Italian Roast Beef Recipe

Trim and score

Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Trim any large silver skin or excess fat, leaving a thin layer for flavor. Lightly score the fat surface in a shallow crosshatch so the marinade penetrates.

Make marinade

In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine, red wine vinegar, smashed garlic, chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper until emulsified.

Marinate

Place the roast in a large zip-top bag or a nonreactive dish. Pour the marinade over the roast, turning to coat completely. Add any leftover marinade to the bag/dish. Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours. Turn the roast once or twice during marinating so the flavors distribute evenly.

Bring to room temperature

Remove the roast from the refrigerator 45–60 minutes before roasting to come closer to room temperature. This promotes even cooking. Reserve the marinade if you plan to use it for basting (bring to a boil for safety) or discard.

Preheat oven and sear

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Heat a large ovenproof skillet or roasting pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When oil is shimmering, sear the roast on all sides (about 2 minutes per side) until a deep brown crust forms. Use tongs to hold the roast and sear the ends as well.

Roast

If using vegetables, arrange them in a single layer in the roasting pan around the roast and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer to the preheated oven and roast at 450°F for 12 minutes to develop exterior color, then reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) and continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 125°F (52°C) for medium-rare or 135°F (57°C) for medium—approximately 12–18 minutes per pound after lowering the temperature (use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part). For a 3 lb roast, plan on about 30–45 minutes after reducing to 325°F depending on desired doneness.

Rest

Remove roast from oven and transfer to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest 15–20 minutes; carryover will raise the internal temp a few degrees and juices will redistribute. Reserve pan drippings for sauce if desired.

Slice

Using a sharp carving knife, slice the roast thinly across the grain into 1/8–1/4-inch slices for maximum tenderness. Season slices lightly with additional salt if needed and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

If roasting vegetables with the beef, toss the prepared onions, carrots, celery and potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange them around the seared roast before placing the pan in the oven so they roast in the beef juices. Stir the vegetables once halfway through cooking to ensure even browning and check tenderness with a fork; remove earlier if done before beef.

Deglaze

After removing the roast, place the roasting pan over medium heat on the stove (use a burner-safe pan) or transfer drippings to a skillet. Add the reserved marinade (if used) or 1/4 cup red wine and simmer briefly to deglaze, scraping up browned bits.

Make roux and finish sauce

Stir in 1 tablespoon flour and cook 30–45 seconds to remove raw taste. Gradually whisk in 1 cup beef stock, bring to a simmer and reduce by about one-third until slightly thickened, 3–5 minutes. Whisk in 2 tablespoons cold butter off heat to give the sauce gloss and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped parsley. Strain the sauce if you prefer a smooth pan sauce, then serve alongside sliced roast.