Instant Pot Beef Eye of Round Roast (Deli Style Roast Beef)

Here you go! Instant Pot Beef Eye of Round Roast (Deli Style Roast Beef) made in minutes. This recipe shares all the cooking secrets you need to make eye of round roast beef that’s tender, juicy, medium-rare and gorgeous.

One of the Very Best Beef Eye of Round Roast Recipes – Ready in Minutes!

Howdy! Chef Alli Here. Let’s Get You Cookin’…. Shall We?? 🙂

Yep. I’ll admit it right up front – we eat A LOT of beef. This is two fold – we love it, but we also raise it, so there’s that.

We find beef to be rich and satisfying and also pretty darn versatile for making easy family meals. I love cooking a couple of beef roasts over the weekend so that when the work week begins, I already have cooked meat in my fridge that’s ready to use for lunch and dinner.

Cooked beef can be added to so many things to make a complete meal – mac and cheese, skillet pastas, sub sandwiches, sliders, salads, wraps, grains…..it’s versatile and easy to work with.

What to love about this easy deli roast beef recipe –

1. It’s ready in minutes…..literally.
2. The Instant Pot cooking method works perfectly for this lean cut of roast beef.
3. You can have deli-style roast beef that’s absolutely perfect for making sandwiches and sliders….just like what you get at the deli counter….but CHEAPER!!

What you need to know about eye of round roast and deli roast beef

An eye of round roast is a beef roast that is super lean and comes from the hindquarters of the cow. Because this muscle gets a lot of movement, it is very flavorful but if not cooked properly, can be a rather tough cut of beef.

Eye of round roast is a cut of beef that’s best cooked to medium rare in temperature – it’s not like a chuck roast that is delicious when cooked until it’s very fallin’-apart fork tender.

One of the best attributes of a beef eye of round roast is that makes it a great dinner choice for cooking on a budget. Eye of round is tender and succulent, as long as its only cooked to rare ke medium rare doneness.

And, yep, eye of round roast beef is the type of beef that you get when purchasing lunch meat at the deli counter – delicious and thinly sliced for sandwiches and subs.

These are the ingredients you need to make medium rare roast beef

**Print the full recipe from the RECIPE CARD at the bottom of this post

• Eye of round roast
• Italian seasoning
• Kosher salt and pepper
• Beef broth
• Red wine vinegar, optional
• Olive oil, for browning the roast (may substitute canola or vegetable oil, if preferred)

Here’s what you’ll learn in this recipe –

• How to cook an eye of round roast in minutes
• Why beauty rest for all meat is so important, both before and after cooking
• Which tools are helpful for making eye of round roast in your electric pressure cooker
• The best way to thinly slice a cooked eye of round roast
• How much beef roast to buy
• What to serve with eye of round roast beef
• Other beef roasts you can substitute for eye of round roast

How to make beef eye of round roast in your Instant Pot

**Full recipe card to print is below

1. Two hours before you want to cook the roast, remove it from refrigeration and completely unpackage. In a small bowl, combine the Italian seasoning with the salt and pepper. Using your fingertips, season the roast on all sides, rubbing the spices liberally into all the nooks and crannies of the meat. Let the seasoned roast rest, uncovered, on the counter for two hours so the meat can rest, relax, and season. **DON’T SKIP THIS STEP!!
   
2. Using the saute setting on the Instant Pot, add a good swish of oil. As soon as the oil is hot, add the seasoned roast, letting it brown on the first side for a couple of minutes. Turn the roast to brown the remaining sides, adding a bit more oil as you go, if needed. Once the roast is fully browned on all sides, turn off the saute setting on the Instant Pot; remove the roast to a platter.
   
3. Use a paper towel to remove any oil in the bottom of the Instant Pot, then pour in the beef broth and vinegar. Return the roast to the Instant Pot; lock the lid securely into place. Choose the high pressure setting for 5 minutes (Yes! Just 5 minutes), bringing the Instant Pot to full pressure.
   
4. When the timer sounds at the end of the 5 minute pressure cooking time, DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO THE INSTANT POT. DO NOT TOUCH IT. DO NOT PASS GO. DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE ANY PRESSURE FROM THE INSTANT POT.**I repeat: Walk away from the Instant Pot. Leave the roast inside the Instant Pot on the “Keep Warm” setting for 30 minutes. (The “Keep Warm” feature is automatic once the Instant Pot’s timer sounds at the end of the pressure cooking time, fyi.)
   
5. After 30 minutes on the “Keep Warm” setting, remove the Instant Pot lid; use an instant-read meat thermometer probe to test the internal temperature of the roast. The ideal internal temperature for an eye of round roast is 115 degrees F. (rare) to 125 degrees F. (medium rare).
   
