Oven Cooked Roast Beef Perfection | Easy Family Recipes
This easy oven roast beef recipe is one of our favorite Sunday dinners. It’s seasoned with plenty of garlic, Worcestershire sauce and savory spices, then roasted over carrots, celery and onions until tender and flavorful.
I usually make it with a boneless chuck roast, but the cooking time can vary depending on the cut and size of beef you use. The easiest way to get the roast just right is to cook it by internal temperature instead of relying only on time.
Serve it with mashed potatoes, gravy or Yorkshire pudding for a classic family dinner.
You don’t need a slow cooker for delicious beef roast – this method uses a Pyrex dish! This oven cooked recipe will have your family joining you for dinner every time you bring it to the table!
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Ingredients for Oven Roast Beef
We absolutely love garlic around here so if you are not a huge garlic fan you can reduce the amount used and drop the garlic pepper if you like. If you love garlic, then continue on as directed below; it’s delicious!

- 1 beef roast, approximately 3 to 4 pounds (I typically use boneless chuck roast; cooking time will vary depending on the cut and size)
- Head of garlic – yes, the whole thing!
- 5-6 carrots
- 3-4 stalks of celery
- 1-2 onions
- 2-3 bay leaves
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- 2-3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Montreal steak seasoning, to taste
- Seasoning salt, to taste
- Garlic pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Water or beef broth, enough to lightly cover the bottom of the baking dish if using glass
Roast Beef Supplies
- Roasting Pan or glass Pyrex dish
- Meat thermometer (I like this oven-safe thermometer)
- Cutting Board with drip slot or a cookie sheet under regular cutting board.
- Knife
- Aluminum foil
How to Cook Roast Beef in the Oven
- Preheat oven to 475℉
- Prep time: 25 minutes
- Cooking time: approximately 70-90 minutes
The roast beef should be thawed and not frozen. If previously frozen ensure it has completely thawed.
Remove the thawed roast from the refrigerator and pat dry with paper towels. Set it on a plate or cutting board for now. Let it stand on the counter during your prep so it isn’t fridge-cold when it goes in the oven.

Prep the vegetables
Wash carrots and chop in half then quarter them. You do not need to peel your carrots. Once chopped, add to pyrex cooking dish or roasting pan.
Wash celery. Cut lengthwise and then into 2 or 3’s to make celery sticks and add to pyrex dish.
Peel and chop onions into large chunks then add to pyrex cooking dish.
Peel entire head of garlic. Add approximately half of the garlic cloves to the veggies in the pyrex pan, then place the remainder of garlic aside. (Yes, I really do like a LOT of garlic, so feel free to just use as much as you prefer!)
Add 2-3 bay leaves to veggies in the pyrex pan.
Lightly drizzle with oil.
Prepare the Roast
Garlic Infusion
Take the remainder of the garlic and cut it into lengthwise pieces. Depending on the size usually in half works. Using a paring knife make holes into your roast beef by gently inserting blade and twisting then push a piece of garlic into each hole. Repeat for the bottom and top sides of roast beef.

Place roast beef on top of the bed of veggies in a pyrex pan.
Drizzle roast with Worcestershire sauce and a bit of oil.
Mix together Montreal steak spice, seasoning salt, garlic pepper, black pepper and salt then rub all spices into roast beef.
I actually found amazing garlic pepper at Dollar Tree. It is phenomenal! So amazing to add to mashed potatoes too!
Cook the roast beef
Place Pyrex pan with veggies and roast beef into the preheated oven and immediately turn the oven temperature down to 400℉.
During this cooking time, I prepare my garlic roasted mashed potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. They are both quick and easy and oh so very delicious. You can find more about both recipes down below!
Add enough water or beef broth to lightly cover the bottom of the Pyrex dish before placing it in the oven. Do not add liquid to hot glassware. If using a metal roasting pan, you can add additional hot liquid during cooking if needed to keep the vegetables from burning.
NEVER add cold water to a hot Pyrex dish or it may shatter!!
Check the Internal Temperature
I prefer to cook by thermometer when preparing roasts. It allows you to ensure perfection no matter what size your roast is. My favorite type of thermometer to use is an oven-safe digital thermometer with programmed presets and a timer. These are amazing for cooking on the barbecue too!

