Sous Vide Roast Beef

A close-up of a medium-rare roast beef, sliced to show its juicy pink center and seasoned crust, topped with coarse salt and herbs.

Sous vide roast beef takes an inexpensive eye of round and turns it into something I'd happily put on the table for company. The secret to incomparably tender beef is cooking it low and slow. It’s tender enough to serve as a roast, and also perfect for thinly slicing for sandwiches. Two easy tricks give it the look and flavor you'd expect from a pricer cut.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Keyword roast, roast beef

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Resting Time 20

Total Time 8 30

Servings

Calories 225kcal

Author Wendy Polisi

Ingredients

3 pounds eye of round roast
3 teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon per pound
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
2 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove smashed
2 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary

For Finishing

2 tablespoons avocado oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove smashed
1 sprig fresh rosemary other fresh herbs like thyme also work
Flaky sea salt to finish

Au Jus

Reserved bag juices
1 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

Pat the roast dry, season all sides with the salt, and set it uncovered on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet in the fridge overnight.
Preheat the water bath to 131°F.
Rub the roast with pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Place it in a vacuum sealer bag with the butter, smashed garlic, and herb sprigs. Seal. You can also use the water displacement method if you prefer.
Cook for 8 hours. Stay at or above 130°F for safety on a cook this long.
Lift the sealed bag straight into a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes.
Remove the roast, reserve the bag juices, and pat it very dry.
Heat the avocado oil in a cast iron skillet until it just smokes. Sear 2 to 3 minutes per side. In the last minute, add the basting butter, garlic, and thyme or rosemary, tilt the pan, and spoon the foaming butter over the roast.
For au jus, reduce the reserved juices with broth and Worcestershire, then swirl in butter off heat.
Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition