Deli style roast beef

[JCGrill]

So I saw the recent discussion on what to do with top round, but I'd like to turn things around a bit. If you were going to do deli style roast beef, what would you start with?

Many posts on various blogs say eye of round, because it is lean, has beefy flavor, and is cheap. Knowing that this is a tough cut, even sliced thin across the grain I question the wisdom of this choice. Certainly if you do sous vide it will work out, since you can keep it at medium rare and still get it tender, but if you were doing it strictly with an oven or smoker I am not so sure.

What say you all?

[Jfrosty27]

My son did a top round last week. He did it SV for a long time, 12 hrs I think, to get it tender. Then a quick sear in the CI skillet. He said it was terrific. I have never done anything like this so I follow with interest.

[N227GB]

One time I browsed through all of the recipes on the Anova site and concluded that SV was not for me, but WOW that could make me change my mind. :0

[Troutman]

Wow that looks amazing. SVQ with top round makes for an excellent sandwich meat.

[TheQuietOne]

I've done top round 100% on my Weber grill. As long is it you keep it from going over 135° it's as tender as could be if sliced thin.

[N227GB]

I, too, would be interested in a non-SV method.

[andy.wpg]

So I saw the recent discussion on what to do with top round, but I'd like to turn things around a bit. If you were going to do deli style roast beef, what would you start with?

Many posts on various blogs say eye of round, because it is lean, has beefy flavor, and is cheap. Knowing that this is a tough cut, even sliced thin across the grain I question the wisdom of this choice. Certainly if you do sous vide it will work out, since you can keep it at medium rare and still get it tender, but if you were doing it strictly with an oven or smoker I am not so sure.

What say you all?

I did a top round as Meathead’s Baltimore Pit Beef Sandwiches on Labor Day on the rotisserie on the gas grill.

Super moist and tender, was awesome lunch meat the next day.

Just another option.

[JCGrill]

Thin, across the grain?

[andy.wpg]

JCGrill Yup. My bro-in-law says roast beef is not his favorite since its inevitably dry and you have to drown it in gravy.. He raved about this one for days. :-)

[Donw]

I don’t use eye of round, but get good results from almost all the rest of the round cuts. The top sirloin is good too. I just smoke them and have never tried sous vide since I am usually doing quite a few at a time. My one rule? Is that the lower the cut, the thinner the slice. When cooking rump, the big electric slicer always comes out.

[HawkerXP]

Looks a little dry to me.

[USMCCrashCrew89]

I used top round. Just dry brine/air chill in the fridge over night and roast low (250 ish) until your preferred pre-rest temp range. If you’re going to do deli style, I highly recommend cooking it the day before and then slicing it cold after a nap in the fridge over night. I also have a deli slicer though so slicing paper thin is much easier. I usually will do a pretty big roast, vacuum seal out portions and then freeze, I’ve had pretty good luck with it surviving the freeze texture wise.

[NCSmokin]

I used 3lb eye of round. Put rub on and wrap in cling wrap over night in fridge. Smoke until internal temp of 135. Rest for an hour. Wrap in cling wrap over night in fridge. Slice thin across grain.

[N227GB]

I like the idea of wrapping while dry brining since we are talking about lean cuts here.

And I'll take the stack of slices on the right; you can have the five on the right.

[bbqLuv]

You and yours done good.

[Henrik]

I wouldn’t use eye of round for this as my first choice (eye of round is one of the hamstrings on a cow). Eye of round lends itself very well for making carpaccio.
For making roast beef my vote goes to the other ‘round’ cuts, like top round, or boneless beef inside.

I say that with firsthand experience, but looking forward to other people’s input.

[mgaretz]

I have used eye of round, and that works fine, but usually use top round as it generally goes on sale pretty inexpensively a lot. I use a dry rub, McCormicks Montreal chicken actually, and cook low and slow at 225f to an internal temp of 126F or so. Chill then slice thin.

[HawkerXP]

Chicken! 🐔

[N227GB]

My one rule? Is that the lower the cut, the thinner the slice.

When slicing thin strips of top round for jerky I use a knife similar to this.

[JCGrill]

Check out my new toys thread.

[smokin fool]

Plain ole round roast outta the fridge, dry rub and on the grill 280-400 with a coupla chunks of pecan
Cook to an inside temp of 130
We ain’t re-inventing the wheel here boys, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it....
If SV floats your boat by all means go that route
Something about SV doesn’t sit right with me but to each they’re own