Depending on the size of the roast and the preferred degree of doneness your cooking time will need to be adjusted. We usually cook ours until the center reaches 145°F, then let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
If you want Yorkshire pudding, now is the time to prepare that as well. It is absolutely amazing and turns out great!
Let the Roast Beef Rest
Once you have reached your preferred degree of doneness remove roast from oven. Place on the cutting board. Your roast will leak so ensure you have something to catch your drippings if your cutting board does not have a drip catch.
Sometimes I place it on a cookie sheet to catch the extra fluid.

Cover your roast with aluminum foil and a clean dish towel so that it can finish its last bit of internal cooking. Let the roast rest for 15 minutes while covered. Then slice and serve.
Save your roast drippings to make a thick gravy. The veggies taste amazing served alongside the roast beef.

Oven Cooked Roast Beef
This easy oven cooked roast beef is seasoned with garlic, Worcestershire sauce and savory spices, then roasted over carrots, celery and onions for a classic family dinner. Serve it with mashed potatoes, gravy or Yorkshire pudding for the perfect Sunday meal.
Ingredients
- 1 beef roast, approximately 3-4 pounds
- 1 head garlic
- 5-6 carrots
- 3-4 celery stalks
- 1-2 onions
- 2-3 bay leaves
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- 2-3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Montreal steak seasoning, to taste
- Seasoning salt, to taste
- Garlic pepper, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Water or beef broth, enough to lightly cover the bottom of the baking dish if using glass
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475°F.
- Remove the thawed roast from the refrigerator and pat it dry with paper towels. Set aside while you prepare the vegetables.
- Wash the carrots and cut them into large pieces. Wash and cut the celery into large pieces. Peel the onions and cut them into large chunks.
- Arrange the carrots, celery and onions in the bottom of a roasting pan or glass baking dish.
- Peel the entire head of garlic. Add about half of the garlic cloves to the vegetables and reserve the remaining garlic for the roast.
- Add the bay leaves to the vegetables and lightly drizzle everything with olive oil.
- If using a glass baking dish, add enough water or beef broth to lightly cover the bottom of the dish before placing it in the oven. Do not add liquid to hot glassware.
- Cut the remaining garlic cloves lengthwise into halves or smaller pieces.
- Using a paring knife, make small holes throughout the top and bottom of the roast. Insert a piece of garlic into each opening.
- Place the roast on top of the vegetables.
- Drizzle the roast with Worcestershire sauce and a small amount of olive oil.
- Season generously with Montreal steak seasoning, seasoning salt, garlic pepper, salt and black pepper. Rub the seasonings over the entire roast.
- Place the roast in the preheated oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 400°F.
- Roast until the beef reaches your desired internal temperature. A 3-4 pound roast typically takes approximately 70-90 minutes, but cooking time will vary depending on the size, shape and cut of beef. Use a meat thermometer rather than relying only on cooking time.
- For food safety, cook whole beef roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F.
- Remove the roast from the oven and transfer it to a cutting board or rimmed baking sheet to catch the juices.
- Loosely cover the roast with aluminum foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
- Slice the roast against the grain and serve with the roasted vegetables. Save the pan drippings for making gravy.
Notes
- Cooking time can vary considerably depending on the cut, weight and thickness of the roast, so a meat thermometer is the best way to determine when it is done.
- If you are using a glass Pyrex baking dish, add liquid before the dish goes into the oven. Do not pour liquid into hot glassware.
- For less garlic flavor, reduce the amount of fresh garlic and omit the garlic pepper.
- Leftover roast beef is delicious in sandwiches, stew or Philly cheesesteaks.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 44Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 7mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gProtein: 4g
What to Serve with Roast Beef
We usually serve this roast beef with garlic mashed potatoes, gravy and Yorkshire pudding. The roasted carrots, celery and onions are also delicious served right alongside the beef.
Be sure to save the pan drippings if you want to make gravy!
What to Do with Leftover Roast Beef
Leftovers are one of the best parts of this meal. Use the extra roast beef and vegetables to make an easy stew, or turn the beef into Philly cheesesteak sandwiches for a quick dinner the next day.
Did you try our Roast Beef Perfection?
Once you try our recipe and cooking process, let us know what you think by commenting below.
This meal is one of our absolute favorites and we make this for Sunday dinner 2-3 times a month. There are so many great meals that can be made with the leftovers as well.
Make sure to save your leftover veggies and roast. They make a great stew in just a few minutes.

