How to Make the Perfect Eye of Round Roast
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Nothing brings the family together quite like a roast beef dinner, and my foolproof recipe for making the perfect Eye of Round Roast will impress everyone!
Perfectly tender roast beef that’s flavorful, and, most importantly, easy, this roast beef recipe is a keeper!
Eye of Round Roast
This is my tried and true beef eye of round roast recipe, and I’ve been doing it this way for more than 20 years.
It’s a steakhouse-quality dish that always comes out tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor. It’s good stuff, y’all!
Plus, it’s budget-friendly. This affordable cut of beef often goes on sale, so snag one and pop it in the freezer until you can call the family together for a delicious meal.
I came up with this dish back in 2000 when my late husband and I had two kids under 2. Money was tight, but we still liked to eat well!
Mike loved the leftovers sliced thinly on a sandwich, and he often requested this amazing dinner. I think he asked for the roast beef just to enjoy his favorite sandwich the next day!
What is Eye of Round?
Eye of round is sold as roasts, but you can also find it as steaks.
It is cut from the rump where the muscles are used for movement, so while the meat is very lean, it is also less tender.
Eye of Round is often ground and sold as ground beef or tenderized and sold as cube steaks.
This is also an inexpensive cut of meat, and with my tips, you’ll turn this into a show-stopping centrepiece roast everyone will love!
How Much Eye of Round per Person?
I usually look for about ½ pound per person of uncooked weight.
Ingredients
- Eye of round roast
- Steak marinade – Allegro and Lawry’s Steak & Chop are my favorites
- Steak seasoning blend – I like McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning
- Garlic – A few fresh cloves, or you can use garlic confit cloves instead.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted is fine.
Other Tools
I use a meat tenderizer for the marinade and tenderizer to penetrate the meat. But, you could also use a fork with long tines.
A digital meat thermometer is also essential! If you overcook this roast, it’ll be dry and tough. Use your digital meat thermometer and cook the roast to 130-F degrees.
How To Make The Best Eye Of Round Roast
This is my foolproof way to make the most tender, juiciest, and best tasting roast!
- Poke holes all over the roast with your meat tenderizer (I loooooveeee my meat tenderizer!) or a fork.
- Pop the roast into a zipper-top plastic bag and add the steak marinade. Refrigerate it overnight or for at least 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 250-F, then drain the meat from the marinade.
- Cut deep slits into the roast with a sharp paring knife, then stuff garlic cloves into the slits.
- Sprinkle the roast with the steak spice seasoning.
- Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides – color is flavor!
- Transfer the roast to a rack in your roasting pan. You could add more steak spice if it came off in the skillet.
- Slow cook the eye of round roast in the oven at 250-F degrees until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130-F.
- Remove the roast from the pan and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
What To What To Serve With Eye Of Round Roast Beef
It’s meat and potatoes time! Serve thinly sliced roast beef with potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes, biscuits, or any of your favorite side dishes.
Tips
- You can use your favorite marinade recipe. I like the convenience of using a store-bought marinade.
- If your garlic cloves are too big, cut them in half or even into quarters, so they go into the slits in the meat easily.
- Let the roast rest! Have a glass of wine, make dessert, or do something while the roast rests before slicing. Trust me; it’s worth the wait!
- Thinly slice the roast against the grain, so it’s the most tender. Only slice what you need for dinner.
Mike’s Favorite Leftover Roast Beef Sandwiches
Chill the leftover roast in the fridge overnight, then it’ll be easier to slice thinly.
I’d make a little garlic mayo (just minced garlic and mayonnaise) and put it in a small container so my late husband Mike could spread it on his bread at lunchtime (no soggy sandwich this way!) and make his ‘roast beef sandwich’.
Mike looovveeedd him some garlic (and hot peppers!). This was one of his favorites, both hot and cold. And mine too, for that matter. 🙂
Got Leftovers?
Use your leftover Roasted Eye of Round in a sandwich or this Philly Cheesesteak Pizza! Add some canned banana peppers to spice it up a bit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Slow-cooking the roast at 250-F will take about 60-90 minutes for an average-sized roast. You can shave off some of that time by letting the roast come to room temperature before putting it in the oven.
Yes, if cooked properly! It’s easy to overcook this roast, and if you do, it’ll be dry, tough, and tasteless. But, if you cook it low and slow and after marinading it, it’ll be one of the best roasts you’ll have ever had!
Yes! Marinade the roast overnight, then pop it into the oven. It’s that simple!
Foolproof Eye of Round Roast
Ingredients
- Eye of Round Roast the size is up to you as we are working with internal temps – not lengths of time for cooking. You can also use a rump roast or another cut of round roast
- 1 bottle steak marinade I like both Lawry’s Steak and Chop & Allegro a lot or any garlic-y one
- Steak Seasoning
- Garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Poke holes all in the roast with a fork or meat tenderizer like I use. Marinate it in the steak marinade in a resealable plastic bag overnight in the fridge.
- When ready to cook, drain the marinade off with a colander. Using a sharp paring knife, cut deep slits all over the roast. Stuff those slits with garlic cloves. Sprinkle the roast with steak seasoning.
- Heat the butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides. Transfer the roast to a rack in your roaster. Sprinkle with additional steak seasoning if desired.
