This Easy Poor Man's Prime Rib is a "knock-off" of my How to Roast a Boneless Prime Rib recipe. By using a sirloin tip roast, marinating it and then following the same directions as my prime rib recipe, you can have a delicious tasting roast for only a fraction of the price!
Having successfully made the most DELICIOUS Boneless Prime Rib, I decided to see if I could accomplish the same delicious result with a cheaper cut of meat.
Was it possible that such a "special" meal could be created using a cheaper cut of meat?
Well...I am here today telling you that after following the recipe in Cook's Country, Mr. Grumbles and I sat down (with so very little effort on my part!) to the most deliciously medium-rare roast beef from a cheaper cut, known as a sirloin roast.
Why roast a Sirloin Tip Roast instead of a Prime Rib?
There is only one reason you would roast a sirloin instead of a prime rib and that is the difference in cost. A Prime rib roast can cost anywhere between $13-$25 per lb! So, for a 4 lb roast, you are looking at a cost of between $52 and $100!!!
As for a sirloin roast, I was able to find my roast on sale for only $3 per lb. So, for this delicious dinner, it only cost me approximately $12!
That's a savings of anywhere between $40 and $88 for this meal!!!
What is the difference between a Sirloin Tip Roast and a Prime Rib roast?
The top sirloin is more tender and smaller in size than the bottom sirloin. Sirloin, prime rib, and Ribeye are three types of steaks coming from the lower back portion of the animal. Prime rib comes from the rib section of the beef. With a little more marbling, Prime Rib is typically a more expensive cut of meat.
As for nutritional value differences, since the sirloin tip is leaner than other beef cuts, it has less than 134 calories per 3 oz serving according to the USDA, much less than a prime rib.
How did I modify this Sirloin Roast to taste like Prime Rib?
The only difference between this Poor Man's Prime Rib and my original Prime Rib recipe was to marinate the meat first.
Since a sirloin roast is a leaner cut of beef, I marinated the roast in olive oil, sage and rosemary overnight to add some additional fat to the roast.
What is the key to roasting this Poor Man's Prime Rib
According to Cook's Country:
Weigh your roast and round it up to the nearest ½ pound. Triple that number and, if necessary, round up again ot he nearest whole number. This number is the total time that you have your oven on. Place the roast in the oven and set your timer to the calculated time depending on the size of your roast. When the time is up, turn off the oven and leave the roast alone for 2 hours.
Here is the example they give in the magazine:
- if your roast is 3.3 pounds, round up to 3.5 pounds. Multiply that number by 3 which comes to 10.5 which is in turn rounded up to 11 making your oven-roasting time 11 minutes.
How do you prepare this Poor Man's Prime Rib?
For this lean cut of meat, I suggest marinating it in about 1-2 tbps of olive oil overnight. I added some dried rosemary and sage along with the olive oil and sealed all the ingredients (including the meat) in a ziplock bag. I tossed the meat to cover it with the olive oil and seasoning and placed it in the fridge.
The next day, I allowed the roast to come to room temperature and sprinkled it heavily with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Next, I placed the rib in a 500 degree F oven, fat side up and roasted it for the required time. Turn off the oven and walk away for 2 hours before opening the oven.
That's it!
What are the different temperatures for different levels of doneness?
- 135 degrees = medium-rare
- 145 degrees = medium
Here is a "cheat sheet" for the different weights and roasting time for your Poor Man's Prime Rib:
- 2.6 lb - 3 lbs - roast for 9 minutes
- 3.1 - 3.5 lbs - roast for 11 minutes
- 3.6 - 4.0 lbs - roast for 12 minutes
- 4.1 - 4.5 lbs - roast for 14 minutes
- 4.5 - 5.0 lbs - roast for 15 minutes
Don't forget that once the oven-roasting time is done, turn the oven off and allow the roast to sit for 2 hours. Do NOT open the oven door until the 2 hours have passed.
How much Poor Man's Prime Rib meat is required to feed a crowd?
Estimate that your guests will eat about ½ pound per person when the roast is part of a holiday buffet, or ¾ pound per person if it's the main course to a smaller holiday dinner.
Serve this Poor Man's Prime Rib recipe with the following sides:
Quick and Easy Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Spicy Harissa Carrot Salad (Whole30, Low Carb, Paleo)
Easy Poor Man's Prime Rib - Made using a Sirloin Roast
This recipe is so easy and turns a cheaper cut of meat, a sirloin roast, into a deliciously tasting, perfectly tender roast beef. So easy (you literally turn on the oven, roast it and then turn off the oven and walk away), anyone, even the most beginner cooks, can create this delicious meal!
- Total Time: 2 hours 17 minutes
- Yield: Depends on size of roast
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried oregano
For the Beef:
- 4 lb sirloin tip roast
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
Instructions
- In a large Ziplock bag or container, add the marinade ingredients and stir to incorporate. Add the sirloin roast and toss it in the marinade. Seal the bag (or container) and place the beef in the fridge overnight.
- Remove the roast from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes to 1 hour). Cover the roast in salt, pepper and garlic. Place the roast in a glass dish or on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil. Heat the oven to 500 degrees F. Place the roast in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the roast in the oven for 2 hours before removing it from the oven and slicing it.
