on top.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Rest Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course Beef

Cuisine British

Servings 6 servings

Calories 662 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1.87 kg 4.13lbs topside roast (or round roast, rump roast, bottom round)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 garlic cloves halved or in thirds
• Zest from 1.5-2 medium oranges
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary leaves finely diced

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Instructions

 

• Begin by taking your meat out of the refrigerator and removing any plastic or paper packaging.
• Pat the meat down with a paper towel, and if it's not already, tie it with kitchen twine. All you need to do is tie it 2-3 times tightly around the middle. This will help it cook more evenly.
  
• Sprinkle the salt all over the meat and rub it in.
  
• Wrap the meat back up in parchment paper and allow it to sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
  

After two hours

• After two hours have passed, preheat the oven to 190 degrees C/375 degrees F and place a clean rack in the middle of the oven.
• Meanwhile, zest one orange and place it in a small bowl along with the black pepper, finely diced fresh rosemary, and olive oil, mixing it all together well.
  
• Slice the garlic cloves in half or thirds if they're quite large.
• Unwrap the meat and pierce holes into the flesh for the garlic. I did 3 on the top and bottom, and two on the remaining two sides.
  
• Slot the garlic into the holes.
  
• Rub the olive oil mixture all over the roast.
  

Cook the meat

• Place a roasting pan in the bottom of the preheated oven underneath the middle rack and place the meat on the rack over the pan.
  
• Bake for 30 minutes and then decrease the oven temperature to 110°C/225°F.
• Bake on the low heat until the meat inside reaches 135-140°F. This took 1 hour and 45 minutes for me. The general rule of thumb for medium rare is about 30 minutes per pound after you turn the heat down in the oven. I recommend checking the meat temperature 30 minutes before you think it should be done, just in case.
• Check the internal temperature by inserting a meat thermometer into the center of the roast to make sure it is cooked to your preferred temperature. If it needs a little longer, check it in bursts of 10-15 minutes until it's ready. I've detailed below the different temperatures the meat needs to reach for different amounts of "doneness".
  
• When the roast beef has finished cooking, allow the beef roast to rest for at least 30 minutes. This allows the temperature to rise a little more and keeps it nice, tender, and juicy inside.
• Cut the twine and then thinly slice the beef on a cutting board and serve it with your favorite side dishes.
  
• If your roasting tray managed to catch enough drippings, make gravy! See the post above for details.

Notes

• Know the weight: Jot down the roast’s weight before you toss the packaging or you’ll be guessing your cook time later.
• Use a thermometer: Don’t rely on the clock alone. An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out completely.
• Don’t skip the rest: Letting the beef rest for 30 minutes is what keeps it juicy. Cut too early, and you’ll lose all those good juices to the board.
• Garlic goes in early: Tuck the garlic in before cooking so it softens from the inside and infuses flavor as the meat roasts.
• Citrus makes it pop: The orange zest doesn’t make it citrusy, it just lifts the flavor and keeps the beef from feeling too heavy.
• Cheap cuts are fine: You don’t need a prime rib roast. Bottom round, rump, or chuck all work with this method.

 

ROAST BEEF TEMPERATURES:

I always begin by roasting the beef at 190°C/375°F for 30 minutes and then turning down the oven temperature to 110°C/225°C. After turning down the oven temperature, I cook it for:

• Rare: 20 minutes per pound (450g).
• Medium: 25 minutes per pound.
• Well-Done: 30 minutes per pound.

 

This is the temperature the meat should read right after you take it from the oven and before resting it for 30 minutes:

• Rare: 54°C/130°F
• Medium-rare: 57°C/135°F
• Medium: 62°C/145°F
• Medium-well: 65.5°C/150°F
• Well-done: 68°C/155°F

 

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Slice it first, then freeze in portions so you can grab what you need later. Thaw fully before serving.
• Reheat: If you must, keep the slices thin and reheat gently in a skillet. Anything more aggressive and it’ll dry out fast.
• Best use for leftovers: Sandwiches, wraps, salads – anything that gives the beef a second life without needing to warm it much.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 662kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 96gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 281mgSodium: 834mg

Keyword easy, family dinner, healthy, holiday dinner, keto, low carb, main dish, paleo, roast, whole30

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