- Place your meat thermometer in the thickest part of your roast. Cook the roast in an oven preheated to 250 degrees until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees. Remove the roast, and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
Do you have an approximation of how long it will take to cook an average-sized roast at 250? Trying to plan when to put it in!
About 60-90 minutes 🙂
What kind of “marinade” did you use?
Lawry’s Steak & Chop – it’s in the recipe 🙂
Do you cut off the strip of fat off the bottom?
i have celiac & would love to make this recipe but this lawry’s marinade has gluten. any suggestions for a gluten free steak marinade or alternative? thanks in advance
You don’t have to use marinade… simply use whatever herbs you like.. garlic and extra virgin olive oil.. it will taste just as good without the steak marinade
In the recipe you state that Lawry is not the one you used in pic. Which one did you use?
Allegro!
unfortunately i have celiac & would love to make this recipe but this lawry’s marinade has gluten. any suggestions for a gluten free steak marinade or alternative? thanks in advance
My favorite way to make my favorite roast!
I’m so glad to hear that!
can you do this in a crock pot?
I’ve tried it before and it doesn’t come out well…the texture is like that of a pot roast and just a waste.
You probably made a mistake because mine turned out fine
Made this tonight for dinner and it turned out to be the best roast I have ever made. I cooked mine until the temp was 140 and it was perfect for us. Thanks for sharing this recipe. Can’t wait to try the leftovers on a philly pizza, which is now on the menu.
I was wondering what you did for Au Jus?
Do you cook it covered or uncovered?
Uncovered 🙂
What steak seasoning do you use? I have started looking more closely at food labels and am trying to make things myself without buying pre-made marinades and seasonings to cut out all the extra mystery ingredients that I am sure are the cause of many people’s health problems these days. I looked at the ingredients of Lawry’s steak marinade and thought I can do this myself with the basic ingredients. I just need a recommendation for a good steak seasoning and I will check out the ingredients and make it myself. Thanks!
I don’t have a particular brand that I use honestly, whatever is on sale really!
How do you spell Perfection? Foolproof Eye of Round Pot Roast! It was the best we have ever had. Will be our “go to” recipe for rare roasts every time! Thanks for the recipe. My 2-3 lb roast took about 2 hours btw. Delish!!!!!
How long do you suppose it would take to roast 4 separate pieces 2-3 lbs each all at once?
I do something similar… sear on all sides with salt and cumin, and throw into the slow cooker while shouting obscenities at my sous chefs. Sauce is a reduced by half sauté mushrooms, onions and what-have-you. Tomato juice (or diluted tomato sauce) with a good dose of balsamic vinegar to deglaze… simmer it down, pour on top of the roast and let it go nuts for as many hours as you can stand. (4+ hours) *throws Michelin Star*
Oh chef, swoons!
*throws hugs and lamb sauce*
Delicious, came out perfect! Leftovers are better than the deli.
I just made this for dinner it was amazing ,thank you for this amazing recipe.I also roasted some potatoes along with it.
I made this last night, using a ‘rump roast’. I used a garlic marinade (you can make your own marinade and steak-spice if wanted), and since the roast did not have much fat, I asked the butcher for a piece of fat for on top of the roast, so my pan drippings didn’t dry out. I roasted directly in the pan, and was able to get enough goodness from the pan to make quite a bit of great-tasting gravy. The insertion of the garlic cloves was a fantastic idea and added extra flavor to the meat slices. With 2 of your recipes under my belt, I will be trying many more – there are so many that look soooo good on your site! Thank you!
I made this again tonight – ‘eye of round’ roasts were on special, so tried one of those (don’t think I have ever made one of those before!). Was quite different, and ohh sooo good! I think even better than the first time! The first time took a bit longer with the rump roast, and the meat seemed to need to be a bit better done, so this time, I did it a bit longer, but if (when!) I do again with eye of round, I’ll only roast until 130F. Can’t believe how simple and fantastic this is!
This is a great recipe, amazing tips! Can’t wait to try making this!
This looks so juicy and delicious!
I am trying your round roast recipe today.
OK I am making this for My Husband and I’s 35th Anniversary dinner, Monday. I will let you know what the family thinks.
Congrats!!!! Us too 35 years on the 26th! Maling mine for thanksgiving.
Can I make this ahead? How would I re-heat and still have it be tender and juicy?
I’ve never tried to make it ahead so I can’t really give direction on this. I’m sorry!
Making this the second time tomorrow. Amazing!!!! Tender, done just right, hubby, picky daughter and myself,, loved it! Thank you so much!
When you say cook at 250 is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?
Fahrenheit
Trying it tonight. God, how I hate peeling garlic. Gonna do it though.
I have been looking for a tried and true Eye of the Round Recipe forever!! I grew up on this roast probably once a week and have never been able to make an Eye of the Round that wasn’t sooo tough. This was PERFECT!! I only cut slits for garlic and S&P (No marinade). 250 Oven for 2 hours. (It hit about 157). I thought it was going to be tough since the thermometer going in seemed like it was still tough. It was not….It was sooo good!! Made Gravy. Next time will sear and cook to 140 and see if it is still just as tender. Thank You for this recipe!!