How to make a bottom round roast in the oven

A pot roast is a thing of beauty. Flavorful, filling, comforting. It’s the sort of thing to make just for you and enjoy leftovers for days, or to present to friends and family for dinner. Chances are they’ll eat seconds, and ask for the recipe. The star of our classic pot roast recipe is a reliable and affordable staple: bottom round roast. It comes from the leg, so it’s a lean, well-used muscle. But it has a little fat cap, which means it has good flavor. When you roast it with the most basic fridge and pantry items — carrots, celery, potatoes, onions, stock, vinegar – you wind up with something that’s anything but basic.

Classic Pot Roast With Bottom Round 

Yield 6 servings
Time 5 to 6 hours

Ingredients

1 bottom round roast, approximately 3 pounds
2 red onions, peeled and quartered
4 large carrots, roughly chopped
6 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
2 pounds small fingerling or new potatoes
12 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon fresh horseradish, minced (note: if using jarred horseradish, use less vinegar, or substitute fresh ginger)
5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 to 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, tied in bundle
1 small handful whole black peppercorns
½ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
2 32-ounce cartons of chicken or beef stock
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon cooking oil

Instructions

1. If cooking in the oven, preheat to 325 degrees. If using a slow cooker, preheat on “low” setting. Then salt the roast on all sides and leave to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

2. In a large Dutch oven, the biggest you’ve got, heat the cooking oil over medium heat. Place the bottom round roast fat side down in the oil and sear each side of the roast 4 to 5 minutes, until a good brown crust is formed. Once all sides of the roast are seared, remove from the pan and set aside, or place directly in slow cooker if that’s what you’re using.

3. Turn the heat down to medium, add onions to the pan, lightly salt, then let them cook in the oil and rendered beef fat, about 5 minutes, until a good brown color starts to show. Add carrots and celery; allow to cook 4 to 5 minutes, until lightly colored. Add garlic cloves, cook until lightly colored. Add horseradish, cook until fragrant, about a minute and a half. Add potatoes, stir them around to get a good coating of fat on them. Add peppercorns and herbs, stir in and let cook until fragrant (the fresh thyme will sound like it’s popping). If you’re using dried herbs, wait to add them after adding the liquids.

4. Deglaze the pan with the white wine vinegar, let it cook down, then add the cider vinegar, and let that cook down. Then, add the soy sauce and bring to a boil.

5. If using a Dutch oven:
-Add enough stock to just cover the roast.
-Bring back to a boil, cover, and place in the oven for 3 and a half to 4 hours, until fork tender. You can check halfway through to make sure you have enough liquid.

Or

If using a slow cooker:
-Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker, being sure to scrape the pan for all the good bits at the bottom.
-Add enough stock to almost cover the bottom round roast, cover the slow cooker and cook on “low” overnight or on “high” for 4 and a half to 5 hours, until fork tender. You can check halfway through to make sure you have enough liquid.

Contrary to popular belief, beef bottom round roast is quite flavorsome. It has very low fat content which can make it quite tough, but cook it properly, and you will be left with ‘melt in the mouth’ succulent meat.

Bottom round roast is a lean cut of meat from the rear leg of a cow. It is also known as rump roast and beef silverside in the UK and Australia. It comes in rather large portions of around 4 to 5 pounds and is considered to be one of the cheaper cuts of meat.

However, the round roast has lower fat content than any other type of red meat. This is because the bottom round of a cow is highly exercised, and has less marbling or intramuscular fat.

Since the bottom round is lean, it can be quite tough to cook. You cannot grill or dry cook it, as it will turn chewy and tough. Of course it is not filet mignon, but if cooked the right way the bottom round roast can be a hearty and flavorsome piece of meat.

So, the best ways to cook a beef bottom round roast is by braising and roasting. Know more about the ways of cooking the perfect round roast.

Here are some ways you can choose from.

Also known as pot-roasting, braising is the process of first searing the meat and then cooking it at low heat for a long period of time. The meat is partially submerged in broth or water, and the pot is covered with a lid. This method of cooking is best for the tougher cuts of meat which have less fat. When cooked for a long time, and at very low heat, the meat becomes soft and succulent and falls off the bone. Braising definitely is a lengthy process but the end result is worth the wait.

