As the name suggests, butchers cut eye of round roast from the round -- the sinewy, muscular hind end of the beef. The resulting cut, while rich in flavor, tends to be somewhat dry and tough. Although braising the roast slowly in liquid is often the cooking method of choice for this economical roast, cooking at high temperatures caramelizes the outer crust, seals the juices and intensifies the flavor of the roast.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 2
Season the eye of round roast with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Alternatively, use a rub made of a combination of herbs and spices such as garlic powder, onion salt, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper or paprika.
Step 3
Place the roast on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, with the fat side up. Don't cover the pan and don't add liquid.
Step 4
Put the pan in the oven and sear the roast for approximately 15 minutes.
Step 5
Reduce the oven temperature to 275 F and continue to cook the meat until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers at least 135 F. Alternatively, insert an oven-proof thermometer into the meat at the beginning of cooking time.
Step 6
Remove the roast from the oven and cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Let the roast rest for 15 to 20 minutes. The rest period is important because it raises the temperature of the meat by 5 to 10 degrees. It also allows the juices to settle through the meat and makes slicing easier.
Step 7
Place the roast on a cutting board and slice it thinly across the grain.