Crock Pot Eye of Round Roast

This Crock Pot Eye of Round Roast is a lovely and versatile recipe that you should add to your weekly dinner rotation. I aim to make one or two slow cooker recipes per week as a way to give myself a bit of a break in the kitchen, and this is one I keep coming back to. It pairs well with any side dish, so you can create a different meal each time you serve it.

I season the roast with plenty of spices and cook it in a broth and tomato-based sauce to add depth. This also adds more moisture to the beef, so it doesn’t become dry and stringy. It’s wonderfully savory and bold, and goes great with a wide variety of vegetables and other sides.

If you like crock pot beef recipes, you will love this tender and juicy ribeye steak in the crockpot and this flavorful slow cooker sweet and sour beef roast.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Prep is fast: You don’t have to do much to get this crockpot eye round roast prepared and ready to cook. Once you do the early preparation steps, the rest is super quick.
• It’s versatile: There are so many ways to serve this slow-cooked eye of round roast. Slice it over mashed potatoes, rice, and a variety of delicious vegetables. It’s so versatile and so good!
• It’s super easy: The best part about this beef round eye roast recipe is that you can do some prepping in advance, making the day you cook it a complete breeze. 

Ingredients

Below is everything I used to season the eye of round for pot roast and make the luscious gravy. They are everyday ingredients as well, and I typically have the spices, broth, and onions always in my kitchen.

• Beef eye round roast: This is a very lean, inexpensive cut of beef. It is best slow-cooked to help it become as soft and tender as possible. This is always boneless because of where it comes from on the cow.
• Kosher salt: This is key for the salt brine. Brining the meat will make it even more tender and help lock in moisture as it cooks.
• Mustard: You may use yellow or Dijon mustard, depending on your flavor preference. I have used both, and they each work great. It helps the spices to stick to the roast and helps to deepen the flavor.
• Spices: I use black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, onion powder, Montreal Steak, Italian seasoning, and chili powder. The meat will be plenty salty from the brine. The rest of these spices add depth and delightful savoriness.
• Tomato paste: The depth and tomato flavor you get from tomato paste make the sauce thick and delectable. It’s a key ingredient!

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations

• Fresh herbs: Incorporate herbs like thyme, rosemary, and parsley for freshness and color.
• Maple: Add some maple syrup to the sauce mixture to add more flavor and sweetness to the recipe.
• BBQ sauce: Use your favorite BBQ sauce to caramelize the roast and provide a smoky flavor.

How to Cook an Eye Roast in the Crock Pot

Here are the steps you’ll need to cook an eye of round roast in the crockpot. It’s the best way to cook this roast to get it perfectly tender. Start by coating the outside of the beef with kosher salt, then wrap it tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, unwrap the roast and thoroughly rinse the salt off the outside and dry it with paper towels.

Step 1: Make the base. Add the beef broth, tomato paste, and onions to the bottom of the slow cooker and stir well.

Step 2: Make the spice rub. Combine the mustard and spices in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.

Step 3: Coat the roast. Place the roast into the bowl and coat it in the mixture.

Step 4: Place it in the pot. Transfer it to the slow cooker, fat side up, and pour any remaining spices on top.

Step 5: Cook. Pop the lid on and cook the eye of round for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours on low heat or until it reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees F.

Step 6: Remove and add slurry. Take the roast out of the crockpot and switch the heat to high. Add the flour and whisk until there are no lumps.

Step 7: Thicken the gravy. Allow it to cook for a few minutes to thicken, and then finish it with butter and parsley.

Step 8: Serve. Slice the roast and enjoy with the gravy and your favorite side dish, like some air fryer dinner rolls so you can sop up the extra gravy!

If you love recipes like this eye round pot roast, you may also enjoy this smoked eye of round.

Storage Directions

• Storing: Store leftover slices in an airtight container, separate from the gravy, for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. You may freeze them separately for up to 2 months.
• Reheating: Reheat the meat gently in a skillet over low heat with a bit of broth or in the gravy. Avoid the microwave as it will dry out the beef very quickly. To reheat the gravy, pour it into a saucepan over medium heat and add broth as needed to loosen it up.

Serving Suggestions

• You can’t go wrong with a flavorful vegetable side dish! Some of my favorites to serve with this roast are these bacon asparagus spears and Mediterranean roasted vegetables.
• Gooey bacon mac and cheese is another great option, or you can make some savory mashed potato cakes instead of traditional mashed potatoes.

Crock Pot Eye of Round Roast

Karin and Ken

Crock Pot Eye of Round Roast takes a versatile cut of beef and turns it into a juicy flavor bomb. Just add everything to the pot and let it cook all day.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 256 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 4-pound boneless beef eye-round roast trimmed
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided

Seasoning

• 1 ½ tablespoons yellow or dijon mustard
• ½ tablespoon pepper
• ½ tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ½ teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• ½ tablespoon Montreal Steak Spice
• ½ tablespoon Italian Seasoning
• ½ tablespoon curry powder

Sauce

• 1 onion chopped
• 1 ¼ cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Add in while beef is resting

• 2-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

 

• Sprinkle roast with 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt and rub it in on all sides and ends. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and remove from fridge and bring to room temperature about 60 minutes when ready to cook. Refrigerate for at least 18 hours or up to 24 hours.
• Rinse roast thoroughly under cool running water to remove as much of the salt brine as possible.
• Pat roast dry with paper towel.
• Turn crock pot on high. Prepare slow cooker with light coating of cooking spray. Add broth and tomato paste. Stir until blended. Add sliced onions to middle of crockpot.
• In a large bowl add 2 tablespoon oil, 1 ½ tblsp yellow or dijon mustard, ½ tblsp garlic powder, ½ tblsp plus ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon thyme, 1 tblsp onion powder, ½ tblsp Montreal Steak Spice, ½ tblsp Italian Seasoning, ½ tblsp curry powder, ½ tblsp pepper. Stir until blended.
• Really rub and flip roast in large bowl until evenly coated with seasoning. Put excess seasoning on top of roast (fat side up) and place roast on top of onions and broth mixture. Reduce heat to low.
• Cover and continue to cook on low heat until meat registers 125 degrees (for medium-rare), maybe check at 1 ½ hours. Usually between 2 and 2 ½ hours.
• Transfer roast to carving board, tent with foil, and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Turn crock pot on “high” Remove ¼ cup spoonful of broth to measuring cup, add flour and stir until lump free.
• Return to slow cooker gradually and Whisk. Cook for several minutes until thickens. Add butter and parsley into gravy and season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice roast thin against grain and serve with gravy.
• Add butter and parsley into gravy and season with salt and pepper to taste. Slice roast thin against grain and serve with gravy.

Notes

• Be careful not to overcook the eye of round. Use a thermometer and start checking it around the 1 ½ hour mark.
• Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The gravy will have the same shelf life as the meat, but store them separately.
• Sear if you want for depth, but this cut of meat doesn’t necessarily need it!

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 26gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 267mgPotassium: 506mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 213IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 3mg

Keyword Crock Pot Eye of Round Roast

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

This post was originally published in May 2016. It's been updated with new content and images.