Braised Beef With Almond Sauce

Servings: 6
Calories per serving: 519

Ingredients :-

For the beef
▸ Beef bottom round roast, 1 (2-3 lb.)
▸ Onions, 2 cups (thinly sliced)
▸ Canned diced tomatoes, 1¾ cups (drained)
▸ Canned roast red bell peppers, 1½ cups (drained and cut into strips)
▸ Dry sherry, 1 cup
▸ Beef broth, 1 cup
▸ Olive oil, 1 tablespoon

For the almond sauce
▸ Almonds, ½ cup (toasted)
▸ Parsley, 3 tablespoons (chopped)
▸ Beef broth, 1 tablespoon
▸ Garlic cloves, 2
▸ Egg yolk, 1 (large, hard-boiled)
▸ Black pepper, ¼ teaspoon (ground)
▸ Salt, ¼ teaspoon

For the spice rub
▸ Dried marjoram, 2 teaspoons
▸ Paprika, 2 teaspoons
▸ Black pepper, 1 teaspoon (freshly ground)
▸ Salt, ¼ teaspoon

Method :-

For the spice rub
▸ Combine the marjoram, paprika, black pepper and salt for the spice rub in a bowl.
▸ Trim the fat from the beef and rub the spice mix on it. Keep aside.

For the almond sauce
▸ To make the almond sauce, blend the almond, parsley, broth, garlic, egg yolk, salt and pepper, till everything forms a paste.
▸ Cover with a cling film and refrigerate.

For the beef
▸ In a large Dutch oven, heat oil and brown the beef on all sides. This seals in all the flavors.
▸ Remove the meat from the pan and cover with an aluminum foil.
▸ Now, add the sherry into the pan and scrap all the juices and brown bits in the pan.
▸ Put the meat into the pan and add the onions, tomatoes, broth and bell peppers. Cover tightly with the lid.
▸ Preheat the oven to 350° F and bake the beef for 3 hours or until the meat shreds easily with a fork.
▸ Remove the meat from the pan and let it rest before cutting it into 2-inch pieces.
▸ In the same pan, add the almond sauce with the leftover juices and stir till it is blended. ▸ Place the pan over medium heat and cook for 8-10 minutes.
▸ Once the sauce forms a slightly thick consistency, remove from the heat and pour over the beef.
▸ Serve with cooked carrots and peas.

Slow Cooked Beef Round Roast

Servings: 6-8
Calories per serving: 340

Ingredients :-

▸ Beef bottom round roast, 1 (3 lb.)
▸ Onions, 2 (sliced)
▸ Bay leaves, 2
▸ Garlic cloves, 1 (minced)
▸ Clove (optional), 1
▸ Water, 1 cup
▸ Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons
▸ Cornstarch, 2 tablespoons
▸ Salt and pepper, to taste

Method :-

▸ To prepare the beef cuts, rub each side with salt and pepper.
▸ Make shallow cuts in the meat and stuff it with minced garlic.
▸ Place 1-2 onion slices at the bottom of the crock pot and then the meat on top of it.
▸ Add the remaining onion slices, garlic, bay leaves, clove, soy sauce and water.
▸ Put on the lid and set the cooker at a low cooking temperature. Cook for about 8 hours.
▸ For a thick gravy, make a mixture of 2 tablespoons each of cornstarch and water.
▸ Pour this into the crock pot, change the temperature to a high setting and bring it to a boil.
▸ Stir constantly and cook till the gravy thickens as per your preference.
▸ This slow cooker bottom round roast recipe is served best with mashed red skin potatoes and steamed vegetables.

Roasting is a dry-heat cooking method where no liquid, like broth or wine, is used. The meat is usually prepared with a spice mix or rub and cooked on a wire rack or in a pot. This method is perfect to cook large cuts of meat. Slow roasting at a low temperature allows the meat to cook well and retain all the moisture.

