Have you ever wondered why when you cook a roast beef to exactly to the instruction in the cookbook, it doesn’t always turn out the way you want? Many cookbooks call for cooking a roast beef 130 to 140 degrees for medium rare. If you pull your roast out of the oven at 135 degrees, let it sit for 15 minutes (as recommended) you are guaranteed to have your roast cooked to medium well. The fact is that beef and other items will continue to cook after coming out of the oven, and cookbooks lie.
My kitchen Bible has always been the Joy of Cooking. Older editions, like mine, called for cooking your roast beef from 140 for rare to 170 degrees for well done. I have annotated my copy more than once. As you can see in the picture, I originally crossed off 140 and penciled in 130 for rare. Finally, I have written, “Cook to 120 to 125 degrees and let stand”. That pretty much says it all: Cookbooks lie, experience doesn’t.
(My notes on Roast Beef in the Joy Of Cooking)
My family has a tradition of over cooking the holiday roast. We all like our beef medium rare. We always used to wind up with beef at medium well. It wouldn’t be the holidays if the beef isn’t overcooked. The fact is that your roast will continue to cook and Mom’s roast beef pulled out of the oven at 140 degrees wound up at 150 degrees. That nasty grey color is just never good, unless you are one of the outliers that like their beef well done
I used to work with two great chefs that ran the top white tablecloth restaurant in Memphis. I asked them what percentage of their customers like their beef medium rare? They claim that 85% of customers at higher end restaurants like their beef medium rare. Of course there are those that grew up in households where their mom’s overcooked everything and medium well was the standard. I do believe people like what they grew up with, but I still have a problem killing a good piece of meat. I have a friend that likes his meat cooked well done. I will admit that I don’t invite him to a dinner knowing that it pains me to ruin a good piece of meat.
As we get into winter and the holiday season, there is not much better than a good roast beef. If you are planning a big dinner party, it is never a bad idea to have a test run with family or a few guests. Just remember Cookbooks and bloggers lie, experience doesn’t.
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