Every item on this page was chosen by The Pioneer Woman team. The site may earn a commission on some products.

Roast beef makes an impressive centerpiece for Christmas dinner, without the price tag of prime rib or beef tenderloin. Made with a less expensive cuts of beef—eye, top, or bottom round roasts all work well—it slices into rosy, tender medallions and serves a crowd. A pan sauce of caramelized onions, red wine and beef stock take this roast to the next level, but a pan full of mushroom gravy (link when live) pairs perfectly as well. 

How do you cook roast beef so it's tender?

Eye round roast is a leaner cut of meat. When selecting a roast, look for one with a fat cap and as much marbling as possible. This recipe cooks the beef at two temperatures—first at 475° to caramelize the surface and create a flavorful crust—then at 275° to cook the meat low, slow, and meltingly tender. 

How long should I cook my roast beef?

This depends on the size of the roast. A 4-pound roast should take about 60 to 75 minutes to cook. However, we recommend using the cook time as a guide to begin checking the temperature of the meat with a meat thermometer. Because this cut is so thick, a thermometer is essential to know what is happening deep inside the roast. Cook this meat to about 120° in the oven, then tent and let rest on the counter for 15 to 30 minutes before slicing. The meat will continue to cook, to about 130°, for the perfect medium rare cut.

How do you add flavor to roast beef? 

This recipe tucks thinly sliced pieces of garlic inside of the roast, to flavor from the inside out, without the garlic burning on top. A simple, flavor-packed rub of seasoned salt (we love Lawry's!), brown sugar and lots of black pepper helps the surface of the meat brown while seasoning. This roast beef is cooked over a bed of onions and red wine. While the beef roasts, the onions cook meltingly tender, and the wine reduces and mingles with all the meat juices and seasoning from the rub. With beef stock and a little flour whisked in, it makes the most flavorful pan sauce to drizzle over top. 

butter, cut into thin slices

The roast beef can be tied with butcher's twine to make a uniform in shape. This helps all parts of the beef to cook evenly.