Holiday Beef Roast
Affordable and Delicious Way To Celebrate
My Holiday Beef Roast is not only delicious, but budget friendly. This bottom round roast is seasoned well, oven seared, and then bakes up low and slow revealing a tender and flavorful dish.
Serve sliced thin with a mushroom gravy and creamy mashed potatoes. It’s something special for the holidays that will leave you with more money for spreading holiday cheer.
There’s a recipe card with all of the instructions at the end of the post, but first you’ll want to read these tips to become a meat master.
Cheap and Easy
This bottom round roast is a lot more affordable than my Rib Roast Recipe or my Beef Tenderloin Recipe. In my opinion, it is just as delicious.
The beauty of this cut of beef is that it is so satisfying when prepared correctly but it is also served sliced very thin. Therefore, a smaller roast feeds more people.
This is different than the rib roast or the tenderloin which is sliced thicker.
What Other Cuts Of Beef Can I Use?
I do not think you will have trouble finding a bottom round roast. I see them at every store.
The one pictured above was around fifteen dollars. You can also use the same method with a round rump roast or a chuck roast.
I have a Chuck Tender Roast recipe on my site as well that is similar but slightly different. Both are delicious.
The Smaller The Better
It is best to use a smaller roasting pan that just fits the roast. This typically creates less surface area for drippings to evaporate.
You will want the drippings to make a delicious au jus to serve with your beef slices. If you do not have a roasting pan, you can use a dutch oven or an oven safe skillet as well.
The beef should not be covered at all while cooking.
Better To Be Pink
In this case, it is better for the roast to be pink than overcooked. You can always further cook the slices by adding them to hot au jus.
You do not want to overcook this roast, as it will be very hard to chew. A little pink is the perfect doneness for this beef.
There is no blood left in any meat we eat and buy from a store. The pink you see in meat is a liquid protein that changes color as the meat is prepared.
You can read all about this on the USDA official website.
It’s All Gravy
You can make the au jus I have listed on the recipe card, but you can also make this delicious mushroom gravy pictured above. The beauty of this gravy is that it can be made ahead of time and reheated!
I suggest making both the au jus and the mushroom gravy.
Check The Temp
I highly suggest getting yourself a meat thermometer for cooking anything but especially this beef roast. The done temperature is key when cooking a perfect beef roast.
There are plenty on Amazon that are under twenty dollars.
Holiday Beef Roast
This holiday beef roast is not only delicious, it is budget friendly. This bottom round roast is seasoned well, oven seared, and then bakes up low and slow revealing a tender and flavorful roast. Serve sliced thin with a mushroom gravy and creamy mashed potatoes. Something special for the holidays with more money left for spreading holiday cheer.
Ingredients
- 3 lb Bottom Round Roast
- 4 to 6 tablespoons of Montreal steak seasoning
- 1 tablespoon of onion powder
- 2 teaspoons of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of dried parsley
- 1/2 tablespoon of dried rosemary
- 2 tablespoons of grainy, brown mustard
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons of a cooking oil, if you use an olive oil be sure to use one with a high smoke point *explanation in post
- 2 cups of beef broth
- *use a small roasting pan that just fits the roast
Instructions
- Before prepping or cooking the roast, take it out of the fridge and leave it on the counter for thirty minutes before doing anything with it.
- In a bowl mix together the soy sauce and grainy mustard until combined. Add the onion powder, dried rosemary, dried parsley and black pepper, mix well.
- After your roast has taken its rest, pat it dry with some paper towels.
- Rub the roast all over with the cooking oil of your choice. I still use vegetable oil, I prefer chemicals.
- If there is a fat cap on the roast you want that side DOWN in the pan. After rubbing the roast with oil, season all over really well on the sides and the bottom with the Montreal Steak Seasoning. Place the roast with the fatter side down in the roasting pan.
- Heat your oven to 475 degrees.
- On the top of the roast, spread the mustard and soy sauce mixture all over the top, coating it well and you can spread it a little down the sides.
- Add the beef broth to the bottom of the roasting dish.
- Place the roast in the oven for 20 minutes and then reduce the heat to 375 degrees. Cook for approximately 20 minutes per pound. Try not to open the door during this time. Every oven is different so I highly suggest using a meat thermometer.
- For medium rare, I take this roast out when it hits 125 degrees which is typically after around 45 to 60 minutes of cook time. If you want this roast more well done, pull the roast when it is 135 degrees. The roast will continue to cook out of the oven for up to ten more degrees of doneness.
- When you remove the roast from the oven, place the roast in a warm spot, preferably on top of the stove. Cover loosely with one piece of foil and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
- You will want to slice this roast thin. This is typically sliced against the grain, which is usually started at the thinnest tip of the meat, not the full length (long ways) direction.
- You can use the meat drippings for an au jus by adding it to a sauce pan and adding a slurry of a tablespoon of corn starch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water. Whisk this in to the meat drippings when it is simmering. It will thicken in a minute or two of simmering.