Simply Juicy Roast

Servings: 10
Calories per serving: 360

Ingredients :-

▸ Bottom round roast, 1 (5-6 lb.)
▸ Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons
▸ Onion, 1½ tablespoon (grated)
▸ Garlic cloves, 3 (finely minced)
▸ Paprika, 2 teaspoons
▸ Rosemary, 2 teaspoons (fresh and chopped)
▸ Black pepper, 1½ teaspoon
▸ Dried thyme, 1 teaspoon
▸ Sea salt, 1 teaspoon
▸ Goya Adobo seasoning, ½ teaspoon
▸ Sazón (seasoned salt), ½ teaspoon

Method :-

▸ In a large-sized bowl, combine olive oil, onion, garlic, paprika, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, sea salt, Goya Adobo and Sazón.
▸ Using a spatula, mix the spices and seasonings well.
▸ Coat the marinade mixture evenly over the meat cut from all sides.
▸ Cover the bowl with a lid and refrigerate it for about 1-2 hours, so that the meat absorbs the spices.
▸ Preheat the oven to about 325° F.
▸ Remove the meat from the refrigerator and put it in a roasting pan.
▸ In the oven, place the pan on a wire rack.
▸ Roast the meat for about 25 minutes per pound.
▸ Check whether the meat is cooked or not with the help of a meat thermometer. For rare or medium rare, the internal temperature of the meat should be 125° F and 135° F respectively.
▸ Remove the meat when the desired temperature is achieved and place it in a foil.
▸ Allow it to cool. Resting is the key to a juicy piece of meat.
▸ Serve this oven cooked bottom round roast with dumplings or noodles.

Thyme and Garlic Beef

Servings: 4-6
Calories per serving: 200

Ingredients :-

▸ Bottom round roast, 1 (2-3 lb.)
▸ Garlic, 3-4 cloves ( minced and mashed)
▸ Olive oil, 2 tablespoons
▸ Thyme, 1 tablespoon (fresh and chopped)
▸ Sea salt, 1-2 teaspoon
▸ Black pepper, ½ teaspoon (freshly crushed)

Method :-

▸ Combine the minced garlic, thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil.
▸ Rub this mix over the meat and set aside for 20 to 30 minutes.
▸ Do not refrigerate.
▸ Preheat the oven to 425° F and roast for 10 minutes.
▸ Now, reduce the heat to 300° F and bake for 30-40 minutes.
▸ For the meat to be rare, the internal temperature should be 120° F to 130° F. Use the meat
thermometer to check the temperature.
▸ Once the meat is done, remove from the oven and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
▸ Serve with roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes.

Tips to Get your Meat Right Every Time

♨ Before cooking always bring your meat to room temperature. This helps the meat to cook evenly.

♨ Add root vegetables to make an even more hearty meal.

♨ Tie your beef to get an evenly cooked meat. If your meat is already tied by the butcher then do not remove the strings. If it is not, then fret not, just get some butcher’s string and tie it by yourself. A uniform shape lets the meat cook evenly and of course, it looks better too!

♨ Use fresh herbs. Yes, the key to a good flavorsome roast is herbs like rosemary, marjoram and thyme. They go wonderfully well with beef. Use the fresh ones for more flavor.

♨ Always use the right pots and pans. Since this cut of meat can be quite big, a proper cooking vessel is very important. Dutch ovens, slow cookers, crock pots or any large and deep soup pot with a lid work well for roasting and braising these kinds of meat.

♨ Low heat and slow cooking works best. Yes, this requires patience, but with the end result being so delicious, you can definitely put that extra effort (read patience!). Cooking in low heat allows the meat to cook evenly and cooking slowly allows the connective tissues to break, which in turn gives you that ‘melt in your mouth’ meat.

♨ Resting the meat is very important. If you fail to rest your meat, and cut it immediately, all the juices are going to just run out, leaving you with a piece of dry meat and a puddle of delicious juice. Usually it is recommended to rest the meat for at least 20 to 30 minutes before carving it.

♨ Invest in a good meat thermometer. A meat thermometer is very helpful to judge whether the meat has been cooked properly or not. Cooking the meat to the exact temperature will ensure that you always have the perfectly cooked rare or medium-rare piece of meat.

So, the next time you plan a large dinner or get-together, try cooking a bottom round roast. It is less expensive and serves a lot of people. What’s more, cooking a bottom round roast is not as difficult as it may seem. You can just plonk it in the oven a couple of hours before the party starts and serve it to the guests when they arrive.

What temperature do you cook a bottom round roast?

Does a bottom round roast get more tender the longer you cook it?

Do you have to sear a roast before putting it in the oven?

How long does a 3 lb roast take to cook?