Bottom round roast is an inexpensive cut of meat that can be flavorful and delicious. This affordable piece of beef is also known as round roast, bottom round rump roast, round tip roast or a bottom round pot or oven roast. If you’re wondering how to cook such a roast, it’s very easy – no matter what it’s called.
The bottom round roast is relatively lean, so it responds best to braising, roasting and stewing. Steaks from the bottom round roast can also be cut into thin strips for stir-frying as well.
The Crock Pot method
Like most roasts, you can easily cook a bottom round roast in a Crock Pot or slow cooker. This is probably the most foolproof method. A Crock Pot will cook the meat at a relatively low temperature over a long period of time. This ensures that the meat will be tender and not tough. Here’s how you would cook bottom round roast in your Crock Pot.
1.) Heat up a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil or olive oil in a large skillet. Once the oil is hot, put the roast into the skillet. Turn it so that each side has a chance to get brown.
2.) Once all sides have browned, you can remove the roast from the skillet and put it onto a plate.
3.) Deglaze the skillet. To do this, add at least a cup of liquid, such as water, wine, beef broth or beer and scrape up all of the loosened brown bits. This makes a flavorful broth than can be poured over the roast.
4.) Plug in your Crock Pot and turn it on. The “high” setting will get your roast done in about 4-5 hours. The “low” setting will take about 8-10 hours. The low setting is great if you want to have a hot meal for you waiting when you come home from work!
5.) While the Crock Pot is heating up, you can prepare some veggies. Onions, peeled whole potatoes, peeled carrots, and celery stalks are popular choices to go with this roast. Place them in the bottom of the Crock Pot and lay the roast on top. You may add additional cooking liquid if you want.
6.) Season the roast with salt, pepper and any other herbs or spices that you might desire. Place the lid on your Crock Pot and let the cooking begin.
7.) When the roast is done with its cooking cycle, you can remove it and serve. You can check for doneness by poking the roast with a fork. If the fork slides in easily, the roast is done. If the fork meets resistance, it needs to cook a little bit longer. To serve, you can either cut it into slices or shred it with two forks.
The oven method
1.) Start by heating some olive oil or vegetable oil in a skillet. When the oil is hot, place the roast in the skillet and turn it to make sure it is browned on all sides.
2.) Place roast in Dutch oven (or any other large oven-proof casserole dish with a lid).
3.) Add the desired vegetables around your roast . Again, you can use whole peeled potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, peppers – whatever sounds good and can endure a long cooking time.
4.) Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Deglaze the skillet. To do this, add at least a cup of liquid, such as water, wine, beef broth or beer and scrape up all of the loosened brown bits. You can even use tomato sauce as your liquid. Pour over the roast and vegetables. Season with salt and pepper if desired.
5.) Place the lid back on the Dutch oven and cook the bottom round roast at 300 degrees for 4-5 hours.
6.) When the roast is done, you may slice it or shred it with two forks.
A bottom round roast is a very economical meal for a hungry family. Fortunately, it’s very easy to prepare and the leftovers store well. Try either of the above methods for a fantastic, delicious meal.
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