Name: Easy Old-Fashioned Roast Beef with Caramelized Carrots and Potatoes
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Cuisine: US & Canada
Ingredients: 2 pounds carrots (about 12 medium), peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths (see note); 2 pounds red potatoes (about 6 medium), scrubbed and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks; 1 (3- to 4-pound) boneless top sirloin beef roast , tied at 1 1/2-inch intervals; Salt and ground black pepper; 1/4 cup vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

Why This Recipe Works

We chose a sirloin roast for the main ingredient in our Old-Fashioned Roast Beef recipe because it has big, beefy flavor and enough fat to stay juicy. A two-pronged cooking approach—searing the beef in the roasting pan on the stovetop then moving it to a low oven whose temperature we turned up for the final bit of cooking—gave us a crisp crust and deep color. To make our Old-Fashioned Roast Beef recipe a true one-dish meal, we precooked carrots and potatoes in the microwave, then roasted them with the beef.

Before You Begin

Top sirloin is our favorite beef roast for this recipe, but any boneless roast from the sirloin will work well. If your carrots are very thick, slice them in half lengthwise first to ensure even cooking. We prefer this roast cooked to medium-rare.

Instructions

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 250 degrees. Combine the carrots, potatoes, and 3 tablespoons water in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high power, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are nearly tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, pat the meat dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large roasting pan over medium heat until just smoking (the pan may extend over two burners). Brown the beef well on one side, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and turn the roast browned side up.

Drain the microwaved vegetables well, toss with the thyme and remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the vegetables into the roasting pan around the beef. Roast the beef and vegetables until the center of the meat registers 110 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 45 to 60 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees and continue to roast the beef and vegetables until the center of the meat registers 120 to 125 degrees (for medium-rare), 10 to 15 minutes longer.

Transfer the beef roast to a carving board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, continue to roast the vegetables until nicely browned, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove the twine from the beef, slice it 1/8 inch thick, and serve with the vegetables.