We have all the tips and tricks to teach you to make restaurant-quality, juicy, tender Eye of Round Roast Beef that will wow your family and friends. The roast has a flavorful herb seasoning that creates a golden crust, and the beef is extra tender and juicy. The quick pan gravy is infused with wine and a knob of butter for the perfect sauce.
They eye of round roast is a budget friendly cut of meat that is very lean and great for any type of dinner.
Looking for specifics on the recipe? Use the table of contents to click on sections of the recipe.
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- Why you'll love our Tender Eye Round Roast
- Ingredients You Need to make an Eye of Round Roast
- Equipment
- How to cook Eye of Round Roast
- Eileen's Tips for Success
- Temperatures for Eye Round Roast
- Tips for the Juiciest Eye Round Roast
- Vary the Seasonings for Eye Round Roast
- Storage Tips for Leftover Eye Round Roast Recipe
- FAQs about making an Eye Round Roast
- What to serve with your Eye Round Roast
- Similar recipes to our Eye Round Roast
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why you'll love our Tender Eye Round Roast
- This beef round roast is simple enough for a novice cook, yet delicious enough to impress your dinner guests.
- Our eye of round roast is budget-friendly and perfect for Sunday dinners or special holiday meals.
- This easy roast beef recipe is foolproof, with the best tips for a perfect roast, every time.
- When you serve this perfectly seasoned, tender beef with your favorite sides, you'll have a delicious dinner or holiday meal that your whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients You Need to make an Eye of Round Roast
- eye of round roast beef - The eye round is a lean cut of beef. It benefits from a marinade and seasonings.
- olive oil - Olive oil adds flavor and helps develop a nice crust on the eye of round roast
- Kosher salt - The eye of round is very lean. I have found through recipe testing, adding a layer of Kosher salt on the meat up to 12 hours before roasting helps to tenderize the meat.
- coarse black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder: These are the base seasonings for a flavor eye of round.
- herbs: fresh rosemary or thyme (optional) Herbs add flavor to the meat.
Pan Gravy for Eye of Round Roast
- yellow onion: The onion adds flavor to the juices that release from the roast as it cooks. This will flavor the pan gravy.
- cornstarch: The cornstarch will thicken the pan gravy.
- unsalted butter: The butter will add flavor to the gravy.
- red wine: a flavor enhancer for the gravy.
- beef broth
Equipment
- 10" x 7" Roasting Pan with Rack
- Measuring Spoons and Cups
- Pastry Brush
- small whisk
- small mixing bowl
- carving knife
- Cutting Board
- Instant Read Thermometer
How to cook Eye of Round Roast
This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
Place the meat on the counter 1 hour before roasting. If the meat wasn't seasoned the evening before. This is when to add the olive oil and seasonings.
- Coat the beef with olive oil and the seasoning mixture. Place the meat in a roasting pan with the sliced onions. Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the roast.
- Preheat the oven to 500°F and roast the beef for 15 minutes. Turn the heat to 325°F and roast. Once you remove the roast from the oven, allow it to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Eileen's Tips for Success
- Allow the beef roast to come to room temperature for one hour before placing it in the oven. This will help prevent the roast from being tough.
- Starting this roast beef recipe at a high temperature will help give it a nice crust. Then you need to cook it at a lower temperature to prevent it from overcooking and drying out.
- Depending on the size of the roast, you may need to adjust the cook time. A good rule of thumb is to cook 15 minutes per pound.
- A roasting pan with a wire rack will keep your beef out of the pan drippings and give it a nice texture on the outside.
- Lightly cover the top of the roast with aluminum foil while it rests and the juices settle before slicing the meat. This keeps the meat juicy.
- The best way to prevent roast beef from drying out when reheating it is to cut it into thin slices and then warm it in a small amount of beef broth or beef stock for some extra moisture.
Temperatures for Eye Round Roast
Rare - temperature 125°F/52°C
Medium - temperature 145°F/63°C
Medium Well - temperature 150°F/66°C
Well done - temperature 160°F/71°C
Tips for the Juiciest Eye Round Roast
- An external meat thermometer gives an accurate internal meat temperature. This is the one I use
- The eye of the round can be seasoned the evening before and kept in the refrigerator until one hour before roasting.
