Deli meat is one of those processed foods that I tend to avoid. A typical deli roast beef contains caramel coloring, MSG, maltodextrin, and corn or wheat derived dextrose. A more premium deli roast beef may boast no nitrates or nitrites, no caramel color, and no MSG, but that roast beef also comes at a cost of more than SEVENTEEN dollars a pound. While one option is perhaps prepared better than the other, neither of them begins with a pasture raised roast. We can do better. Let me teach you how to make Deli-Style Tuscan Roast Beef at home.
THE ROAST
For this recipe, I used an “Eye of Round” roast. If you do any digging on the internet, you’ll find that a “Top Round” or “Top Sirloin” are also common cuts for deli-style roast beef. All of these are considered lean cuts of beef. The “Eye of Round” and “Top Round” come from the animal’s rump area. The “Eye of Round” is cut like a “Tenderloin,” long and thin, but it’s less tender than an actual “Tenderloin” which is taken from the area just below the animal’s ribs. In general, any part of the animal which sees a lot of movement (like the rump muscles) will be more dense and chewy when cooked. A “Tenderloin” is protected by the ribs and sees little movement, so it’s a very tender piece of meat. A “Top Sirloin” is found just below the “Tenderloin,” so would be a more tender (and more expensive) option than “Eye of Round” or “Top Round” for deli-style roast beef.
This is a two pound “Eye of Round” roast, which resembles a “Tenderloin,” but is generally not as tender. I cut this one in half so that I could test a pan-seared crust versus an oven-seared crust. The smaller size cuts (one pound each) enabled the roasts to cook at 300 Fahrenheit for only forty-five minutes.
THE SAVINGS
As mentioned earlier, a premium deli roast beef sells for more than seventeen dollars a pound. Even then, the beef is still conventionally processed. This means it will have been finished on a diet of grains, generally in a crowded feed lot. At the time of this writing (Jan 2024), a pasture raised and finished “Eye of Round” from Spring Forest Farm sells for about $7.50 per pound. By sourcing your own pastured beef, and cooking your own deli meat, you’ll save about ten dollars a pound AND have a superior product.
THE SPICES
For this recipe, I tried to recreate a Tuscan Spice Blend that I really enjoy. Truly, though, you can use any spices that you like. Rosemary, thyme, cumin, and coriander are all good places to start. No matter the spices you choose to use, I think it’s important to use enough salt. I like a good quality sea salt like Redmond’s Real Salt. Shoot for about a teaspoon of salt per pound of roast. And no matter the spices you use, I’d coat the roast well and then let it sit in the refrigerator over night.
Pat the roast dry. Using your hands, smear the spice paste over the roast, coating all sides well. Refrigerate the roast over night.
LOW AND SLOW
Before cooking the roast, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. This will take roughly sixty to ninety minutes. The key to a moist and tender deli-style roast beef is to cook it low and slow. Also, this is one recipe where I absolutely use a meat thermometer. I think the best deli-style roast beef is cooked somewhere between medium and medium well. For pasture raised beef, that’s between 135 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. I like to use a leave in meat thermometer that will alert me when the roast has reached a target temperature.
THE OUTER CRUST
Aside from cooking low and slow, there’s one more thing to consider when cooking deli-style roast beef. For this recipe, I like for all of those spices to form a nice outer crust. There are two ways to achieve this. You can sear the roast before placing it in the oven. This can be a little tricky if the roast is an odd shape that doesn’t easily lay flat on a pan. You can accommodate for this by using a pair of tongs to stabilize the roast on each side or edge as it sears.
The second method is to cook the roast at 450 Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, and then lower the oven temperature to 300 for the remainder of the cook time. I prefer the results from the first method, but like the convenience of the second method. The truth is, either works fine. No matter the method you choose, when cooking the roast, elevate it on a wire rack so that the roast does not sit in its juices. This will help to ensure that all sides are crisp and crunchy when done.
I prefer the crisp of the pan seared roast, but the convenience of the oven seared roast is sometimes useful too.
Deli-Style Tuscan Roast Beef
Ingredients
– 2-3 lbs “Eye of Round Roast”, “Top Round Roast”, or “Top Sirloin Roast”
– Rimmed roasting pan with wire rack to sit atop the pan
– Oven-safe, leave-in meat thermometer (affiliate link)
– Very sharp, serrated carving knife
For the Rub:
– 2 tbsp tomato paste
– 1 tbsp olive oil
– 2 tsp lime juice
– 1 tsp sea salt per pound of beef
– 1 tsp white pepper
– 1 tsp garlic powder
– 1 tsp crushed rosemary
– 1 tsp dried thyme
– 1 tsp dried oregano
– 1 tsp dried basil
– 1/2 tsp cumin
– 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Directions
1. Remove the roast from packaging and pat it dry with paper towels. I like to cut the roast into sections of about 1 pound each. It will speed cooking time and also make the roast easier to handle for searing and/or slicing.
2. Mix all of the rub ingredients together in a bowl. Stir until well combined. Using a spoon or your fingers, coat every side of the roast with the rub. Cover the coated roast and place it in the refrigerator over night.
3. The next day, remove the roast from the refrigerator 60-90 minutes before you want to cook it. This will allow the roast to come to room temperature. Again, pat the roast dry with paper towels.
4. Read “The Outer Crust” section above this recipe. If you want to pan sear the roast, continue with steps four and five. If you want to oven sear the roast, skip to step six. To use the pan sear method, preheat the oven to 300 Fahrenheit, then heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the hot pan. Using a pair of tongs, place the roast on the pan and allow it to sit for 1-2 minutes until a crisp crust develops on the roast. Using the tongs, turn the roast onto each edge and hold it until fully seared.
5. When done searing the roast, move it to a wire rack that will keep the roast elevated above the roasting pan. Insert the oven-safe leave-in thermometer into the roast. Place the roast, rack, and pan into the 300 degree oven for 45 minutes. Set the meat thermometer to alert you when the roast reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit. It may take a little less or a little more than 45 minutes.
6. To use the oven sear method, preheat the oven to 450. When the oven is hot, move the roast to a wire rack that will keep the roast elevated above the roasting pan. Insert the oven-safe leave-in thermometer into the roast. Place the roast, rack, and pan into the 450 degree oven for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, reduce the temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and set a timer for 45 minutes. Set the meat thermometer to alert you when the roast reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit. It may take a little less or a little more than 45 minutes.
7. No matter the cooking method, when the roast is done, remove it from the oven and allow the roast to rest until cool. When ready, using a very sharp, serated carving knife, slice the roast. You can slice it very thin, or a bit thicker. I like a thin cut for sandwiches and a thicker cut for charcuterie. This should keep well in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can even freeze it after slicing. Enjoy!
Here on SpringForestFarm.com, Jennifer Taylor Schmidt writes beef recipes for the busy, natural homemaker. It is possible to seek optimal health with limited time and money. Join Jennifer in future posts as she explores the possibilities found in a 1/4 and a 1/2 beeve. She also offers recipes and nourishment for body, mind, and soul on RealFoodRealHealing.com.
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