Here's how to make the best holiday roast

The days of putting a roast on the table every Sunday are ancient history for most people. So when the holidays come around and someone wants to make a fancy, elegant dinner, they don't know where to begin.

"People know how to cook roasts, they just forget every year," one butcher famously told me.

I'm here to help with some tips and five sure-fire recipes.

What to prepare and how to buy?

Cooking for a big crowd of 10 or above, a boneless rib is your best bet, because you can cut the slices in any thickness. Same goes for a tenderloin. If a nice presentation is what you want, a bone-in rib roast makes a nice centerpiece on the table.

The first stop is your butcher. You will find one at your favorite grocery stores or specialty shops. In Rhode Island, the choices are many with Dave's Fresh Marketplace with many locations, Shore's Market in Cranston and North Providence or Tom's Market in Warren, Coventry or Tiverton. There are also specialty spots such as Joe's Meat Market in Providence, Barrington Butchery or Dockside Marketplace in Warwick (they have meats as well as fish).

How big should your roast be? Talk to your butcher, who'll help you figure out how much to buy after quizzing you on what else you are serving.

Choose a good cut of meat. Look for good marblization. Thin lines of soft fat that run through meat, tenderizing and keeping moisture in. On the other hand, too much fat is no good. Most tenderloins are trimmed. But if you buy a vacuum-wrapped, untrimmed one, you'll have to trim off the silver skin and the fat. Expect a lot of waste.

Special equipment

A quick-read thermometer is a must-have investment for cooking the Christmas roast because ovens are as different as the cooks who use them. Most are often too hot or too cold and rarely just right. A roasting time of two hours might be correct for one oven and an hour too much for another. But a meat thermometer never lies.

Once the meat has been chosen, select a heavy-bottomed roasting pan. This ensures even heat, which will keep the roast bottom and pan drippings from cooking faster than the rest of the roast. Choose one that is big enough to hold the roast comfortably, so the heat can circulate freely around the meat.

Before you cook

Start with the meat as close as possible to room temperature. You might leave a roast out for up to two hours, depending on its size. The idea is to take off the chill so the outside won't overcook before the center is done. But be warned: You'll have to adjust cooking time downward for room-temperature meat. If a recipe calls for an hour or two of roasting, start checking in 20 minutes with that meat thermometer.

Small roasts, such as beef tenderloins, do best roasted quickly at high temperatures like 400 degrees. They are in the oven for a shorter time and need the higher heat to brown. Larger roasts are best cooked at a lower oven temperature of 350 degrees, to help prevent the outside from overcooking.

Time and temperature

Rib roasts take 15 minutes a pound at 325 degrees; tenderloin roasts go 8 minutes a pound at 325 degrees or 4 minutes a pound at the higher 500 degrees; a sirloin roast cooks 15 minutes a pound at 325 degrees.

When do you pull out that roast? Figuring in that the temperature of roasted food rises by 5 to 10 degrees after being removed from the oven, removing the roasts when they measure 125 to 130 degrees guarantees a medium-rare roast. Pork should reach 155 to 160 degrees.

Always let the meat rest 15 to 20 minutes before carving. This allows the juices heated up during cooking to settle back into the meat, guaranteeing flavor.

Sauce it

While the roast is resting, it's time to make a sauce. Tip out excess oil or fat from the roasting pan. Then put the roasting pan right on the stovetop to start cooking. Add some shallots, garlic and white wine, and heat the liquid over medium-high heat, stirring and scraping the pan to loosen the browned bits. This is also called a reduction sauce, as the liquid partly evaporates, leaving juices with a more concentrated flavor. Strain and serve.

The recipes

Easy Tenderloin Roast for a Crowd

Order half a pound of meat for each person you will serve. Remove the silver skin or have a butcher do it.

When you are ready to cook, generously season the roast with salt and coarse black pepper and any spices you'd like to add. That means using enough salt to create a crust when you sear the meat. That is often where home cooks skimp. Don't do it. Your mix can include sugar and onion powder. Create your own blend. This seasoning adds balance and creates the crust as you sear in the juices.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Use a thick bottom skillet, such as cast iron, to sear the meat. You want the heat to be retained when the meat hits the pan. Heat some cooking oil in the pan and then sear every corner of the meat to create that crust. Tie up the roast with fresh thyme and rosemary. If you used cast iron, put that in the oven. If not, put the meat it in a roast pan.

Cook the roast for 15 minutes per pound if you want a rare roast. You look for an internal temperature of 120 with your meat thermometer. Let it reach 125-130 degrees for medium and 135 degrees for well.

Once it reaches the temperature, remove the meat to a cutting surface and let it rest. This is how you retain all the juices which distribute through the meat after the cooking.

Add butter before serving.

Shared by executive chef Jason Medeiros of the Providence Capital Grille in 2021. 

