Eye of Round Roast

Going into my first roast was a bit intimidating. A big chunk of meat and instructions that call for the oven to remain closed for nearly 3 hours? “What have I gotten myself into?”, I wondered. Turns out my worries were mostly unfounded, as the recipe calls for little preparation and a lot of anxious sitting around. Follow this recipe and you too can enjoy a delicious roast that requires almost zero actual effort.

Recipe adapted from The Domestic Man

Difficulty: Easy
Active Prep Time: About 30 minutes
Total Prep Time: About 3 hours
Special Equipment: Food Processor (Optional)
Serves: 5 – 6

Ingredients:

• Eye of Round Roast (2-8 pounds - I used a 3 pound roast)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 - 6 cloves garlic, chopped finely

Instructions:

1. Chop up the garlic (I used a food processor) and mix it with the thyme, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

2. Remove roast from packaging, rinse and pat dry. Rub the seasonings on the roast, and let it sit out for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 500ºF.

4. Place the roast in a roasting pan lined with non-stick tin foil and put it in the oven, fatty side up. Roast uncovered, for 7 minutes per pound. Since this roast was three pounds, I cooked it for 21 minutes.

5. After 21 minutes is up, reduce heat to 225ºF and cook for another 2 hours. (If you’re using an electric oven instead of gas, turn the oven off completely instead of turning the heat down to 225º. Apparently electric ovens retain their heat better. Either way, do NOT open the oven during this period. Just walk away.)

6. After 2 hours is up, check the internal temperature with a thermometer. It should be between 130º – 150º. Place the roast on a cutting board and cover with tin foil. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

7. Carve the roast into ½ inch slices and serve with sides of your choice. Pour any leftover meat juices onto the slices.