How to Cook Eye of Round Roast

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: November 21, 2019

Eye of round roast is a cheap, lean cut of beef with a tendency to be tough if cooked improperly. However, when cooked the right way, this cut of meat transforms into a delicious, juicy roast. Try these three methods for cooking eye of round roast.

Prep time (Oven): 10-15 minutes
Cook time: 3-3.5 hours
Total time: 3-4 hours

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cooking the Roast in the Oven

1
Preheat oven to 500ºF (260ºC). This method cooks the meat at a high temperature, turning off the oven, then letting the meat to remain in the heat of the oven. The result is similar to prime rib (pink and juicy inside, and crusty outside). This method takes roughly three hours.
2
Wash your eye of round roast. Rinse the meat with cool water. Using hot water could promote bacterial growth that could make you sick. Pat the meat dry with paper towels.

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3
Season the meat. For a basic, tasty combination, mix salt, pepper, ½ teaspoon of dried thyme, and garlic. You will want to aim for four to six chopped cloves of garlic. Mix all of these ingredients, then rub the mixture all over the meat.^{[1]
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- Some people prefer to use a steak seasoning (a mixture of herbs, salt and pepper.) Try adding a dash of olive oil to whatever seasonings you use. It will help the seasonings stick to the meat.^{[2]
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4
Place the seasoned cut in a roasting pan. Make sure the roast is fatty side up. If you do not have a roasting pan, you can also use a Dutch oven.
5
Place the roast in the oven. For an evenly cooked roast, place the roast on the middle rack of the preheated oven.
6
Calculate the cooking time for your roast at 7 minutes per 1 lb. of meat (7 minutes per 453g). When you have cooked your roast to these specifications, turn the oven off but do not open the door or remove the roast. You want the heat to remain in the oven so that the meat still continues to cook slowly, allowing the surface to crisp and the meat to become moist and rosy pink.^{[3]
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7
Allow the roast to sit in the warm oven for an additional 2 1/2 hours. Do not open the door. When 2 1/2 hours has passed, remove the roast from the oven and check that the internal temperature has reached 145ºF (65ºC). Slice the roast thinly, serve, and enjoy!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Cooking the Roast on the Stove-Top

1
Remove excess fat from the surface of the roast. Cooking roast on the stove top allows the roast to absorb the flavored liquid. Excess fat prevents the meat from completely absorbing all of the flavoring. After trimming the fat from the roast, season the entire roast with pepper.^{[4]
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2
Place a large Dutch oven on the stove. The Dutch oven should generally be able to hold five quarts.
3
Place two teaspoons of oil (olive or salad) into the pot and add the roast. Heat it to a medium-high temperature.
4
Add the other ingredients to the pot. Once the meat has browned, add 2 1/2 cups (567ml) of water, two beef bouillon cubes and a bay leaf to the Dutch oven until it boils. When the pot reaches a boil, cover the Dutch oven with a lid and simmer the eye round roast for 50 minutes over a low flame. While it simmers, the roast will become tender and infused with flavor.^{[5]
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5
If you would like to boil carrots and potatoes in the mixture with the roast, let the mixture and the roast simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, add chopped carrots, potatoes, celery, etc. to the pot. Heat the liquid to boiling and once it boils, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 more minutes.
6
Remove the roast from the pot when it is done. If you have a meat thermometer, take the roast off when it reads 135ºF (57.2ºC). If you do not have a meat thermometer, cut into the meat. If the inside is still red, keep cooking it until it is a nice pink color.
7
Allow the eye round roast to sit for 15 minutes. Let the meat marinate in its juices, then slice the roast into thin portions.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Cooking the Roast in a Slow Cooker

1
Turn your slow-cooker on to a low setting. This method will take roughly 8 to 10 hours and will result in an incredibly juicy roast. While the slow-cooker is warming up, season the eye round roast with salt, pepper and any other seasonings you prefer.
2
Add the other ingredients to the crock pot. Slice one onion and use it to line the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the seasoned roast to the pot with 1 cup (237ml) of water, 2 tbsp. (28ml) soy sauce (optional) and two bay leaves for flavoring.
- Other recipes call for garlic, thyme and wine to season the slow cooker. You can also slice up carrots and celery.
3
Cover your slow-cooker with the lid and simmer the roast on a low setting for 8 hours. Remove the roast after 8 hours. Allow the roast to marinate in the juices.
4
Make the gravy. The onion, seasonings and juices from the roast will create gravy when it is cooked slowly for a long period of time. For a thicker gravy, after removing the roast, mix 2 tbsp. (28g) cornstarch and 2 tbsp. (28ml) water together in a bowl, then pour the solution into the slow cooker gravy. Stir the ingredients together until they begin to boil and thicken.
- You can use ⅓ cup flour instead of cornstarch.
5
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

How long do I cook a six and a half pound roast in a slow cooker, and on what temperature?

Community Answer

Cook it on low, and check after about seven hours. If the veggies look done, try taking a sample of the roast, and cook another hour if necessary.
Question

Can I use my pressure cooker to cook an eye of the round roast?

Community Answer

That's not the best method to use: a pressure cooker's steam is just not right for meat like this.
Question

How long do I need to cook a 3.95 pound beef roast?

Community Answer

It could take 1–1 and a half hours, or 4–6 hours if you are slow cooking it.

Warnings

Do not cross-contaminate. Remember to always wash your hands, surfaces and cooking utensils with hot soapy water when they come into contact with raw meat.

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