Or think of it this way: The most tender—and expensive—roasts come from the parts that move the least (think rib roast and tenderloin). Conversely, the tougher roasts that take best to braising come from the areas that get the most exercise, like the round.
Tenderloin Roast
The most tender beef roast that is well known for being lean and succulent. Easy to carve with its fine texture. Learn more about this beef cut here.
A surefire way to make a tender, juicy pot roast is through braising; that is, cooking the meat in a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pot at low temperature.
🥩 What cut of meat is best for pot roast? In my opinion a boneless chuck roast is the best option for pot roast. It is affordable and has great marbling throughout, which makes the meat tender, flavorful, and fall-apart tender.
The most tender cuts of steak come from the rib and loin areas of the animal. These cuts include the ribeye, tenderloin, and sirloin. These cuts are known for their tenderness because they come from muscles that do not get a lot of exercise, which makes the meat more tender.
All you need to do is continue cooking. Pot roasts are usually tough cuts, full of dense muscles and connective tissue. They need long, slow cooking to soften the muscles and melt the connective tissues into juicy, rich natural gelatin.
If you're out in the grocery store, look for cuts with "Chuck," "Shoulder," "Rump," or "Round" in the name. Next, notice the quantity of white fat. Remember, fat = tenderness and moisture. Lean roasts with less fat will shine in recipes with extra moisture/liquid added, especially in the slow cooker or pressure cooker.
Cook your beef chuck roast at 350˚F after searing the beef over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Does chuck roast get more tender the longer you cook it? It does!
Light roasts tend to have more delicate yet complex flavor profiles than dark roasts. Dark roasts tend to have deep but simple flavors due to some of the initial flavors of the beans being lost or changed during the roasting process. Dark roast is sometimes described as tasting more bitter than light roast.
Rump roast, not to confuse with bottom round, comes from the hindquarters. Chuck roast comes from a cow's shoulder portion. The hindquarters and shoulder area are both well-used parts of the cow, so these two cuts of meat are naturally pretty tough. Most people agree that roasted rump is the more tender of the two.
Chuck roasts, cut from the shoulder, and bottom rounds, cut from the bottom of the back end of the cow, are tougher pieces of meat, so they stand up to the long braising time needed to make a hardy pot roast. To further the confusion, a bottom round may be used for a pot roast, but may also be cooked as a rump roast.
Some coffee drinkers think dark roasts are stronger and have more caffeine kick than light roasts. The truth, however, is that caffeine content remains pretty much the same during each stage of the roasting process. The difference between roasts is taste, not the amount of caffeine.
If the pot roast or chuck roast is tough, it is because it needs more cooking time. As the beef cooks the muscles and connective tissues break down and this makes the beef tender. Also, if you cook the roast at a high temperature, the roast will be tough.
There are three keys to cooking tender roast beef: 1) not overcooking (keep an eye on your cooking time and temp!), 2) searing the meat before roasting, and 3) cooking in a braising liquid.
Low temperatue cooking is ideal for roasting the best cuts of meat which are lean and very tender.
It's because you haven't let the collagen break down. Extend the cook time, make sure there's enough liquid and keep an eye on the dish.
According to Science of Cooking, cooking meat to a medium or well doneness at a higher temperature can result in shrinkage and tougher texture. Whereas cooking meat low and slow results in the breakdown of collagen and a more tender bite.
For the most appealing tenderness and and juiciness that's coveted in the best pot roasts, the pot roast is either cooked in a slow cooker for 4 hours on High or 7-8 hours on Low or for better and more even temperature control, slow-cooked in the oven at 200F/100C for 4 hours for firm, knife-ready meat and 8 hours for ...
Chuck roast should be cooked to an internal temperature of 190-195 degrees F to be fall apart tender. The high internal temperature allows collagen to break down, making the meat melt in your mouth tender.
In the oven, cook at 275°F for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours (depending on the size of your roast). In the slow cooker, cook on LOW 8-10 hours, Meat should be falling apart–that's how you know it's done!
The most tender of all cuts of beef, tenderloin steaks are lean and known for their delicate, butter-like texture and thick cut. These mouthwatering steaks are so tender they can be “cut with a butter knife.” Tenderloin steaks are commonly known as filets or filet mignon.