How To Cook A Top Round Roast In The Oven

Last Updated on 17th December 2021 by

If you’re looking for a cheap cut of beef, top round roast is the way to go. What makes it cheap is that it is tough and lean. That means it’s not very flavourful and it can be kind of chewy, unless it is prepared properly. However, top round roast can be somewhat flavourful compared to some of the other cheap cuts of beef.

This kind of beef can be made into steak as well, but it is usually served instead as a round roast. Most people will slice it into relatively thin slices for roast beef. This kind of beef comes from the inside of the round is a really good source of protein.

How to cook a top round roast so that it comes out tender and succulent? It should be marinated before it is cooked. This helps trap juices inside the beef and give it a softer and tender structure. What also helps is if it is sliced thinly and sliced against the grain.

Before you learn how to cook a top round beef roast, you need to know how to prepare it for cooking.

The roast can be prepared a few different ways, although the most common method for how to cook a beef top round roast is to cook it in the oven. I’m going to show you that method primarily, but also cover some other cooking methods you can use if you would prefer something different.

I find that for the best flavour and easiest overall cooking method, cooking the roast in the oven is the way to go.

How to Cook a Top Round Roast in Oven

One of the most important things about cooking a top round roast is to make sure you start cooking at a temperature that is really high. From there, you need to turn the temperature down after the outside of the roast becomes brown. This is one of those insider secrets for how to cook a top round roast in the oven that helps give it that perfect colour but also ensures it is cooked all the way through as well.

I recommend using a roasting pan for cooking in the oven for the easiest cooking method. Be prepared for a lengthy cooking time. It is supposed to cook for about an hour and 15 minutes altogether. The majority of roasts do take a long time but I want to throw that cooking time out there from the start so you know what to prepare for.

You can make a rub for your roast as well to flavour the outside of it. I would suggest a mix of primarily dried oregano and dried thyme. And then you add to that smaller amounts of rosemary, onion powder, garlic powder and kosher salt.

I also like to use just a little bit of dry mustard and ground black pepper in my rub. For a four-pound roast, that’s about four teaspoons of the thyme and oregano, with one teaspoon of the dry mustard and black pepper, and then two teaspoons of the other seasonings.

How to cook a top round oven roast? Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, mix the spices together in a bowl. You can grind or crush them using a pestle or food processor and then coat your meat with your spice mixture.

Next, put the roast inside a baking dish and place it on the wire rack. Bake it for just 15 minutes at 450 degrees. Then, reduce your heat to 325 degrees. How long to cook a top round roast at 325 degrees? It needs to cook at that temperature for about an hour.

You can tell the roast is done when it reaches an internal temperature of about 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Use your kitchen thermometer to stick the centre of the roast and get an accurate temperature reading.

Once the roast has finished cooking, you can take it out of the oven and cover it loosely in tin foil for about 15 minutes. This traps the flavour in and keeps it from escaping. After that, slice the roast into thin pieces to serve.

How to Cook a Top Round Roast in the Oven with Vegetables

What if you want to serve your top round roast with some roasted vegetables? You can cook them all together if you like. Just slice them as you want and place them around the roast in the baking dish.

Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes and most other vegetables can cook for the same amount of time as the roast. It will be nice and tender when the roast is finished cooking.

How to Cook a Boneless Top Round Roast

If you are cooking a boneless roast, you may be wondering if your cooking time or temperature will change. The bone definitely adds some mass to your roast, but it shouldn’t significantly affect how you cook the roast.

You do want to cook the roast based on its weight. I gave you a temperature and duration for a four-pound roast, and you have to adjust that based on the size of your roast.

However, you don’t have to cook the roast for longer just because it has the bone in it; you’ll simply base your cooking time on the weight of the overall roast.

How to Cook a Top Round Roast in a Slow Cooker

You can also use a slow cooker to make a top round roast. As I said, the oven is not the only way to cook this meat.

Of course, the slow cooker is going to take longer than the oven as a method for cooking the roast. A three-pound roast can take about 8 hours in the slow cooker. Be sure to season it before you put it in the cooker and cover the lid for starting up the cooker.

You can cook on low for about 8 to 10 hours, or if you want to cook on high and speed things up, you can cook the roast for 5-7 hours.

How to Cook a Top Round Roast in Crock Pot

Another way to cook your top round roast is to use a Crock Pot. Some people confuse slow cookers with Crock Pots, but the crockpot is actually a brand name for a kitchen appliance, and it is simply a type of slow cooker.

In other words, not every slow cooker will be a Crock Pot, but you can use the Crock Pot to cook your top round roast the same way as you would in a slow cooker.

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Pauline Loughlin

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I'm Pauline, a retired patisserie chef, mother of four and now a full time food blogger! When i'm not cooking i love long walks, reading thriller novels and spending time with my grandkids. Head to my about me page to learn more about the woman behind the food! You can find my Facebook here