The Best Eye Round Roast Recipe

This is the best eye round roast recipe. Eye round roast beef can be roasted fast or slow in the oven (both directions included)!

If you are looking for the best way to cook eye of round roast, look no further! I've included the instructions for a slow roast and a fast roast. Both are great options depending on how much time you have.

The eye of round roast is a type of rump roast from the hindquarters of the cow. It doesn't have much fat and can be considered a tougher cut of meat.

However, the eye round roast is a good cut of beef if cooked and served correctly. There are a few tricks that can help ensure the slices of beef will be tender and not chewy. Make sure you check out those tips in the section labeled "How to Make Eye of Round Roast Tender."

Cooking a round roast brings me back to memories of Sunday dinner at my parent's house. You don't need to save this tender eye of round roast beef recipe for Sundays or a special occasion! I've included both the slow and fast roast versions so you can have it any day of the week!

Try a few of these other family-favorite beef recipes. Old-Fashioned Sloppy Joes are an easy weeknight meal. Texas Roadhouse Chili is a great comfort food dinner.

Why You'll Love This Eye Roast Recipe

• This beef eye of round roast recipe is really easy and super delicious!
• Slow cook the eye of round roast in the oven or use the faster 1 hour cooking method for your busy schedule. Both will leave you with a tender roast beef.
• The prep time for cooking eye of round roast is minimal and then you get the added benefit of basking in the delicious roast beef aroma while it cooks.

Recipe Ingredients

You'll need the following simple ingredients to make this Beef Eye Round Roast Recipe. Check out the list of substitutions below.

For the Roast

Eye of Round Roast is by far the most important ingredient in this recipe.

Olive Oil holds all of the spices on and helps with searing.

Garlic Powder adds a delicious umami flavor to the roast.

Kosher Salt has the classic salty flavor while also accentuating the other flavors in this eye round oven roast.

Black Pepper adds flavor and a slightly spicy kick.

Butter can be salted or unsalted and adds a delicious flavor to the beef roast.

For the Gravy

Roast drippings add so much flavor to gravy.

Beef broth is the main base for this gravy.

Flour and Water serves to thicken the gravy.

Substitutions

• Substitute 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon Beef Base for the beef broth.
• Substitute equal parts beef stock for beef broth.
• Vegetable oil can replace olive oil.

Heat a large oven-safe sauté, roasting pan, or dutch oven over medium-high heat.

When the pan is hot, put the fat side of the whole roast down first. Sear each side of the roast, with the exception of the side opposite the fat layer.

Put the butter in the pan and turn the roast in it until covered. Leave it with the side opposite of the fat layer down. Insert the oven-safe thermometer into the thickest part of the roast.

Place roast in the preheated oven.

Slow Roast: The eye of round roast cooking time is about four hours or until the internal temperature is 140 degrees F. Check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer.

Fast Roast: put it in the oven for an hour or until the internal temperature is 130 degrees F. It will continue to cook as it rests. Check the temperature with an instant read thermometer.

Let the roast rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes.

While the roast rests, put the skillet on medium heat and add the beef broth to the beef drippings. Scrape the bottom of the pan while mixing to be sure you don't miss any drippings.

Combine the water and flour separately until there are no lumps.

Add the flour mixture to the simmering gravy and mix it in. Simmer the gravy for another 2 minutes. Strain out extra drippings if there are any.

Cut the roast into very thin slices against the grain.

Pro Tip: It is very important that the roast is sliced as thin as possible. It makes it less chewy.

How to Make Eye of Round Roast Tender

Check out these tips and tricks to help your roast have great flavor and a nice tender bite.

• Cutting the meat against the grain and super thin (almost shaved) will help your roast to be more tender.
• Using a meat thermometer probe will help you to track the temperature without opening the oven to keep checking the roast. This makes it a foolproof recipe and ensures that you end up with a delicious, juicy roast.
• Don't overcook the roast. A roast cooked medium to medium-rare will far less chewy than a well done roast. The eye of round roast cooking time will vary slightly based on the thickness and size of your roast.
• Allow the roast to rest before slicing it. If it is sliced too early the juices will run out of the meat causing it to be less juicy.
• Even if you aren't making mashed potatoes, it is highly recommended to make the gravy to serve over the roast beef. It add so much flavor and extra moisture to the meat.

What to Serve with Roast Beef

Try some of these delicious side dishes for roast beef.

Satuéed Green Beans or Sautéed Frozen Green Beans add some healthy green veggies to this dinner.

Baked Sweet Potatoes or Southern Candied Yams are a delicious addition to eye of round roast.

