Looking for a spoon roast recipe? This Spoon Roast with Horseradish Cream is one of our favorite recipes. Follow our cooking method for making tender spoon roast. Top it off with a simple and tasty horseradish cream for a delicious meal! Sirloin roast is the name of the cut used for a spoon roast. Read on for more info on cooking spoon roast and our wine pairing ideas, or click here to jump down to the recipe
There’s nothing like the smell of roast beef cooking in the oven on a cold winter day. For me, it brings back good memories of Sunday visits to my Nana’s. The roast beef we enjoyed there was served with a basic gravy. I kick thing up a notch here with my Spoon Roast with Horseradish Cream recipe.
I’ve made this recipe several times in the past year. This spoon roast is very popular in our house, and is also the most visited recipe on Cooking Chat.
Give it a try, and you will see why! After making the spoon roast with horseradish cream in December of 2016, I have made a few updates to the post to get it ready for those of you who might want to prepare this as your holiday roast.
What is spoon roast?
Spoon Roast is made using the sirloin roast cut of beef. When I first made it a few years back, I found a wide range of opinions about how to cook it. I decided to try the method that has you start the roast in a cold oven, turning the heat up high to get some browning going on the outside. After ten minutes, the oven is reduced to a lower roasting temperature. This approach worked well the first time, and I stick with it here in this Spoon Roast with Horseradish Cream recipe. I also used the same basic method with good results in the Spoon Roast with Mushrooms and Farro recipe we made.
I typically by the jar of chopped horseradish root, but they were out of it the day I was planning to make this. So I got a whole horseradish root and prepared it myself. The recipe assumes you’ve found the prepared horseradish–here’s one option for horseradish available via my Amazon affiliate link–but if you want to try preparing it with the root, here’s the method I followed.
How to Cook Spoon Roast
We start our spoon roast in a cold oven, then bring it up to 450 degrees (conventional setting). The beef roasts for 10 minutes at that higher temperature, which helps brown the outside. Then we drop the temp to 325 degrees to slowly roast the beef. For a medium rare roast beef, allow 12 to 15 minutes roasting time per pound after dropping the temperature. Check out the notes section of the recipe times for more details on when to first check the roast for doneness, based on size.
Note the cooking temperatures here are based on a conventional oven. I noticed someone recently came to this post by Googling “How to cook a spoon roast in a convection oven?”. I haven’t tested with this recipe, but generally dropping the given temperature by 25 degrees when converting from conventional to convection is a good rule of thumb.
There’s not too much active cooking here. Just get the rub made and the roast started in the oven, then relax and enjoy the smells as it slowly cooks to perfection! Slice it up thin, topped with the sauce, along with some potatoes and a green vegetable. And of course, serve with a good glass of red wine…
Wine Pairing for Spoon Roast with Horseradish Cream
I came up with this Roasted Sirloin Steak with Chanterelle Mushrooms recipe to go with a bottle of the 2012 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon from Halter Ranch. I had a second bottle on hand that I decided to save for a hearty winter roast. This spoon roast with horseradish cream seemed to be a good time to open it up!
This Cabernet is deep red in the glass. I got eucalyptus on the nose. I tasted blackberry and cherry fruit, along with notes of charcoal. Tannins are well-integrated. Definitely had the substance to stand up to the roast, and did fine with the kick from the horseradish. A very good pairing for Spoon Roast with Horseradish Cream!
Updated Wine Pairing Ideas: When we most recently made this spoon roast recipe, we had a chance to try another wine with it. We opened a bottle of 2013 Enkidu Old Vine Zinfandel ($26, 15.4% ABV) from Sonoma Valley. As you might suspect, the Zinfandel picks up the horseradish spice as well as matching up well with the beef. Another good wine pairing for Spoon Roast with Horseradish Cream!
More recently, we had the spoon roasted paired with an excellent Syrah based red wine from the Rhone — the 2016 Saladin Vin de France Chaveyron. If you can find that I encourage you to treat yourself, but generally speaking, this suggests other Syrah options could work here too.
Spoon Roast with Horseradish Cream
Spoon Roast is a classic roast beef, made with a simple rub and served with a tasty horseradish cream sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 90 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 mins
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: roasting
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 medium sirloin roast (ours was about 4 lbs)
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- ½ tbsp dried rosemary
- 2 tbsp chopped horseradish
- 1 cup whipping cream
- ½ tsp mustard (Dijon or basic yellow mustard)
Instructions
- Make the rub by combining the garlic powder, salt and rosemary in a bowl.