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MEET AMANDA
Amanda is a mom of 4 living a mostly crunchy lifestyle north of Atlanta, GA with her husband, 2 dogs, 2 cats, a whole bunch of chickens and a cow. As a former special education teacher who also has her personal training certification — Amanda really enjoys teaching others how to do things!
When she’s not working, Amanda enjoys DIY projects, gardening, photography, hiking, and finding something new to bake.



This recipe worked great and tasted awesome! Thanks!
Great, thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I did the Roast beef to your specifications and it was delicious. Love it Susan
So glad to hear it!
Please tell me what I did wrong! Followed recipe exactly. Used a Pyrex dish as suggested. After 40 minutes at 400 degrees I added room temperature water to cover the veggies and in less than 30 seconds the Pyrex dish shattered–glass everywhere. Of course I threw out the roast which was starting to smell delicious.
(I’m thinking I should have used hot water)
I’ve made that mistake before! Anything cold in a hot Pyrex dish will cause the glass to shatter. Sorry that happened to you! Definitely use hot water or broth next time.
This was a hit with the whole family, even with my picky eaters!! Delicious! Thank you!!
This was an absolutely awesome recipe. Couldn’t believe how tender the roast was!!!!! Also added brussel sprouts to the veggies. So good. Perfect. my go to recipe from now on. !!!!
Simply delicious and easy recipe to follow. Definitely a keeper recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Found this recipe and the baking of it made me try. I prefer meat that is browned, cooked and tender; my husband covers his in gravy so cooked in broth doesn’t matter to him. Thanks for making one to my liking! Yum and will do this again!
Hi Amanda, I had to tell you that when you called for a clove of garlic, I think you meant a head of garlic. A clove is one piece of the head.
You are absolutely right! This is what happens when you write out your recipe after not getting enough sleep. Kids interrupting your sleep will do that to you haha. Thanks for catching that! 🙂
I think it would be a good idea to add that you should add *hot* water after 40 minutes… my pyrex shattered. Beautiful good smelling roast in the trash 😭
Omg tried this for the first time today. And was my first time that my roast was not in the crockpot. My family was skeptical at first but again OMG it turned out perfect!!
I only did 2 things different and that was the garlic and the Montreal Seasoning thought I had some already but oops I did not. But it still turned out amazing.
Ma’am I thank you for sharing this recipe with us and I will definitely be making my roast in the oven more often now!!
Great recipe but BEWARE: When using Pyrex, and when adding liquid of ANY kind to it, make SURE water or broth is BOILING hot. I have also had a glass Pyrex dish explode in the oven! Also NOTE: if EVER using Pyrex glass for ANY roast that calls for a rack, NEVER put a METAL rack in a GLASS Pyrex dish. With Pyrex it is best to make rack out of a “bed” of chopped carrots and celery and onion and set the roast on that. In a pinch, you can also use rolls of tinfoil to set a roast on in a glass Pyrex dish. I learned the hard way! I now use a regular metal pan the same size as a Pyrex casserole dish!