Storage and Reheating

• Storage: Meat should not be left at room temperature. Store any leftover roast beef in an airtight container, plastic bag, or a plate covered with aluminum foil for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
• Reheating: There are many ways to reheat your roast beef dinner. You could heat it in the oven on a wire rack in a baking sheet. You can lay the slices in a baking dish and pour the gravy over it. You could also heat it up in a pan with the gravy.
• Freezing: Once the roast has cooled, store in an airtight container or freezer bag with some of the juices. Freeze for up to three months.

How to use Leftover Roast

Leftover Beef Roast Sandwiches are one of our favorite ways to use the meat the next day. Sauté onions, bell peppers and mushrooms. Add the shaved meat at the very end. Put it on a hoagie roll with cheddar cheese, banana peppers, shredded lettuce and mayo.

The meat can be used fried rice, enchiladas or on top of a salad!

Variations

• Marinated Eye of Round Roast: Place the eye of round roast in a large ziptop bag. Add ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and mince 3 cloves of fresh garlic to the bag. Squeeze out the air and seal it. Place it in your fridge in a dish (in case it leaks) overnight. Roast as directed in the recipe card.
• Crock Pot Eye of Round Roast: Add 1 cup beef broth, minced garlic, sliced onion, halved red potatoes, and carrots to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
• Herb Rubbed Eye of Round Roast: After searing the roast add a tablespoon of dijon mustard, fresh minced garlic, fresh thyme and fresh rosemary to the outside of the roast. Cook it according to the recipe card below.

Frequently Asked Questions

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📖 Recipe

The Best Eye Round Roast Recipe

This is the best eye round roast recipe. Eye round roast beef can be roasted fast or slow in the oven (both directions included)!

4.88 from 16 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Slow Roast Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Author: Jen Talley

Cost: $15

Equipment

• 1 large oven safe sauté pan (or skillet)
• meat thermometer probe

Ingredients

For the Roast

• 3 pound Eye of Round Roast
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)

For the Gravy

• roast drippings
• 1 cup beef broth (or 1 cup water & beef bouillon)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup water

Instructions

Slow Roast

• Preheat the oven to 200° F.
• Check the roast for any silver skin. Carefully remove it with a knife trying to remove as little meat as possible. Cover the roast with olive oil. Then rub the garlic powder, salt, and pepper over the entire roast.
• Place a large oven-safe sauté pan on the stove on medium-high heat. Once it is hot add the roast fat side down first. Sear each side of the roast except the side that is opposite of the fat layer.
• Once you get to the last side, add the butter. Turn the roast in the pan to cover it in butter. Set it back down on the side opposite of the fat layer. Add the meat probe thermometer and put it in the oven.
• Roast uncovered for 4 hours or until the eternal temperature reaches 140°F. Because you are roasting at a low temperature, there will be very little carryover cooking.
• Take the roast from the pan and place it on a cutting board. Let it rest for at least 15 minutes. Put the skillet on medium heat and add the beef broth to the drippings. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen up any of the drippings.
• Combine the water and flour together and mix it well until there aren't any lumps. Add it to the simmering gravy and mix it well. Gently simmer the gravy for 2 minutes. If there are any big bits of drippings you can strain them out.
• Slice the roast against the grain as thinly as possible (almost shaved). Serve the eye of round roast with the delicious gravy.

Fast Roast

• Preheat the oven to 350° F.
• Follow steps 2-4 from above.

  Place it in the oven and roast uncovered for about 1 hour. Remove the roast when the center has reached 130° F. It will continue to cook as it rests out of the oven.
• Follow steps 6-8 for making the gravy and slicing the roast.

Notes

Tips:

• Cutting the meat against the grain and super thin (almost shaved) will help your roast to be more tender.
• Using a meat thermometer probe will help you to track the temperature without opening the oven to keep checking the roast. This makes it a foolproof recipe and ensures that you end up with a delicious, juicy roast.
• Don't overcook the roast. A roast cooked medium to medium-rare will far less chewy than a well done roast. 
• Allow the roast to rest before slicing it. If it is sliced too early the juices will run out of the meat.
• It is highly recommended to make the gravy to serve over the roast beef. It adds so much flavor and it's great for reheating the leftovers.

Storage: Store any leftover roast beef in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Reheating: Reheat it up in a pan on the stove with the gravy. Or in the oven with the gravy.

Freezing: Once the roast has cooled, store in an airtight container or freezer bag with some of the juices. Freeze for up to three months.

Food Safety

• Don't use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
• Wash your hands after touching raw meat.
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
• Meat should not be left at room temperature.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.