Notes
- do NOT open the oven during the 2 hour period
- feel free to season the roast with additional spices if desire
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Resting: 120 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Fall, Holidays
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 oz
- Calories: 134
- Sugar: 0
- Fat: 6.5
- Carbohydrates: 0
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 17
Cat
THANK YOU so much for taking the time to post such a wonderful comment!
RP
Specacular. I had a 4.5lb roast and it was not quite done after doing 15 minutes and two hours, so i broiled it for about 8 minutes and let it rest. I also did potatoes in a packet like someone else suggested and they were perfect and hot much to my surprise. I did not marinate it overnight I was short on time so i used all fresh herbs and marinated at room temp for a few hours before cooking. magnifique.
Cat
I do not know. However, if you have a thermometer that you can read from the exterior of the oven, you will be able to tell if your sirloin is roasted enough. Sorry, I can not be of more help but if you decide to try it, let me know and I will update my post!
Sue Frantz
Could I use a Hamilton Beach roaster oven the same way?
Cat
That's great to hear! Thanks for taking the time to comment... I really appreciate it!
Jo Musolf
This was wonderful. I will always make my Sirloin Tip roast this way.
Cat
What a great "time hack" to add the potatoes! Brilliant!
Sue
I am making this roast weekly and I love it. Super easy and delicious. I also put potatoes wrapped in foil at the same time and they are done when the meat is.
Cat
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
dennis farrell
Great taste and easy to make
Cat
You can use any type of herb that you like. Or, simply omit the rosemary and add some extra spice powder such as garlic. Honestly, the rosemary is simply just for flavour so if you do not care for rosemary, you can leave it out and I am fairly certain the sirloin roast will taste just as good!
Greg
Hi Cat
I am really wanting to try this recipe. My problem is I HATE rosemary. How important is this spice? Do you have any suggestions for a substitute for the rosemary? Your reply would be greatly appreciated.
Cat
The post gives you the internal temperatures to look for depending whether you want rare or medium-rare. The ends of the roast will ALWAYS end up more cooked so even with a rare roast, some will end up medium. Lastly, I always go more rare since it is very easy to place slices of meat under the broiled to make them medium but impossible to make a medium steak more rare. Let me know how it turns out!
Sam
I'm going the making this tomorrow but since ovens vary, do you have a recommended internal target temperature? I'll be using a leave in thermometer.
Cat
I am so happy you liked it! Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Trish
It was perfect!!!! My new go to for special occasions! Thank you so much.
Cat
Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to write such a nice review!!! I am so happy everyone loved it!
Mimi
This recipe resulted in the best tasting roast I have ever made! It really was tender, like prime rib! I used a good quality 3 pound roast, and followed the directions as written except that I used a meat thermometer because it was still a little cold when I put it in the oven. I did have to leave it in the oven a little longer to get the center up to the temp I wanted, but that was my own doing. I sliced it thin, across the grain and it was FANTASTIC. Everyone raved about it. I highly recommend this recipe, but because ovens can vary considerably,definitely use a meat thermometer (the type you can read without opening the oven!)
Cat
I don't know how a gas oven will work. However, 2 thoughts: 1. you could always follow the recipe and leave a thermometer in your oven to see if your oven drops dramatically - I do not know why it would be any different than an electric oven... or ... 2. You could follow the recipe, then turn the temperature down to 200 and use a meat thermometer with a probe - the ones with the long wire that has the thermometer in the meat and the reader outside the oven. This way, if you need to pull it out sooner, you could easily know the exact temperature of the roast.
Good luck and let me know what you decide to do and how it turns out so that I can share it with readers on the actual blog post!
January
I have a gas oven… should I turn it completely off or toothe lowest temperature for the 2 hours… I don’t know that my oven would retain the heat like an electric oven…
Cat
Since everyone likes there roast slightly different, I suggest cooking it just like the recipe states. The ends will naturally be more cooked than the center. If they still think the meat is to rare, simply slice some pieces and place them quickly under the broiler to cook further to their liking.
Good Luck!
Stephanie
Some in my family prefer their meat to be less pink. What would you recommend? Do I leave in longer for the time the oven is on? Or just leave in longer than the 2 hours? Thanks for your help- looking forward to seeing how this turns out!
Cat
I do not have a recipe for a frozen roast. However, if you plan a day ahead, you can simply thaw out your roast in the fridge or on the counter top.
Pat
I use a recipe that I got from Safeway years ago. I do not have the original, it is from memory. I use a very small sirloin tip roast frozen. Heat oven to 450 deg. Cook for 20 minutes, turn down to 200deg. Put 2 cups of water in pan and cook for about 5 hours. Never sure it will turn out but always seems to.. Is rare in the middle. Do you have a more specific recipe I could use from frozen sirloin tip. Thank you.
Cat
No worries!
Cat
I have stuck to the recipe posted as it always turns out really well. However, I think that you could sear the meat first but I would not pierce the meat as I think it could potentially allow the juice to be released and result in a drier steak.
Hope that helps!
Courtney P
***Correction***
....with a good coating of Kosher Salt...
