Easy Herb-Rubbed Roast Beef

An easy, low-effort roast beef recipe for Sunday dinners, holiday gatherings, and effortless meals throughout the week.

I've always been bad at making roast beef. For the longest time, I think it came down to confusing pot roast with roast beef. It's an easy mistake to make when the names are so similar, but once I understood the difference, everything started to make sense.

Pot roast is cooked covered in a pot, while roast beef is typically cooked uncovered in the oven. That's how I remember it!

I love making both because they're great for meal prepping. Having a cooked roast in the fridge takes away some of the stress of figuring out dinner every day, especially when I haven't planned ahead or remembered to thaw anything.

After a little trial and error, I've finally figured out how to make a roast beef I'm happy with. For me, it comes down to two things: the seasoning rub and the cooking time.

Since roast beef is cooked uncovered using dry heat, much of its flavour comes from the seasoning on the outside. I like combining wet ingredients with dry spices to create a flavourful rub that coats the meat and helps form a delicious crust. It's a simple way to build flavour without making the recipe complicated.

My two favourite combinations are hoisin sauce, barbecue sauce, and rosemary, or beef bouillon, barbecue sauce, and rosemary. Both give the beef a savoury, rich flavour that works beautifully for a Sunday roast or sliced thinly for sandwiches.

I also like to tuck garlic into the meat before roasting. I make small cuts throughout the roast and insert half cloves of garlic into each opening. I love the flavour it adds, but you can adjust the amount to your liking.

One of my favourite things about making roast beef is how much you can do with the leftovers. Serve it with mashed potatoes and your favourite sides for dinner, then slice it thinly the next day for sandwiches. You can also add it to fried rice, stir-fried noodles, or other quick meals throughout the week.

And when fall and the holidays roll around, roast beef is especially useful. Serve it with cranberry sauce for a festive sandwich, or bring a whole roast to the Thanksgiving table. It looks impressive, but the preparation is surprisingly simple.

It's become one of my staple recipes for a reason: a little effort upfront gives me delicious meals for days.

Recipe details

Herb-Rubbed Roast Beef

Oven-roasted · Meal prep · Holiday dinner

A simple roast with garlic, rosemary, and a savoury sauce-based rub.

325°F / 163°C

3 lb roast

Ingredients

1 eye of round roast, approximately 3 lb (1.36 kg)
8–10 garlic cloves, halved, or to taste
Fresh or dried rosemary, to taste

Option 1: Hoisin rub

Hoisin sauce
Barbecue sauce
Rosemary

Option 2: Savoury beef rub

Beef bouillon paste, such as Better Than Bouillon
Barbecue sauce
Rosemary

For either rub, combine enough sauce and seasoning to coat the roast evenly. Adjust the quantities to the size of your roast and your preferred flavour.

Instructions

Prepare the beef. Remove the roast from its packaging, pat it dry with paper towels, and trim any excess surface fat if needed.
Add the garlic. Use a small, sharp knife to make shallow cuts throughout the roast. Insert half cloves of garlic into the openings.
Make the rub. Mix your chosen sauces with rosemary until you have a thick, spreadable mixture. Coat the roast evenly.
Roast uncovered. Place the beef on a rack in a roasting pan and cook in a preheated 325°F (163°C) oven. Use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature rather than relying on time alone.
Rest before slicing. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and rest it loosely covered for around 15–20 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain.
Serve or save for later. Enjoy with mashed potatoes and vegetables, or refrigerate promptly for sandwiches and meals throughout the week.

A few important cooking corrections

Your original timing needs one adjustment to make this recipe more reliable.

Cooking time: An eye of round roast doesn't necessarily need an hour per pound at 325°F. A 3 lb roast may take around 1–1¾ hours, depending on its shape, starting temperature, and oven. Begin checking early with a meat thermometer.
Internal temperature: A reading of 55–57°C (131–135°F) is rare to medium-rare territory, not medium-well. For whole beef roasts, Health Canada recommends cooking to an internal temperature of 63°C (145°F), followed by a three-minute rest. If you prefer a more well-done roast, cook it longer, understanding that eye of round is a lean cut and can become dry.
For sandwich slices: Chilling the cooked roast before slicing can make it easier to cut very thinly. Store leftovers in the refrigerator within two hours, and use them within 3–4 days.
For a better crust: Patting the beef dry before applying the rub helps. A wet sauce-based coating adds flavour, but it won't produce quite the same dry, browned crust as a traditional oil-and-spice rub.

One final note: because both of your rubs contain sauces that can brown quickly, keep an eye on the outside as the roast cooks.

Enjoy!