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Christmas Eye of Round Roast (An Easy & Foolproof Recipe!)

A beautiful plate of a homemade, thinly sliced, and rosy-pink Eye of Round Roast, being served with creamy mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus at a Christmas dinner.

An elegant and classic recipe for an ‘Eye Round Christmas Roast,’ perfect as the centerpiece for a holiday dinner. This dish features a lean eye of round roast that is coated in a fragrant, homemade paste of black peppercorns, garlic, and spices. The roast is cooked using a reverse-sear style method: first seared at a high temperature to create a dark, crispy crust, and then slow-roasted at a lower temperature until perfectly cooked. It is served with a simple, tangy, and creamy no-cook horseradish sauce.

Ingredients

  • For the Eye Round Roast:
  • One 3- to 4-pound eye round roast
  • 1/4 cup black peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • For the Horseradish Sauce:
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Roast: Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  2. In a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle, grind the peppercorns, salt, sugar, garlic, and optional red pepper flakes into a thick paste.
  3. Rub the paste all over the roast to completely coat it.
  4. Place the roast in a large oven-safe skillet or a small roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes.
  5. Without opening the oven, turn the temperature down to 250°F. Continue to roast for an additional 60 to 70 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 135°F for medium-rare.
  6. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
  7. Make the Horseradish Sauce: While the roast rests, mix together the sour cream, heavy cream, horseradish, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and lemon juice in a medium bowl.
  8. Thinly slice the rested roast against the grain and serve with the horseradish sauce.

Notes

  • Special Equipment: An instant-read thermometer is highly recommended for this recipe to ensure the roast is cooked to the perfect temperature.
  • The cooking method of starting hot and then reducing the temperature is key to developing a crispy crust while keeping the inside tender and juicy.
  • Resting the roast for at least 30 minutes before slicing is a crucial step that allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in a more flavorful and moist meat.
  • The spice paste can be made ahead of time.