...then put it in the oven....
Sorry - I would have edited if possible & my OCD will not rest if I didn't correct it somehow.
Courtney P
I have made this recipe before and ALWAYS great! But I'm wondering if it would help to pierce the meat (either with a fork or skewers?), & if that would help tenderize it? I would think before marinating, so the oil soaks in all throughout the meat? Also, I used a different recipe before coming across this one, and that had me sear the meat in a hot, cast iron skillet (with a food coating of Kosher Salt to help it sear better), then put in the over for almost the same time and leave closed for the 2 hours (that seems to be the key to the magic). Just wondering if you have tried that method, or anything else I mentioned? And if so, how did it work out?
Cat
Thanks for commenting!
Cat
Thanks! It is one of my favourites as well!
Kirby
OMG! WHAT AN AMAZING RECIPE!
Collette
Worked perfectly for me! Glad I didn't listen to the other reviews!
Cat
Let me know how it turns out!
Paula
Thank you again
Will have meat cutter make two roasts and yes I have a meat thermometer that is inserted into meat in oven! Thank you for reminding me.
Paula
Cat
Another thought...maybe you could buy a small roast (about 4 lbs) now and try it this weekend...I do NOT want you to be stressed on Christmas Eve!!!
Cat
I think I would probably do 2 - 4lb roasts. IF you have an oven thermometer (one that can actually go in the meat and like this one from amazon - ThermoPro TP16S Digital Meat Thermometer for Cooking and Grilling - I would absolutely use it so you can see exactly what the temperature of the meat is registering.
Paula
Thank you for quick reply about the 8 lb sirloin roast would it be easier to have it cut into 2 4lb roasts? It’s Christmas even dinner don’t want to have a disaster ?♀️ I have two ovens I could cook them separately?
Thank you
Paula
Cat
That is a pretty big roast and I have to admit, I have never cooked one that big. However, if you do choose this method, take the 8 lb and times it by 3 for a total time of 24 minutes at 500 degrees. Then, turn the oven off and do NOT open the oven for 2 hours. PLEASE make sure to take your roast out of the fridge long enough to come to room temperature BEFORE placing it in the oven. I would probably leave it for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour at room temperature.
Good luck and let me know how 8 lbs of roast works with this recipe!
Paula
Have 8 lb sirloin roast how long to cook and it to big for the turn off oven method
Cat
Thanks for taking the time to comment and I am so glad your family enjoyed it!
Maur
I made this for Thanksgiving. It turned out perfect and my family loved it!! I used an oven thermometer and at the 2 hour mark it was at temperature! Will definitely cook my roast like this from now on.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Cat
I am SO SORRY it did not work. The actual recipe is from Cook's Illustrated so I am surprised it did not work for you. If you can send me the details, maybe I can trouble shoot for you?
Mary P
So disappointed. It was awful. Threw it away. Meat was undercooked and tough. Ruined my Sunday dinner. Oh well. Happens to the best of us sometimes
Cat
Do not cover the roast with foil, just the baking sheet if you are using a metal baking sheet. IF use are using a glass pan, no need for the foil. A couple of tips to keep in mind (these are in the blog post!) - make sure that the roast is at room temperature BEFORE placing it in the oven, also, make sure your math is accurate and that you do NOT open the door for 2 hours after you have turned the oven off.
I hope this helps and I would LOVE to hear how it turned out!
Evelynn
I'm making this tonight....but I'm confused. Am I putting the meat on a foil lined baking sheet or am I covering the meat in foil on a baking sheet?
Sarah
For Cathy - whose roast was in the oven for over 3 hours.
Just a thought:
My old oven had a cooling fan that would turn on when the oven was turned off.
This fan would cool off the oven faster, and not retain the oven heat that is needed for this recipe.
Gwen
I taped a note on the oven door to remind myself (and the family) not to open the oven door! And it worked, the roast was perfect!
Cat
That’s weird…I just received this comment last night
“I tried this last night with a 4 lb roast. It worked beautifully. There are just 2 of us ans i have 3 more meals in the freezer. I didnt think to take a picture.”
So sorry it did not work but I can not figure out why as this is the first bad review. Maybe your roast was too cold going into the oven?
Cathy Rowe
Been in the oven for 3+ hours.....not even close to being done!!!! Very disappointing.
Cat
I am so happy you enjoyed my recipe!
Nancy L
I tried this last night with a 4 lb roast. It worked beautifully. There are just 2 of us ans i have 3 more meals in the freezer. I didnt think to take a picture.
Cat
Maybe try wrapping the thinner parts of the sirloin roast (ie - most likely the ends of the roast) in aluminum foil? Just a thought but I am glad it still turned out!
Maggie
OMG....it worked. I did not believe this would turn out nice and pink like your pictures but it did!. I used a 2.5 lb sirloin tip roast and followed your directions. So my roast was cooked at 500 for 8 mins and then I turned off the oven. Because it was a much smaller roast, I checked the temp 10 mins before the 2 hours was up and it was 144.6 so close enough. The flavour was awesome but I have to admit it was a little bit tough in places but that could have been my piece of meat. I will try this again with a better cut of meat.