- Spread the rub over the beef, patting it into the meat. Let the beef sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to let the flavors absorb.
- Place the spoon roast into a roasting pan, and then put it into a cold oven. Turn the oven up to 450 degrees (conventional setting), cook for 10 minutes after it has reached 450.
- Lower the heat to 325 degrees. For medium rare, cook at that temperature 12 to 15 minutes for every pound of meat. In other words, for a 4 lb roast, the cooking time range will be 48 to 60 minutes after reducing the temperature. See notes for more information on cooking time and doneness.
- Check for doneness toward the end of the projected cooking time. When almost done cooking to your taste, remove from oven. Tent loosely with foil to let it rest.
- Make the cream by whipping the cream together with the horseradish and mustard.
- Slice the beef thinly, then serve with the cream and a good red wine!!
Notes
Cooking times: Times given are based on a goal of medium rare beef, which I recommend for a flavorful dish. You can calculate precise times for yourself, but here is a guide for common size roasts:
- 3.5 lb roast: First check at 42 minutes; range 42 to 53 minutes after dropping the temperature.
- 4 lb roast: First check at 48 minutes; range 48 to 60 minutes after dropping the temperature.
- 4.5 lb roast: First check at 54 minutes; range 54 to 68 minutes after dropping the temperature.
The target temperature range for medium rare roast beef is 120 to 125 degrees, keeping in mind temperature increases a bit as the beef rests. The Certified Angus Beef website has a good doneness guide if you want to aim for a different degree of doneness.
Other notes:
- Amazon affiliate link included to one option for prepared horseradish.
- You can use fresh horseradish root following this method from Simply Recipes.
- The temperature given here is based on a conventional oven setting. I haven’t tested with this recipe, but generally dropping the given temperature by 25 degrees when converting from conventional to convection is a good rule of thumb.
Keywords: roast beef, spoon roast, what is spoon roast
Tools to use: You need a good roasting pan for this recipe and other roasts. We have been happy with the Circulon roasting pan, pretty affordable and good size for roasts like this. Sharing my Amazon affiliate link for the product, meaning I’d earn a modest commission if you choose to buy using this link.
Full disclosure: I received a courtesy sample of Halter Ranch wine from the winery. As always, the opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
That is one good lookin’ dinner! Love that you used the horseradish root.
After I place the roast in the cold oven is it 10 minutes once the oven has reached full temp of 450 and then reduce?
Good question, Evelyn. Yes, 10 minutes after reaching 450, then turn it down. Thanks for asking, I will clarify that in the instructions.
Sounds delicious! Am going to make this today. What type of mustard are you using for the horseradish cream sauce? Dry, yellow, brown?
hi Amanda–I used Dijon mustard, basic yellow mustard would work too. Hope you like it!
Yum! Looking forward to trying this cream sauce! Thanks for sharing!
Yum a hearty old school meal. I know your house smelled amazing that day. Looks delicious!
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Horseradish cream sounds really good. Is it like wasabi?
I LOVE horseradish!! Probably one of my top 5 favorite flavors and I never knew the sauce was so easy. Where would I get raw horseradish?
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Hi Rebekah–I got raw horseradish at Whole Foods. It’s a big root basically. Probably other well stocked produce departments would have it, too.
Perfectly cooked beef! My hubby would adore that plate of food—heck, so would I!
Thanks Liz! This did come out just right.
This was incredibly tasty.
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Need to make it again soon!
That horseradish cream sounds delicious!
Thanks Julie, I’d say it is!
Fresh horseradish root is soooo good! I bet this cream with that roast is the perfect paring:)
Thanks, it did come out quite well.
I’d never heard of spoon roast before, lovely to learn about it. Your recipe look delicious!
Thanks!
I havent heard of a spoon roast before, but it sounds delish! And that horseradish cream sounds right up my alley 🙂
Thanks, it is a very good kind of roast beef!
I’ve never even heard of a spoon roast! Your gorgeous pictures convinced me I need to give it a try, though!
Thanks, it’s worth a try I’d say!
YUM! This roast looks like such a great idea for dinner! Will definitely try soon ♥
hope you enjoy it!
I have never heard of a spoon roast before but this looks delicious and I love the horseradish cream you served with it! Such great, savory flavors!
