Low Temperature Method For Cooking Ribeye Roast: How Does It Work

Last Updated on September 13, 2014 by SteakEat

The best way to not fully enjoy a piece of quality meat like ribeye is to dry it our while cooking and, what’s worse, overcook it completely. Unfortunately this is exactly what happens in the kitchens, I am pretty sure, around the world. So, what’s the solution there?

The answer is in the headline – low temperature cooking method also known as ‘low and slow’.

Low Temperature Method For Cooking Ribeye Roast Explained

The idea behind this simple technique is to not exceed the maximum oven temperature. Please note that the low temperature gap lies within 90-140C (190-280F) and it’s up to you to decide whether you want your roast cooked a bit faster or a bit slower. Of course, the slower the better from the flavor standpoint, but the difference is hardly significant. Especially with a fatty and tender cut like ribeye.

I use 130C (260F) setting and find it the most practical – steaks get cooked quicker without much tenderness/flavor lost.

Now, because the temperature is so low, we wont be getting any Maillard reaction (aka browning) on the surface. This is why I always sear the roast after I am done cooking in the oven. The reason I use this sequence is totally spurious, but it works for me. After numerous trials I noticed that browning occurs much easier this way. I explain it by the fact that the roast is already hot at 130C (when I take it out from the oven) and hot skillet doesn’t waist its heat and gets right into ‘business’ of searing the surface. You can find more details about this method here. Use this sequence and check it out yourself!

Rib Eye Roast Cooking Time When Using Low Temperature Method

How long will it take to prepare entire roast that way? As you can guess – much longer than if you used high temperature method, but…it’s totally worth it!

Because low heat cooking takes more time, I always try to ‘help’ my oven in some way and remove thicker cuts of meat out fr0m the fridge as much as 2 hours before I start cooking. This simple technique helps two things. First, it brings down the cooking time. Second, it helps to keep steaks even more tender, because the temperature increase is even less dramatic (oven only needs to add only 110C if your room temperature is 20C to get 130C as opposed to 126C when the roast has only just left the fridge at 4C).

To figure out when the roast is ready I always use my instant-read meat thermometer. It’s very precise and helps me to avoid guesswork, because I am terrible at it! 🙂

However if you still haven’t bought yours (but on the way to buying it 😉 ), this estimate on cooking times is a good starting point.

Ready to start cooking? Proceed to the step-by-step guide on low temperature method for cooking ribeye roast.

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