For many home cooks, roast beef is the ultimate Sunday supper. When cooked correctly, it emerges from the oven deeply flavored, perfectly rosy, and melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Cooking your roast beef low and slow at 250 degrees F yields the most delicious results every time. But exactly how long should you roast beef at this temperature for optimal doneness and flavor?
In this article I’ll share everything you need to know about cooking times for beef roast at 250 degrees. You’ll get details on
- Estimated oven times for various beef roast sizes
- How to adjust times based on shape and thickness
- Why temperature probes beat timers for accuracy
- How to test doneness without a thermometer
- Carving and serving your masterpiece
Follow these tips and you’ll be serving juicy, tender roast beef like a pro!
Beef Roast Cooking Time Estimates at 250°F
Cooking your roast at a low 250°F oven temp results in beef that’s incredibly flavorful, tender, and moist all the way through
Here are some general timelines for roasting beef at 250°F:
- 2-3 lb roast: 1 1⁄2 – 2 hours
- 4-5 lb roast: 2 1⁄4 – 3 hours
- 6-8 lb roast: 3 – 4 hours
Note that these cooking times are just estimates. The shape, thickness, and bone-in vs boneless will all affect total oven time.
Thinner roasts will cook faster, while thick, wide roasts take more time. Bone-in cuts will take a bit longer than boneless.
For best results, always rely on an instant-read meat thermometer over recommended cook times. Ovens vary, so probe for doneness instead of glancing at the clock. More on that coming up!
Adjusting Cook Time Based on Shape and Size
To fine-tune your roast beef cook time at 250°F, consider the shape and dimensions of your particular cut.
– Thickness: Thicker roasts need more time to allow heat to penetrate to the center. Add 15-20 minutes per inch over 2-3 inches thick.
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Width: Wider cuts cook slower than narrower ones since more total meat must reach temp. Add 10-15 mins for roasts over 4-5 inches wide.
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Shape: Compact, uniform roasts will cook faster than irregular shaped ones. Roll and tie roasts for fastest cooking.
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Bone-in: The bone acts as an insulator, slowing cooking. Add 10-15 minutes for bone-in beef roast.
Once you pop the roast in, take temperature readings every 30 minutes until about 2.5 hours to gauge doneness. This prevents overcooking.
Forget Timers – Use a Meat Thermometer Instead
While the times above provide rough estimates, the only way to know exactly when your roast beef is cooked to perfection is to use an instant-read thermometer.
Thermometers remove all guesswork and prevent you from serving undercooked or overcooked beef.
Check temperature in the thickest area, away from bone or fat. For medium-rare beef, target an internal temp of 130-135°F.
Here are all the ideal finished temps:
- Rare: 120-125°F
- Medium rare: 130-135°F
- Medium: 140-145°F
- Medium well: 150-155°F
- Well done: 160°F+
The temp will rise 5-10 degrees during resting, so pull roast out of oven when it’s 5 degrees below your desired final temperature. Easy!
How to Tell Roast Beef Doneness Without a Thermometer
Don’t have a thermometer on hand? No worries – here are ways to check for doneness without one:
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Use the poke test: Rare roast beef will be very soft. Medium rare is tender but lightly firm. Well-done is quite firm.
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Check internal color: Slice into thickest area. Rare is bright red, medium rare is warm pink.
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Look for meat to shrink and firm up. The more well-done, the more compressed it becomes.
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Listen for sizzling to slow. Meat stops sizzling when moisture evaporates at higher temps.
Rely on multiple signs like touch/look/sound together for best accuracy. And remember, you can always cook a roast longer if needed but you can’t reverse overcooking!
Let Roast Beef Rest Before Carving for Maximum Juiciness
This last step is critical – always let your roast beef rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing into it.
Resting gives the juices time to redistribute so they don’t gush out when you cut. If you skip this, your meat will end up dry!
During resting, the temperature equalizes and finishes cooking. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
After the rest, you’re ready to carve perfect rosy slices into the juiciest roast beef ever. Serve warm with pan juices for added flavor.
More Tips for Flavorful, Moist Roast Beef
Beyond proper oven time and temp, there are some additional pointers for prime roast beef:
- Generously season the exterior with salt, pepper, herbs before roasting
- Start at a higher temp (350°F) for the first 20 minutes for quicker browning
- Use a roast rack inside a heavy pan for air circulation
- Baste with pan juices if exterior browns too fast
- Add veggie trimmings like onion skins for extra flavor
- Let oven-cooked beef rest outside the hot oven