This eye of round roast requires only a few minutes of prep work. When it’s all done, use the drippings to make a deliciously savory gravy.
I love using my Dutch oven to cook roasts. The fact that I can both sear and slow-cook the meat in the same pot makes it my favorite for almost every roast recipe.
In fairness, I actually don’t sear the meat with this recipe but rather roast it on high heat. It’s so delicious that way, especially with the rosemary and thyme marinade we make for it.
I’ve always been a fan of fewer dishes and more flavor, and combined with the many requests for an eye of round roast, I decided to deliver just that. I guess everyone was tired of me directing them to my beef rump roast recipe as an alternative!
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How to make eye of round roast
What you will need:
- Eye of round roast: This lean cut of beef can be found in nearly any grocery store or butcher shop.
- Olive oil: We are simply using olive oil as the base for our ‘marinade.’ You can substitute it for avocado oil or your favorite vegetable oil.
- Rosemary and thyme: I lay these on thick and heavy, and they provide so much flavor to this dish.
- Sea salt: Sure, you can use any kind of salt, though if you settle on table salt, which I don’t recommend, cut the amount in half.
- Black pepper: I like a decent amount of pepper, so while this may call for a little more than you might expect, consider it a compromise as it’s still not as much as I would normally use.
- Minced garlic: No roast would be complete without that deep, roasted garlic flavor we all love.
I like to serve this roast sliced up with homemade gravy ladled over each piece. After we make our roast, I’ll walk you through the gravy-making steps.
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil with the rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the minced garlic to the olive oil mixture and mix well.
Step 2: Pat the roast dry with a paper towel, and then coat it on all sides with the seasoned olive oil.
Step 3: Preheat the oven to 450°F. I like to let the seasonings marinate and give the roast time to come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
Step 4: Once the oven is ready, place the roast in the Dutch oven uncovered and bake for 20 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 250°F and bake for an additional 1 hour. I recommend checking the internal temperature after an hour of baking.
I baked my roast for one hour and fifteen minutes, and it came out medium-rare with an internal temperature of 145°F.
Step 5: Once the roast reaches the desired internal temperature, remove it from the oven and tent with aluminum foil while you make the gravy.
To make the gravy.
See all those brown bits of stuck-on goodness at the bottom of the pan? That’s called fond, and it imparts an incredible, drool-worthy flavor into the gravy.
Step 1: To make the gravy, set the Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat and add a splash of white wine vinegar. Scrape up all those bits of fond and add in the flour.
Step 2: Add beef broth, onion powder, and garlic powder. Simmer the gravy for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently until it thickens. Remove from heat and salt and pepper to taste.
Tips
- If you want to lock in more moisture and flavor, you can sear the roast in the Dutch oven on the stovetop before transferring it to the oven.
- This lean cut of meat is best served thinly sliced against the grain.
- For cold roast beef sandwich meat, refrigerate the cooked roast overnight before slicing.
- You can substitute apple cider vinegar for the white wine vinegar.
- I like to tent my roast with foil after pulling it out of the oven and let it rest for 30 minutes before slicing. This helps to lock in the moisture.
- Feel free to substitute white wine vinegar with red wine vinegar.
What is eye of round roast?
This lean cut of beef is taken from the rump area of the animal which has lots of movement muscles. All this movement means you won’t find a lot of fat or marbling in this type of cut.
Even though the eye of round is much leaner than, say, a chuck roast, you can still achieve deliciously flavorful meat.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Budget-friendly: Because this is a leaner cut, it’s much less expensive than a traditional roast.
- One pot recipe: I love recipes that allow me to do multiple steps all in the same pot, cutting down the dishes.
- Easy and flavorful: With easy-to-follow steps, this meal is perfect for busy nights when you want a flavor-filled dish without much to do.
Storage and reheating
You can store cooked eye of round in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. I love this roast served up cold like a deli sandwich over homemade bread.
It also freezes well in tightly sealed zippered bags for up to 3 months.
FAQS
How do you cook eye of round roast so it isn’t tough? Eye of round is typically tougher than other cuts of beef because it comes from a high-movement area on the cow. However, when roasted in a Dutch oven, the meat can turn out much more tender.
How can I tell when the eye of round roast is done cooking? The best way to check for doneness on a roast is to use a thermometer to check internal temperature. I recommend an internal temp of 145°F for a medium-rare roast.
Wrapping up
Eye of round roast is an economical cut that can be cooked to perfection in the Dutch oven. This is a great choice of meat for families looking for budget-friendly meals that don’t skimp on flavor.
Did you like this recipe? If so, I would love for you to leave a review below! And if you are looking for more great dutch oven recipes, check out these next.
Eye of Round Roast
Equipment
- 6 qt dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 Ib eye of round roast
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tbsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
Gravy
- drippings from the roast
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour or sub cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cup beef broth
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil with the rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the minced garlic and mix well.
- Pat the roast dry with a paper towel, and then coat it on all sides with the seasoned olive oil.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Allow the seasonings to marinate and give the roast time to come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
- Place the roast in the Dutch oven uncovered and bake for 20 minutes. Then, reduce the temperature to 250°F and bake for an additional 1 hour.
- Once the roast reaches the desired internal temperature, remove it from the oven and tent with aluminum foil while you make the gravy.
- To make the gravy, set the Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat and add a splash of white wine vinegar. Scrape up all those bits in the bottom and add in the flour.