Grandma’s Old-School Roast Recipes (2024)

Home Recipes Ingredients Beef Beef Roasts

Amy GlanderUpdated: Jan. 05, 2022

Hey, hip home cooks! Embrace your inner June Cleaver with one of these steaming, retro roast recipes.

1/27

Standing Rib Roast

Want to learn how to cook rib roast? This standing rib roast recipe is practically foolproof. Treat your family to tender slices of standing rib roast or use the seasoning blend on a different beef roast for a hearty, delicious main dish. I love to prepare this recipe for special occasions. —Lucy Meyring, Walden, Colorado

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2/27

Peppercorn Beef Top Loin Roast

A red wine sauce complements the brown sugar rub on the roast in this inviting entree. You can't go wrong with this down-home dish!—Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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3/27

Taste of Home

Apple-Dijon Pork Roast

This recipe takes just minutes to assemble and is delicious. I like to serve the roast with rice, then use the tangy sauce as a gravy for both. —Cindy Steffen, Cedarburg, Wisconsin

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4/27

5/27

Beef Tenderloin with Sauteed Vegetables

This is the most elegant, tender beef. It’s made the classic French way—so easy! —cleo gonske, redding, California

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6/27

Savory Pork Roast

I love this herbed roast so much that I make it as often as I can. It's wonderful for special occasions, particularly when served with sweet potatoes and corn muffins. —Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah

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7/27

Taste of Home

Sirloin Roast with Gravy

This recipe is perfect for my husband, who is a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. The peppery, fork-tender roast combined with the rich gravy creates a tasty centerpiece for any meal. —Rita Clark, Monument, Colorado

Crown Roast of Pork with Mushroom Dressing

It looks so elegant that everyone thinks I spent a lot of time on this roast. But it's actually so easy! The biggest challenge is to remember to order the crown roast from the meat department ahead of time. —Betty Claycomb, Alverton, Pennsylvania

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9/27

Herb-Crusted Prime Rib

Prime rib always makes an impression on a holiday dinner table, and it's actually easy to prepare. This roast is wonderfully flavored with a prime rib rub featuring lots of fresh herbs. —Jennifer Dennis, Alhambra, California

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10/27

Taste of Home

Dijon-Rubbed Pork with Rhubarb Sauce

This tender pork loin roast served with a rhubarb-orange sauce is simply delicious! Here's an excellent choice for company—it makes a memorable meal. —Marilyn Rodriguez, Sparks, Nevada

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11/27

Taste of Home

Orange-Glazed Pork Loin

This is one of the best pork recipes I've ever tried. My family looks forward to this roast for dinner, and guests always want the recipe. The flavorful rub, and the glaze brightened with orange juice, are also outstanding on pork chops. —Lynnette Miete, Alna, Maine

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12/27

Taste of Home

California Roast Lamb

This recipe is very easy to make and requires little attention. It goes well with any rice dish, and it's perfect for just about any occasion. —Ann Eastman, Santa Monica, California

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13/27

Wild Rice-Stuffed Pork Loin

This recipe features wild rice and apricot stuffing tucked inside a tender pork roast. —Kim Rubner, Worthington, Iowa

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14/27

Fruit-Pecan Pork Roast

This spectacular roast was a huge hit with members of the cooking club I belong to. The sweet, tangy fruit glaze looks lovely and is a wonderful complement to the juicy pork. It's a family favorite for special occasions and holidays.-Gay Flynn, Bellevue, Nebraska

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16/27

Apple-Roasted Pork with Cherry Balsamic Glaze

I added roasted apples, cherries and onions to turn ordinary pork into an impressive dish. There is a short time span between caramelized onions and burned ones, so pay close attention once they start cooking. —Josh Downey, McHenry, Illinois

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17/27

Pepper-Crusted Sirloin Roast

Dinner guests will be surprised to hear that this festive entree calls for only five ingredients. It's the perfect choice for serving a large group.

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18/27

I love the simplicity of this easy beef tenderloin recipe. Olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper—just add the tenderloin and pop it in the oven. In an hour or so you’ve got an impressive main dish to feed a crowd. This leaves you with more time to visit with family and less time fussing in the kitchen. —Mary Kandell, Huron, Ohio

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19/27

Grandma Edna's Cajun Pork

My grandma used to make this for our family on special occasions. We love to carry on the delicious tradition. —Tonya Cline, Greenville, Ohio

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20/27

21/27

Herb-Crusted Chuck Roast

This recipe turns an inexpensive cut of beef into a delicious main dish. I got the recipe from a family member several years ago and have made it often. —Rita Drewes, Craig, Missouri

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22/27

Taste of Home

Herbed Pork Roast with Gravy

The classic mix of herbs topping this roast add a flavor to the pork that my husband just loves. It’s his favorite dish! —Jean Harris, Central Point, Oregon

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23/27

Taste of Home

Crown Pork Roast with Apple-Cranberry Stuffing

For something different this holiday season, give your guests the royal treatment by serving this impressive pork roast. The fruity stuffing doubles as a side dish. —Donna Goutermont, Juneau, Alaska