Roasted Sirloin with Thyme au Jus

For the roast

3 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme, coarsely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon course ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon celery salt

1 5-pound sirloin roast, from strip loin

For the au jus

2 cups red wine

4 cups beef stock

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

1 pinch kosher salt

1 teaspoon butter

Mix all the dry ingredients together. Generously season the outside of the roast with the dry rub. If time permits, allow it to marinate in rub for 24 hours.

Preheat oven at 450 degrees. Place roast in a roasting pan with a roasting rack with the fat side up for approximately 1 hour or until roast reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees to achieve medium rare. Remove roast from roasting pan and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes prior to carving.

To make the au jus: Drain fat from the roasting pan and place the pan on the stovetop over medium high heat. Add red wine and scrap bits off the bottom of the pan. Reduce wine by half, add stock and reduce by half. Add thyme, salt and butter.

Carve roast to desired thickness and serve with au jus.

Makes 6-8 servings.

From chef Nick Rabar, Journal archives 2014

Herb and Sea Salt-Crusted Bone-In Rib Roast

6-bone rib-eye roast (10-12 pounds)

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup course sea salt

1 bunch rosemary

1 bunch thyme

1 bunch parsley

1 bunch chervil

Ask your butcher to truss (or tie) the roast for you. This will ensure an even roasting process for best results.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Rub the roast with olive oil and liberally sprinkle all sides with sea salt. Place on a roasting rack and insert into the oven.

Meanwhile, pick and chop the herbs, mix and set aside.

The high temperature will sear the meat quickly and trap juices inside. After 30 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 120 degrees, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Rest the meat for 20 minutes more and the internal temp will rise to about 128-130 degrees, which is a perfect medium rare. Let the meat rest.

Coat the rib roast with the herb mix, cut in between each bone.

Serves six.

Shared by chef Kevin Thiele in 2009 when he was at One Bellevue at the Hotel Viking in Newport.

Christmas Holiday Roast Tenderloin

5-6 pound beef tenderloin

3 cloves freshly chopped garlic

3 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced

¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use

1 tablespoon cracked black pepper

Kosher salt, to taste

2 pounds whole cipollini onions, peeled

5 ounces chicken stock

4 ounces granulated sugar

½ cup Honeycup Mustard

2 cups panko bread crumbs

½ bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped

The tenderloin should be trimmed with the silver skin removed. Then, tie up the roast.

In a small mixing bowl, combine garlic, thyme, rosemary, ¼ cup olive oil and black pepper. Mix into a paste. Rub paste firmly all around the beef tenderloin, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 375.

With the stove on medium-high, heat a very large skillet. Season the beef tenderloin with kosher salt and place in the skillet, searing all sides of the beef tenderloin. Remove and set side.

Add to the skillet the cipollini onion, chicken stock and sugar, and bring to a boil. Simmer onions and stir until they turn golden brown, about 10 minutes, being careful not to burn them.

Keep warm, and set aside until ready to serve.

In a small bowl, combine panko bread crumbs, parsley and the remaining olive oil. Mix and set aside.

Place the beef tenderloin on a wire roasting rack and roasting pan. Brush Honeycup Mustard on all sides of the beef and then evenly sprinkle the parsley and panko mix.

Place in the oven and roast uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on size and desired doneness. Using a roasting thermometer, medium rare is 125.

Remove butcher’s string and rest the roast for 15 minutes before slicing.

Chef’s notes: If you’re not comfortable trimming the meat, have the butcher do it.

Serves 8 to 10 people. (There should be 18 to 22 slices.)

Chef Robert Daugherty shared this recipe in 2005 when he was executive chef at the former Hyatt Regency Newport Hotel.

High-Temperature Rib Roast of Beef

2 to 4 rib roast of beef (4-12 pounds)

All-purpose flour

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Remove the roast from the refrigerator 2 1/2 to 4 hours before cooking. The longer time is for the largest roast.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place the roast in a large, shallow roasting pan, fat side up. Sprinkle with a little flour, rubbing into the fat lightly. Season with salt and pepper. Put the roast in the oven and bake according to the time chart below, timing exactly.

When the cooking time is up, turn off the oven. Do not open the door at any time. Leave the roast in the oven until it is lukewarm, about 2 hours.

If you need to use the oven to cook something else, tent the roast loosely with foil to keep it warm and remove it from the oven.

To make a thin pan gravy, remove the fat from the drippings, leaving any meat pieces in the pan. Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup beef broth.

Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen the meat pieces. Simmer for one minute and season to taste. Serve hot.

Roasting Times

Cook at 500 degrees

4 1/2 to 5 pounds: 25 to 30 minutes

8 to 9 pounds: 40 to 45 minutes

11 to 12 pounds: 55 to 60 minutes

This works out to be about 15 minutes per rib, or about 5 minutes cooking time per pound of trimmed, ready-to-cook roast.

If you prefer medium to well-done beef, add 10 minutes to the maximum cooking time for each size roast.

Recipe from "The Best American Recipes 2000" by Fran McCullough and Suzanne Hamlin. They rediscovered a long lost recipe for "High-Temperature Rib Roast of Beef."

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Best holiday roast recipes from tenderloin to prime rib