When you think of Easter dinner, if you’re anything like me, odds are your mind goes to one specific component: The meat.
Not easter eggs or easter desserts, the delicious main course that feeds all of the Easter guests.
Growing up in a huge Italian family, we always had two Easter dinners to go to.
And at each dinner, the star of the show was always one thing:
The meat.
We’re Italian, so we didn’t grow up eating a whole rack of lamb or lamb chops on Easter (though I wish we did).
This special occasion Easter dinner menu had prime rib roast.
Roast chicken.
Honey-baked ham.
Brown sugar ham.
Pork tenderloin and pork chops.
Those foods were always traditionally part of the Italian Easter diet, and have remained tried and true favorites for years.
And to this day, when you look at the Easter menu of any of my family’s holiday gatherings, odds are you can find one of these tender meat options around the table, being enjoyed by the whole family.
But, there’s always one main course on the table that periodically steals the show for me, year after year.
The roast beef.
What’s So Great About It?
One of the things I love the most about roast beef is the flavoring.
It really doesn’t take much to make your roast beef taste delicious.
All you need is a bottom round roast (rump roast), a few high quality seasonings, a bit of time, and a bunch of eaters. And you’ll be good to go!
I like to serve mine with a bunch of delicious side dishes, which when it comes to Easter Sunday, there are plenty.
This is also an extremely easy recipe, and makes for a wonderful, low effort Easter meal.
Here’s how I make it!
Here’s What You Need:
To make the most perfect Easter roast beef recipe, it really doesn’t take a lot of effort. All you need is some quality seasonings and simple equipment, and enough time to let everything come together.
Ingredients:
Bottom Round Roast: Also referred to as a rump roast, bottom round roast is going to be your best friend when it comes to making a delicious roast.
I’ve seen this recipe be made with a top round roast, but in my opinion, that’s usually tougher and less tender.
You’re better off making this recipe with a bottom round roast, and saving the top round for slow cooking or stews.
Garlic: Don’t mince the garlic in this one! You’re going to use the entire clove.
Herbs: Rosemary and thyme are optional here, but really deepen the flavor of the roast beef when used.
Salt: Kosher salt is all you need to make your roast beef.
Coarse Black Pepper: Bonus points if you grind it yourself in a pepper mill.
Olive Oil: A good olive oil is the final step to making the perfect roast beef.
Equipment:
Cooking Twine: Especially if you’re dealing with a bigger roast, cooking twine is going to be your best friend.
Baking Sheet: Any baking sheet will do with this: I prefer a cast iron pan over a sheet pan, but it’s entirely up to you.
Directions:
Start by preheating your oven to 350°.
Using the cooking twine, begin to tie your roast in a few sections lengthwise. I’d say tying it in 4-5 spots usually does the trick.
Generously rub your roast with the olive oil, herbs, salt, and pepper until it’s covered all over.
Cut slits in the top of the roast, and shove the entire clove inside of it
Put the roast in the pan, and let it cook.
Take the roast out of the oven when ready, loosely cover with foil, and let rest for 10-15 minutes. This will allow your meat to reabsorb all of the juices.
Slice thin and enjoy!
Bottom Round Roast FAQ:
Q; What temperature should I cook this roast on?
A: High heat isn’t your friend when it comes to any and all beef recipes. I recommend a nice neutral ground of 350° for this classic dish.
Q: How many minutes per pound of meat should I cook?
A: The general rule of thumb is 18 minutes per pound for rare meat, 20 minutes for medium, and 25 for well done. Personally, I like my meat cooked at around the 18 minute mark.
Q: What kind of pan should I use for this holiday meal?
A: Any baking sheet will do. The first time I made this, I seared my roast in the cast iron skillet on each side before putting it in the oven, again, using the cast iron skillet. It was delicious, and I find this to be the best way to deepen the flavor.
Q: Should I let the roast sit out before cooking?
A: Generally speaking, yes. I like letting my roast sit uncovered at room temperature for about a half hour before I start cooking. It allows it to get a deep brown color, rather than more of a gray one.
Other Great Easter Side Dishes And Easter Recipes To Serve With Bottom Round Roast:
No matter what your role is in cooking Easter dinner, if you’re chef or the observer topping off everyone’s glass of white wine, this collection of recipes compliment all of the best Easter dinner ideas, and will be an added bonus to anything else you decide to make!
- Feeling hungry for some fresh, lemony flavors? Try serving this with some Easter asparagus!
- If you’re in the mood for a variety of different vegetables to go along with the Easter main dishes, this ratatouille recipe will be your best friend.
- Spent too much time on the holiday dinner meat and didn’t think about the vegetables this Easter weekend? Been there. This recipe for green beans will save the day
- Need an app, and need it fast? This bruschetta recipe will have all of your guests drooling
Bottom Round Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bottom round roast
- 1–2 cloves garlic, more garlic if your roast is bigger for a larger group
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 1 tbsp rosemary
- 1–2 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp coarse ground pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Right as your oven preheats, take out your roast and let it sit uncovered on the counter for about a half hour.
- Tie your roast with cooking twine, if need be. After it’s tied, make a slit in the roast and stuff your garlic right inside of it.
- Taking your olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme, rub everything around the roast until the entire surface area is completely covered.
- Put your roast in a cast iron pan or deep baking dish.
- Cook, uncovered, using the following directions:
- 18 minutes/lb for rare
- 20 minutes/lb for medium
- 25 minutes/lb for well done
- Once your roast has reached its desired temperature, remove from the oven and loosely cover with foil.
- Let the roast rest for 10-15 minutes, absorbing all of the juices.
- Untie, slice thin, and enjoy this delicious recipe right from your easter table!
2 Responses
I haven’t used the recipe yet but have a question: Do you mean 1-2 heads of garlic or 1-2 cloves? You say cloves but that doesn’t seem like very much.
Thank you!
Hi Julie. Yes, it’s 1-2 cloves. If you really like garlic you can add more, but 2 whole heads could cover the other flavors of the recipe, so maybe not that much 😀