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24/27

Roasted Beef Tenderloin

An overnight marinade provides a savory seasoning for this tenderloin. I've served this simple elegant roast on many special occasions. —Schelby Thompson, Camden Wyoming, Delaware

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25/27

Taste of Home

Horseradish-Encrusted Beef Tenderloin

Wow friends and family with this tender beef encased in a golden horseradish crust. Roasted garlic boosts the robust flavor even more. —Laura Bagozzi, Dublin, Ohio

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26/27

Taste of Home

Moist Cranberry Pork Roast

I love to serve this tender, flavorful pork to guests. You don’t have to toil away in the kitchen to prepare it, yet it tastes like a gourmet meal. —Kimberley Scasny, Douglasville, Georgia

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27/27

Sunday Pork Roast

Mom would prepare pork roast for our family, friends and customers at the three restaurants she and Dad owned. The herb rub and vegetables give it a remarkable flavor. It's one of my favorite pork roast recipes. —Sandi Pichon, Memphis, Tennessee

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Originally Published: March 25, 2019

Amy Glander

Amy is a book editor at Taste of Home where she gets to pour her passions for food and storytelling into trade and series cookbooks. When she’s not writing or editing, you’ll find her antiquing, cooking and baking from her favorite vintage cookbooks and exploring Milwaukee’s urban beauty with her digital SLR in hand.

Grandma’s Old-School Roast Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the most tender and tasty roast? ›

Tenderloin. The most tender roast of all—it's under the spine— with almost no fat or flavor. It's tapered in shape, the middle being the "center cut." The labor involved and waste produced in trimming and tying a tenderloin drives up the price. Top sirloin roast.

Does chuck roast get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Chuck is a tougher meat overall, and because of that it needs to be cooked at a lower temperature for a longer time. Several hours is best at around 300 if you can manage it. The collagen needs to break down before it can become tender. It's the same as a pork shoulder or beef brisket.

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How do you make a tough roast tender? ›

Cook it low and slow with some liquid.

Simmering helps break down the connective tissue. Connective tissue breaks down to collagen. Collagen tenderizes, and adds flavor and juiciness to the roast. The size and cut of your roast will determine how long it will need to simmer.

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Which beef roast falls apart when cooked? ›

A perfectly cooked beef joint makes a wonderful centrepiece for a Sunday roast or Christmas dinner. To cook it until it's so tender it falls apart, you'll need to choose a joint like chuck and blade or beef brisket and either braise, slow roast or slow cook it for at least a couple of hours.

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Does roast get softer the longer you cook it? ›

The simple answer is that first it becomes tougher then it becomes tender. At first the heat makes the muscles contract, making it tougher. But after time the collagen will break down making it tender, especially if the meat is cooked with moisture.

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Is it better to cook a roast at 325 or 350? ›

When roasting meat and poultry, set the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C) or higher. Explore the charts below to learn how to get great results every time you cook.

Should you cover a roast in the oven? ›

You should cover a beef roast with kitchen foil for at least part of the cooking time. This stops the roast beef from drying out too much during cooking.

Is 325 considered slow cooking? ›

The various standard phrases, to describe oven temperatures, include words such as "cool" to "hot" or "very slow" to "fast". For example, a cool oven has temperature set to 200 °F (90 °C), and a slow oven has a temperature range from 300–325 °F (150–160 °C).

Why is my roast still tough after 8 hours? ›

There are several reasons why this could have happened even after so much cooking. First, your choice of a rump roast could be a factor since cuts from the hind quarter are very muscular and, since muscles are the most resistant to breaking, this cut is quite stubborn when it comes to becoming tender.

Is it better to cook a roast covered or uncovered? ›

When cooking a roast in the oven, keep it uncovered until roasted to the desired doneness. After removing from the oven, tent with foil and let stand 15 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, preventing them from draining out during carving—and preventing dry, disappointing meat.

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What is the secret ingredient to tenderize meat? ›

Less than a teaspoon of baking soda ensures that your steak remains juicy and tender—even after a speedy marinade. While other recipes demand hours of marinating, this baking soda hack makes a flank steak or any other fibrous cut of beef ready to sear after just an hour.

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What is the best tenderizer for chuck roast? ›

Marinate the meat.

Acidic ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, and even yogurt have a low pH that can assist in tenderizing your beef.

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What is the best and most tender beef roast? ›

Chateaubriand Tenderloin Roast

The most tender beef roast that is well known for being lean and succulent. Easy to carve with its fine texture.

What is the best beef for roasting tenderness? ›

A topside of beef is an incredibly popular choice for oven roasting. Topside beef is a lean cut which not only tastes good but is a great source of protein, making it the perfect addition to a roast beef dinner. Topside beef comes from the hindquarter and is more tender than silverside, as well as affordable to buy.

What cut of roast beef is best for tenderness? ›

Topside, silverside and top rump

These three prime cuts are all fantastic for roasting, as they are very tender and can be carved into large lean slices. However, because the muscles used for these cuts carry less marbling, they are usually sold 'barded'.