How long do you cook a top round roast?

A standard three-pound top round roast needs around 30 minutes in a 375° F oven to become rare. But it's not time that matters when cooking meat, it's temperature. And every oven and cut of meat will cook slightly differently. If you prefer your roast rare, cook it until a thermometer reads 125° F. For medium or medium-well, cooking times can take up to 45 minutes or even more. Until you get to know your oven with a specific cut, check the internal temperature of the roast with a probe thermometer inserted into the thickest part.

How do I make a beef roast tender?

A top round roast and others cut from the leg of the animal are leaner and contain fibrous, tough connective tissue (namely collagen). So that means you either want to roast them quickly to a lesser doneness as described in this recipe. Or low and slow by either smoking or braising, as with short ribs . So if you are roasting a round roast at higher temperatures, cook it quickly and aim for rare (125° F). Alternatively, you can cook a roast at a lower oven temperature, around 300° F until the meat is fork-tender and easily shredded. This is the style of most traditional pot roasts. For faster braising, you can cube the meat into two-inch pieces. Browning the pieces first in a hot pan with a little oil will add more flavor to your dish. Then you can braise the pieces in a little broth in your Instant Pot, slow cooker, traditional pot, or dutch oven over medium-low heat.

What pans are best for roasting beef?

While I am partial to my cast iron skillet for a quick roast, you can roast larger cuts like top rounds in a variety of pans. Any oven-safe pan, a sheet pan with a rack set inside, or a dutch oven are all great vessels for the high-heat cooking of roast beef. If you prefer your roast with a thin crust, choose a pan with low sides so the heat of the oven can circulate around as much of the roast as possible.

Tender Beef Top Round Roast [Versatile Recipe]

Ingredients

Scale

1 2-to-4 pound beef top round roast, at room temperature
3 tablespoons of high-heat cooking oil or pastured lard or beef tallow
2 to 3 teaspoons of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
2 cups total of unsalted beef broth and/or red wine

Spice Ideas

2 teaspoons of ground coriander
2 teaspoons of onion powder
2 teaspoons of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of smoked paprika (pimentón)
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of ground fennel seed

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Roast Beef

Preheat and prep. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Let the beef sit on the counter for about an hour to bring it to room temperature.
Season and truss. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper or your favorite spice rub and additional spices. Wrap butcher's twine around the roast in two or three evenly-spaced places and tie it off at the top (optional).
Brown the beef. Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers add the beef to the pan with one of the top sides down. Let it cook in the skillet undisturbed for two to three minutes until the surface is an intense brown. Adjust your heat as necessary. Rotate the roast to brown the adjacent top side, then again for both of the small ends (you may need to hold it up with tongs to sear the small ends). Place the roast right-side up in the skillet and immediately transfer it to the oven.
Finish in the oven. Cook the roast to your desired internal temperature. For a three-pound roast, this will take about 30 minutes for rare to medium-rare. Begin checking the roast after 20 minutes with a probe thermometer inserted horizontally into the thickest part to gauge its doneness. Aim for 125° F for rare and 140° F for medium.
Rest and slice. Remove the roast from the oven and rest it lightly tented with foil for 15 minutes. Do this on a plate or platter if you plan to make the beef jus with the pan.

Beef Jus (Pan Sauce)

Transfer the skillet to the stove. After removing the beef from the oven take it out of the skillet to rest. Then place the skillet over medium-high heat and add beef stock or wine (or both).
Add the stock. Reduce the liquid by half, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to release drippings (flavorful little bits).
Taste and season. Taste the beef jus and add salt and pepper to your liking. Finish the jus with chopped fresh herbs, butter, or a splash of heavy cream.

Notes

Chef's Tips

Brown the outside of the meat well. Don't be afraid to turn the heat up high on the stove to brown the meat before roasting. The oil should shimmer it's so hot.
Rest the finished roast. This is a standard best practice for any piece of meat. You'll always see juices escape when you cut into any meat, but resting it after cooking lessens the amount. For the most succulent slices, rest a larger roast on the counter lightly covered with foil for at least 20 to 30 minutes.
Scrape the pan for a flavorful beef jus. When the roast is done cooking and you take it out of the pan you'll see little brown bits in the bottom. These contain loads of umami and the seasonings you added to the meat before cooking it. So add a few cups of broth or stock to the pan. Then as it simmers scrape these bits up with a wooden spoon. The result is a classic, simple, downright flavorful sauce.

Author: Christina
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 to 50 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Roasting
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Diet: Gluten Free

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 (about) ¼-inch slice of roast beef
Calories: 37
Sugar: 0.1 g
Sodium: 290.3 mg
Fat: 3.7 g
Carbohydrates: 0.2 g
Protein: 0.9 g
Cholesterol: 1.4 mg

Keywords: cast iron roast beef, top round roast beef recipe, easy roast beef, beef jus