This eye of round roast recipe is juicy and tender with a perfect medium rare center. It's roasted on a bed of fresh veggies, then topped off with a flavorful homemade gravy to make an elegant and satisfying dinner that's sure to impress anyone who tries it. Plus, in addition to tasting amazing, this homemade eye of round roast is also surprisingly easy to make. In fact, just a few minute's worth of prep work is all you'll need to get it started, and then the oven will take care of the rest after that.
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The Best Eye Of Round Steak Recipe
Now, I may be a bit biased, but I honestly think this round steak recipe is the best way to cook an eye of round roast. I mean, the results are restaurant-worthy, yet it doesn't take a ton of effort to make. And, unlike most roast recipes, this one actually turns out super tender and juicy. So, say goodbye to dry, tough beef roasts.
The meat isn't the only component of this recipe that turns out awesome though; the veggies and homemade gravy that come with it do too. The veggies cook with the beef, so they absorb a ton of the succulent pan juices from it, and the gravy just ties everything together.
Plus, as I mentioned just a second ago, it's practically effortless to make this eye of round steak recipe. You basically just have to add all of the ingredients to a baking dish - at different times - and let 'em all roast in the oven.
Yep, that's all there is to it!
By the way, this recipe will take over an hour to make, but practically all of that time is passive oven cooking. So while the eye of round steak is cooking, you can sit back and relax and sip on one of these low calorie wines. Or, you can make an equally tasty side dish to go with it - like this roasted kohlrabi recipe, this air fryer zucchini recipe, these sauteed brussel sprouts, these mashed potatoes or this sauteed broccoli.
Ingredients
Another reason I love this recipe is that the roast comes together with super simple ingredients. In fact, most of them are pantry staples you probably already have on hand!
Anyway, here's what you'll need to make it:
- 3lb. boneless eye of a round steak
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 large carrot, cut into chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- 10oz. small mushrooms
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
And for the gravy sauce:
- ¾ cup red wine
- 1 ½ cups beef stock + juices from the roasting pan
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ tablespoon cornstarch
Pretty simple stuff, eh?
By the way, I use most of these ingredients to make my famous bottom round roast recipe as well. So I definitely recommend trying that next! For something a little different with fewer ingredients, you have to make these garlic butter steak bites or my tacos de bistec.
How to Cook Eye of Round Steak
Now it's time for the fun part - it's time to make this eye of round roast.
And again, I can't stress enough how easy this recipe is to put together. Even if you've never cooked something like a beef roast you'll have no trouble making the meat turn out perfect.
Anyway, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!
Step 1: Season The Beef
First, you'll want to let your beef coom up to as close to room temperature as possible so it'll cook evenly in the oven. This part is pretty crucial if you want to get the doneness of your roast just right.
So, if you haven't done so already, take the eye of round roast out of the fridge and move it onto your kitchen counter. Then, while you're waiting for it to come to temp, you can preheat your oven to 475°F (246°C).
Next, you'll want to season the meat on all sides with as much salt and pepper as you want - I like to go heavy with the S&P because it really forms a nice crust on the outside of it.
Then, after you've got the salt and pepper loaded on the outside of your roast, you can add the butter, rosemary, thyme, and one minced garlic clove to a bowl and give all of those ingredients a mix until they're well combined.
Now, once your butter mixture is looking good, you can spread about two tablespoons of the garlic herb butter mixture over the top of it.
Step 2: Slow Roast the Beef
Now that the eye of round steak is ready, you can lay the carrots, onions, and the rest of the garlic in a square in the center of a baking dish to make your roasting bed.
Then, you can add the bay leaves and place the beef buttered side down right on top of the veggies. Follow that by coating the rest of the beef with two more tablespoons of garlic herb butter.
Now you can roast the beef for 10 minutes, then bring the oven temperature down to 225°F (107°C) and spread the rest of your seasoned butter over the beef roast. Continue slow roasting the beef like this in the oven for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Continue Roasting
At this point, you'll want to take your whole mushroom caps and toss them in olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Anyway, once the roast reaches 115°F, you can remove the beef roast from the oven and transfer it to a plate or cutting board. Then, using aluminum foil, you'll want to make a tent over the beef and let it rest for 20 minutes. Also, at this time, you can remove the veggies from the baking dish and place them into a bowl.
Step 4: Make the Gravy
While the eye of round roast is resting, you can make the gravy for it!
To do this, just add the beef stock and the rest of the cooking juices from the baking dish to a saucepan. Then, you can follow that up by adding the wine and Worcestershire sauce to the pot as well.
Next, you can add in the cornstarch and whisk everything together until it fully combines.
Finally, you'll want to set the pot on the stovetop over medium heat and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the gravy is thickened.
Step 5: Serve
Now that the gravy is all set and ready to go, you can transfer your rested eye of round roast to a cutting board if it's not already on one and slice it up.
Then, after you've done that, you can serve the sliced roast beef with the gravy poured on top and veggies on the side.
Enjoy!
How To Store Eye Of Round Steak
This recipe for eye of round roast makes enough for about 6 servings, so it should make enough for a big family dinner or a small party. If you're lucky, you might even end up with some leftovers.
Speaking of leftovers, you can store any extra eye of round roast beef you end up with in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Alternatively, if you want to store it for even longer, you can freeze the cooked beef in a freezer-safe bag - or airtight container - for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat Eye Of Round Roast
When you're ready to enjoy your eye of round roast beef leftovers, the best way to reheat 'em is in the oven.
