This is how to transform an economical beef into something really special – use a herb garlic roast beef marinade to inject extra flavour, juiciness and tenderise. The marinated roast beef comes out of the oven with a deep golden crust, blushing pink, unbelievably juicy and bursting with flavour!
** Follow the Roast Beef Cut guide below to determine which cuts are best for marinating**
This is a recipe that was born during the days when I was a poverty stricken uni student who refused to live on packet ramen day after day. I wanted roast beef and gravy, damn it! But of course, my budget would never stretch to Prime Rib, so I’d purchase the best value roast beef cuts I could find then end up chewing my way through dry, tasteless roast beef.
Because that is, after all, the reason we pay top dollar for premium cuts – it’s tender, juicy and full of flavour.
So I started marinating the economical beef I purchased, to add flavour and juiciness. And I never stopped!
Pot roasts are tougher cuts of meat, but can be tenderized by marinating them before cooking, whether it’s for just a few hours or a whole day. Making a marinade is as simple as whisking together a few chosen ingredients.
Great for this roast beef marinade
- Oyster Blade Roast (Aus) / Top Blade Roast (US) – great for this marinade! Pretty tender cut with decent flavour, very good value. Looks like the pictured roast beef but has a thin line of membrane in the middle.
- Bolar Blade (Aus/parts of UK) – perfect for this marinade! An economical cut with fair flavour and is reasonably tender but is enhanced by marinading. This is pictured in the post and video. This cut doesn’t really exist in the US, it’s part of the cow shoulder gets mixed up in chuck meat.
- Eye of Round Roast (US) / Girello (Australia) – ideal for this marinade because it’s a leaner, tougher cut of meat with less beefy flavour. In Australia, this cut of beef is usually sold in medallion steak form or pre marinated at supermarkets, so it’s not really available.
- Silverside (Aus/UK) / Bottom Round Roast (US) – this is one of the tougher cuts of roast beef, usually slow cooked. It’s used for corned beef and to make things like Pastrami. This marinade is ideal for adding flavour to this cut and it can be cooked to pink as pictured, as long as the beef is sliced very thinly.
- Rump Roast (Aust) / Top Sirloin Roast (US) – tender, juicy and marbled and a good quality one doesn’t need marinating BUT if you get a very economical one, it will certainly benefit from marinading.
- Topside Roast (Aus/UK name) / Top Round Roast (US) – probably the most popular cut for a classic roast beef (ie not marinated). If you’ve purchased a good quality one, there’s no need to marinade. But if you’ve purchased a good value one, this roast beef marinade will certainly enhance it.
Best Roast Beef Cuts
Use this recipe on any economical beef roast cut. It would be wasted on expensive cuts, so do not use it on Prime Rib, beef tenderloin or any cut of roast beef that you’ve paid top dollar for.
Here’s a list of some of the most common roast beef cuts – I’ve done my best to translate the name of cuts between Australia, the US and UK!
How To Make Tenderizing Marinade For Chuck Roast/Red Meats
FAQ
Should I marinate a roast before cooking?
Should you marinate a pot roast overnight?
Should I marinate my chuck roast before slow cooking?
Does marinating a roast make it tender?
Should you marinate a pot roast before cooking?
Pot roasts are tougher cuts of meat, but can be tenderized by marinating them before cooking, whether it’s for just a few hours or a whole day. Making a marinade is as simple as whisking together a few chosen ingredients. Even then, if you’re pressed for time at the start, you can add more flavor to your roast after the meat has marinated.
How do you marinate a roast in a slow cooker?
Cut roast in half; add to marinade. Seal container and turn to coat; refrigerate overnight. Place roast and marinade in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat is tender. Remove roast to a serving platter and keep warm. Pour cooking juices into a 2-cup measuring cup; discard whole cloves
How do you marinate a pot roast?
The most common way to marinate pot roast is to create a marinade using a variety of ingredients such as soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, herbs, and spices. The marinade mixture is then poured over the pot roast and left to sit in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Do you need to submerge a pot roast?
You do not need to submerge the pot roast to cook it thoroughly. In fact, the heat from your slow cooker and the bit of braising liquid from deglazing your pan will be just enough to prepare the food for you perfectly. Much of what you’re cooking, in this case, meat and vegetables, will release liquid as they cook.