Me-Me’s Eye of Round

The best things about this recipe are: it’s affordable (at about $16 for a 3 pound roast, your family of 4 can eat on it at least 3 times), it’s easy, and it’s great for gifting. I make these and place a roast in a gift bag with two loaves of bread and my husband and I deliver these to his partners the week of Christmas every year. It’s a big hit.

Preheat the oven to 500 F. Yes, 500 F.

Make a note of the weight of the roast—write it down, unwrap the roast and then throw the wrapper away. This will be used to calculate cooking time. (I see you digging in the trash to find the label. I see you!)

Season the entire exterior of the roast with seasonings. I like to start with the salt then wait a minute or two. The salt pulls some moisture out of the roast which allows the garlic powder and pepper to stick better.

Coat the whole outside of the roast. When I say coat it I mean really coat it. Like the seasonings are protecting the roast from the air in the room. Don’t let any roast show through the seasoning. When you say “Is this enough?” add more.

You will cook the roast for a short time which we will calculate in a moment, then leave it in the oven for the remainder of 2 hours with the oven off and the door closed. No matter how long the oven is on, the roast stays in the oven for a total of 2 hours.) It will be perfect every time.

Now, to calculate your cooking time.

Medium rare is what I recommend: To get this result, cook for 5 minutes per pound. 6 minutes a pound would result in a medium roast.

Example, if the roast weighs 5 pounds and you like beef medium rare, then the oven will be on for 25 minutes because 5 minutes per pound times 5 pounds equals 25 minutes. You’ll then turn the oven off and leave in for another hour and 35 minutes (for a total of 2 hours).

Let’s try another. Say you want it medium and your roast is 3.5 pounds. So, 3.5 pounds times 6 minutes per pound equals 21 so the oven will be on for 21 minutes then off for the remaining 1 hour and 39 minutes.

I recommend that you set 2 timers. One for 2 hours and the other for your calculated cooking time. Just push start on both timers at the same time.

Place the roast on a roasting pan and place the pan uncovered into the pre-heated oven. Start both timers!

When the timer set to the cooking time expires, turn the oven off but do NOT open the door (not even a crack).

Leave roast in the turned “off” oven for the remainder of time left on the 2 hour timer. When the second timer goes off, remove pan from the oven and you are ready to slice it.

Slice it very thin and have on your favorite bread.

If you make it to take somewhere, wrap it in foil after it’s done and place it in a large Ziplock bag. The high heat sears the outside, so the inside is very juicy and the juice will leak out of the foil! So make sure to put it inside of a bag.

This will last refrigerated for several days and is great cold. I love it on toasted rye bread with mayo and mustard.

PS: This recipe is one I grew up watching my Me-Me make, although she made it in an old metal refrigerator that had been converted into a smoker. It’s great in a smoker at low heat for about 2 hours.