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Pinning this so I can make this for my 13 year old son who loves any and all things with horseradish! Looks like a delicious meal
Wow! Save a plate for me! I’m coming to dinner! This is amazing!
I love pot roast, and appreciate the new way to prep it.
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I love that you’ve made your own horseradish sauce! My other half is always in charge of Sunday roast, so I can’t wait to share this recipe and method with him!
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Sunday roast is a great tradition!
Oh, I agree. The smell coming out of the oven on a cold day is everything!! This looks so good!!
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yes, gotta love the smell of a roast!
First of all, I LOVE horseradish! I even found a horseradish and beet hummus at Whole Foods that I hid in the fridge and hoarded for myself. I bet the horseradish cream is to die for on this spoon roast! I have to admit that I have never made spoon roast before, so I will have to try it. Sounds perfect with that Zinfandel you recommended. 🙂
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Thanks Sherri! That hummus sounds great!
My husband is the meat eater in the family and he is the one who cooks the meat. He would love this roast.
Definitely a good recipe for carnivores!
I love beef with horseradish! Such a great combination and the roast seems to be super tender and fall-apart! A perfect Sunday roast!
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thanks, it is a perfect Sunday roast recipe if I do say so myself!
I never heard of the concept “Spoon Pot Roast” and thank you for explaining it to us. I never tried the method of putting a pot roast in a cold oven and cooking it on a high temperature and then lower the temperature.
Fun to learn new things in the world of food, right?
I had never heard of spoon roast before! Thank you for enlightening me 😉 This looks fantastic and would be so much more budget-friendly for the holidays!
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Hi Kelly–yes, it is a good value cut, and very tasty!
That looks delicious. The horseradish sauce sounds wonderful – the perfect combination.
I love sirloin roasts, and that horseradish sauce sounds like the perfect sauce for it.
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I have to admit, I’ve never heard of a spoon roast before! The method and ingredients sound familiar though. I love the idea of using the horseradish to spice things up – and the wine pairings. Red Zinfandel, especially from Sonoma, are my favorite red wines to drink (anytime) but specifically with roasts.
Thanks Lauren! Horseradish & zin definitely work nicely together.
I love that horseradish cream! I too had never heard of a spoon roast so thank you for such an informative post!
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Thanks Michelle! Spoon roast is definitely a tasty option to know about.
Interesting that you start with a cold oven, then raise the temperature and again bring it down. I suppose that is the secret to cooking it to perfection. Also the horseradish cream and veggies are the perfect accompaniments.
Thanks for stopping by. That method with the oven temps helps to get a good brown searing on the outside of the meat. I didn’t create the method but have adopted it with good results!
Wonderful!
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I was just wondering if you can cook the roast in a cast iron pot with the lid on. I would think it would be very tender. What do you think
Hi Suzanne–sorry I just saw your comment. I would never say an absolute no to an experiment, but I’m initially skeptical about that approach for a spoon roast. The method you describe sounds a bit like a pot roast, where you typically have a cut that requires long, slow cooking. The spoon roast is a lean cut that cooks relatively quickly. But if you try it and it comes out great I’d like to hear about it!
This was the perfect recipe for my Christmas family dinner! Delicious and two thumbs up! Thanks so much for sharing!
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Glad you liked it Tami!
Oh wow, what a delicious looking and sounding recipe. I’ve never heard of spoon roast before but will most certainly be on the lookout for it!
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Thanks Lori! It is definitely a nice cut, very tasty.
No, I used conventional oven. I even took almost a full half hour off cooking time when I temped it. It came out medium at best and maybe a bit more and dry
Hmm, not a simple answer I suppose. It’s been awhile since I have made this recipe. I plan to re-make it this weekend to test it again myself. I do appreciate your taking the time to bring it to my attention through your comments, and sorry it didn’t work out well for you.
Happy to help
I have never cooked a spoon roast since I don’t eat much meat but my friend had one in the freezer and asked of I could. Found your recipe and it was easy and delicious. Thank you so much David! and now it will be it will be in my repetoir for my meat loving friends and family.
I’m glad it worked out for you, thanks for letting me know!
Very disappointed. Way overcooked. Back to my own method.
Hi Cathy–I’m sorry the recipe didn’t work out well for you! I know that must be disappointing. I’m wondering if you might have used convection setting? I used conventional, and realize I didn’t specify. I’m going to re-make this again this week to double check the instructions and make any adjustments needed.