How to Cook Oven Spoon Roasts

A spoon roast, aptly named for being tender enough you can scoop it with a spoon, is a cut of meat that requires a dash of patience, a smattering of spices and a hearty appetite.

According to Reference.com, a spoon roast describes a cut of meat so tender you can scoop it with a spoon. A spoon roast can be made from beef sirloin, top sirloin roast and lamb that is cooked slowly until tenderness is reached.

The Beef Board explains that a top sirloin steak is a juicy cut of meat, best served as a steak or cut into kabobs. A sirloin tip center steak, on the other hand, is boneless and lean, best prepared by marinating and grilling.

Both top sirloin and beef sirloin are considered extra lean, says Mayo Clinic, which means that a 3.5-ounce serving contains less than 5 grams total fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol.

If you're a health-conscious eater and want to make sure your spoon roast contains little fat, Mayo Clinic recommends trimming the fat off the meat before preparing or chilling the meat after cooking, so that you can skim and discard the hardened fat.

Read more: A Roast Beef Recipe That Makes for the Perfect Entrée and Next-Day Sandwiches

Cooking a spoon steak calls for the right spices, a bit of patience and the proper tools. A recipe from Public Media Group of Southern California requires olive oil, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt, ground black pepper and cayenne pepper, anchovy fillets and fennel. To cook an oven spoon roast, you must:

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a roasting pan with foil.
2. Cut roast lengthwise into two equal pieces.
   
3. Heat a skillet and brown the roasts on all sides for 6 to 8 minutes per roast. Let them cool on a plate for 10 minutes.
   
4. Combine ingredients in a food processor to make a paste.
   
5. Tie the roasts with five pieces of kitchen twine per piece, crosswise with equal intervals into a loaf shape.
   
6. Transfer the roasts onto the wire rack in the oven on a rimmed baking sheet and rub roasts with the paste.
7. Cook the meat until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F.
   
8. Remove from the oven, cover it loosely with foil and allow it to rest for 30 to 40 minutes.
   
9. Heat oven to 500 degrees and return the roasts to the oven without the twine. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes.
   
10. Transfer roasts to a carving board, cut and serve.
    

Read more: Why Bison Is the Better Alternative to Beef — and How to Cook It

Before preparing a spoon roast, it's important to review some meat safety tips. USDA recommends cooking beef to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. "Rest time" after the meat has been removed from the oven should be at least three minutes.

To use a meat thermometer, according to USDA, place it in the thickest part of the meat, not touching bone, gristle or fat. You can begin checking the temperature toward the end of your cooking time. Make sure to wash the thermometer after each time you use it.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education suggests always reading and following cooking instructions on the package and to always use a heat thermometer to ensure a safe internal temperature. As for proper storage, USDA advises purchasing the meat before the date expires, keeping the beef in the package until using, storing in the refrigerator for up to five days and in the freezer for up to 12 months.