First, you'll want to preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) and wrap the beef in aluminum foil. Then, you can place it on a wire rack and cook it until the beef is warmed through - which will take around 20 minutes, depending on the size of your roast.
With that said, if you're planning on just reheating a small piece of the roast, you can use a microwave to reheat it.
FAQs About This Eye of Round Recipe
How do you cook eye of round so it is not tough?
The best way to cook eye of round steak, so it's not tough, is to cook it to medium rare and nothing more. Since eye of round is a leaner cut of beef, cooking it to medium - or medium well - will dry the beef out since there isn't much fat to keep it tender.
Also, letting your eye of round roast rest for several minutes after it cooks is another great way to keep it tender. Resting the roast allows the juices to reabsorb back into the meat and then stay there after it's cut.
How long does eye of round roast take to cook?
Eye of round roast takes more than an hour in the oven to cook. You'll need about an hour and 20 minutes for a medium rare roast, plus 20 minutes of resting under aluminum foil to keep it nice and tender. If you want your eye of round roast to be more well done, it'll take a little longer to cook.
How do you tenderize an Eye round roast?
There are a few other ways to tenderize an eye of round roast. You can pound it before cooking it, you can dry brine it in salt, or you can even use an acidic marinade to break down the muscle fibers of the roast as well.
Wrapping It Up
Well, that's how to cook eye of round steak!
There's just no beating this eye of round roast recipe when it comes to making a showstopping dinner. The meat is wonderfully tender and packed with so much flavor, and adding the gravy on top and the veggies on the side makes for a complete meal.
Anyway, I hope you like this steak recipe as much as my family and I do.
As always, if you give this recipe a try, be sure to leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts.
More Dinner Recipes
If you're looking for more delicious easy dinner recipes, I have a bunch on the blog I think you'll enjoy.
Check these out next:
- Thin pork chops
- Cast iron steak
- Carne picada
- Chicken thighs
- Skirt steak
- Ground turkey
- Steak tips
- Oven roasted sausage
Oh, and make sure to check out my Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube channel for even more tasty tastiness. I post new recipes on them weekly!
How To Cook Eye of Round Steak PERFECTLY (Tender and Juicy)
This eye of round roast recipe is juicy and tender with a perfect medium rare center. It's roasted on a bed of fresh veggies, then topped off with a flavorful homemade gravy to make an elegant and satisfying dinner that's sure to impress anyone who tries it. Plus, in addition to tasting amazing, this homemade eye of round roast is also surprisingly easy to make. In fact, just a few minute's worth of prep work is all you'll need to get it started, and then the oven will take care of the rest after that.
Ingredients
- 3lb. boneless eye of a round steak
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon fried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 large carrot, cut into chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- 10oz. small mushrooms
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
For the gravy:
- ¾ cup red wine
- 1 ½ cups beef stock + pan drippings
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Bring your chunk of beef to room temperature. This will ensure it is cooked through evenly.
- Season the beef with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Mix butter with 1 minced clove of garlic and herbs in a bowl. Season the butter with a good pinch of salt if you use unsalted butter.
- Preheat oven to 475°F.
- Pat the beef dry with paper towels (any moisture will have an impact on the butter, and you will not be able to spread it evenly over the beef).
- Spread 2 tablespoon of the butter over the beef.
- Make the roasting bed of carrots, onions, and remaining garlic in a baking dish. Add bay leaf. Place the beef on top of the veggies, butter side down. Spread another 2 tablespoon of the butter over the top of the beef.
- Roast the beef for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 225°F degrees. Spread the remaining butter over the beef.
- Slow-roast the beef for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, toss the whole mushroom caps with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Scatter the mushrooms around the beef. Continue to roast for another 40-50 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 115°F for medium rare.
- Remove the beef from the oven and place it onto a plate or a cutting board. Tent the beef with aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes. Remove the veggies and place them into a bowl.
- Make the gravy; add beef stock and cooking juices from the baking dish to a saucepan. Scrape any bits. Add wine and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk in cornstarch. Do not worry about clumping, as the beef stock and wine will cool down the cooking juices. If you do find them too warm, whisk cornstarch with 2 tablespoon of cold water before you add it to the pan. Set the saucepot on the stove over medium heat and cook for 2-3 minutes. or until the gravy is thickened.
- To serve: slice the beef against the grain and serve with the gravy on top and veggies on the side.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 470Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 48g
Nadine says
This ended up so tender! Thanks Joe for this recipe :)
Vivian K says
Yes! And delicious 😋 the butter, garlic, Rosemary,thyme, lemon, salt,pepper, just did it for me. Gravy delicious. This recipe easy just high cook first 10 slow the rest time. Very tasty
Macy says
The garlic butter seasoning on this added a ton of flavor. Overall this roast was simple to make and really tasty...we'll be making it again soon!
Julian says
It really was tender and had plenty of flavor.
Janelle Kessler says
The cooking method was spot on! Internal temp of 115 seemed a bit low, but my mother was SO pleased. It rested about an hour before I served it.
debra says
I have never had roast beef come out this good EVER. I'm buying your book right now! thank you.
Trish says
This roast beef recipe is delicious!! So flavorful and easy. Followed the directions exactly as written except the bay leaves as I didn’t realize I didn’t have any. Family cleaned their plates!! I’ll be making this again.