- Bringing the roast to room temperature allows the juices to redistribute, producing a juicier and more tender eye round roast.
- For the most tender results, slice the eye round roast very thin, and against the grain.
- Use a sharp carving knife.
Vary the Seasonings for Eye Round Roast
Want to change up this recipe?
- Seasonings: Garlic salt can be used instead of garlic powder and salt.
- Umami: For extra flavor, add a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce to the gravy.
- Spice: If you like a touch of heat, add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the seasoning mix.
- Herbs: If fresh herbs are not available, add a teaspoon of dry herbs for 1 Tablespoon of fresh herbs. Rosemary and Thyme are my top choices.
Storage Tips for Leftover Eye Round Roast Recipe
Storage: Store leftover beef eye roast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freezing: You can also freeze leftovers by placing them in a freezer-safe plastic bag and storing them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven in an oven-safe baking dish covered with foil until warmed through.
FAQs about making an Eye Round Roast
No, they are different cuts of beef. An eye of round is leaner and less tender than a rump roast, which has more marbling.
Yes, as far as beef prices go, eye of round is an economical cut of beef.
This cut of roast beef is from the hindquarters of the cow. A very lean cut of meat that takes well to roasting.
When any cut of meat is lean, it means very little fat is on the meat. Lean cuts of meat, like this eye round, benefit from a dry rub or marinade.
What to serve with your Eye Round Roast
Similar recipes to our Eye Round Roast
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Eileen xo
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
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Eye Round Roast Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, make a dry rub: whisk together 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, and ½ teaspoon onion powder. Note 3
- One hour before roasting time, remove the 3 pound eye of round roast beef from the refrigerator, rub 1 Tablespoon olive oil over the entire roast. Then apply the dry rub seasonings on the roast. Let the roast rest on the counter for an hour before roasting time.
- 20 minutes before roasting the beef, preheat the oven to 500°F/260C.
- Add the 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin to the roasting pan. If using an oven safe internal meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the meat. Place the seasoned roast on the roasting rack and place the roasting pan on the center rack of the preheated oven. Roast the beef for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes of roasting at the high heat, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F/165°C. Roast for another 40-45 minutes depending on the preferred level of doneness. See note 7 for meat temperatures.
- Once the meat is at your preferred internal temperature, remove the pan from the oven. Place the roast on a cutting board. Cover the meat with aluminum foil to rest about 15 minutes to allow the juices to settle before slicing the meat thinly, and, against the grain.
- Serve with pan gravy and enjoy.
- While the meat is resting, make the pan gravy by placing the roasting pan over medium heat. Add 3 Tablespoons dry red wine to the pan drippings, use a wooden spoon to scrape the pan to pick up brown bits, continue to stir 1 minute, the red wine will begin to absorb.
- Reduce heat to low, stir in 1 cup beef broth to the pan, and simmer while making the cornstarch slurry.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons water until smooth and silky. Mix it into the beef broth. Bring the heat on the stove to medium and frequently stir until the mixture thickens slightly. Taste the pan gravy for seasoning. If needed, add a dash of kosher salt and black pepper to your liking. Serve with the eye of round roast and your favorite side dishes.
Karen
I tried it for first time last night…excellent… i have been cooking many years but had never made gravy…. It came out perfectly ( better than the way my mother had made)! Thank you
Karen
Eileen Murphy Kelly
I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Karen. This is one of my go-to's for dinner.I am making this over the weekend. I am so glad you enjoyed the gravy as well. I make a pot pie with the leftovers. Thank you for coming back and letting me know the recipe worked for you.
Rosie
What a great recipe. Tender and juicy
Eileen Murphy Kelly
Wonderful, Rosie. Glad you enjoy the roast.
Diana a
Made this eye round roast today. It was so easy and the family loved it tender and juicy. I’ll be using this recipe again