6. If the roast hasn’t yet reached 115-125 degrees F. internal temperature (because it may be larger than 2 lbs., for instance), just put the Instant Pot lid back on and let the roast sit inside on the “Keep Warm” setting for a bit longer. After 10 more minutes, check the internal temperature again. Odds are, it will be at the perfect temperature!

Answers to Common Questions Asked About This Recipe

Which tools are helpful for making Instant Pot roast beef?

This recipe is made using a 6-quart Instant Pot. Or, if you prefer another brand of electric pressure cooker, I really recommend the Cuisinart 6-quart because it’s so simplistic and easy to use.

Silicone Spatula Spoons – Of all the tools in my kitchen, silicone spatula spoons are what I use the most. They make stirring and sautéing a breeze and I love all the pretty silicone colors available. Silicone spatula spoons are completely heat-proof so they won’t melt, even when used over high temperatures. I like to have different sizes on hand for different kitchen tasks – soooo handy!

Chef’s knife – a good chef’s knife is such an essential kitchen tool! In this recipe, you’ll need one for slicing the eye of round roast into very thin slices, like deli roast beef. . **If taken care of properly, a good quality chef’s knife will last a lifetime, definitely make it worth the initial investment.

Large wooden cutting board with a channel – a good (large) wooden cutting board is what supports your chef’s knife, providing a surface that gives to the edge of your blade each time you make a cut. One side of the cutting board will feature the channel around the edge. This is the side that you should slice meats on – the meat juices funnel into the channel so they cannot run off the cutting board to create a mess on the counter. Use the other side of the cutting board for cutting and dicing fruits and vegetables.

Knife straightener – a hand-held knife straightener (often called a knife sharpener) is what keeps your chef’s knife blade straight so that it can make a precise, clean cut. Run your knife (never a serrated knife, though) through the straightener 2-3 times each and every time you prepare to use it to keep the blade in good shape.

A heavy-duty meat fork for lifting the roast in and out of the pan and also for holding it in place as you slice it.

Meat thermometer – I prefer an instant-read probe, but a traditional meat thermometer works fine, as well. It’s also handy to use a digital thermometer that has dual probes that can notify you when the meat raises to the temperature you’ve programmed for.

What are other roasts called that are similar to eye of round roast?

Cuts of beef that are similar to the beef eye of round roast are top round, bottom round, or rump roast. These roasts are also very lean and can be cooked like an eye of round beef roast.

How much roast beef should I purchase per person?

I think it’s good to plan for one-half pound of roast beef per person when buying a raw beef roast.

Why is the recipe so specific that the roast should be left out to rest for 2 hours before cooking it?

This is called beauty rest and it’s the best step (not to mention a secret!) when you are preparing to cook ANY type of meat, including poultry.

Meat that’s been allowed to rest and de-chill before the cooking process will cook completely differently than meat that is still chilled since the protein fibers have had time to relax.

When the protein fibers are relaxed, the meat can receive the heat better and cook a whole lot more evenly, providing a GREAT eating experience.

So does that mean the meat needs beauty rest AFTER it cooks as well?

Yep. As meat cooks, especially under pressure, it contracts a bit. Allowing it beauty rest following the cooking process gives the meat time to relax and pull it’s juices back to the center so that when you slice it, it’s tender and juicy.

How should I slice the eye of round roast beef?

Eye of round roast is a primarily a deli meat roast, meaning it’s most delicious when sliced into very, very thin slices.

To slice the roast into nice, thin slices, be sure your carving knife is very sharp and also be sure to slice the meat ACROSS the grain, not WITH the grain.

Slicing the meat across the grain, cuts the muscle (meat) fibers into shorter pieces so it’s easier to chew and enjoy.

How do I identify the grain of the meat and which way it’s running?

To figure this out, look for the parallel lines of muscle fiber running down the cut of meat, then slice perpendicular across them. Sometimes you will have to turn certain cuts of meat and adjust the slicing direction so that you’ve always cutting across the muscle (meat) fibers.

What can I do with eye of round roast leftovers?

Eye of round roast beef is delicious for grilled sandwiches, subs, and sliders. We love French Dip Eye of Round Sandwiches! Eye of round roast leftovers are also delicious in Eye of Round Caesar Salad.

What should I serve with eye of round roast beef?

We enjoy creamy potato and pasta dishes alongside roast beef. Baked Yum Yum Potato Wedges and Creamy Mashed Potatoes Supreme with Bacon are great options, or Potato Salad with Sweet Jalapeno Relish is darn good, too.

Nice corn side dishes and salads would include Ricotta Creamed Corn Casserole and Delta Cornbread Salad – a couple of our very favs.

More Favorite Meat Recipes to Enjoy

• How to Make Braised Beef Short Ribs
• Tender and Juicy Smoked Tri Tip
• Smoked Pot Roast Burnt Ends
• Killer Hamburger Steak in a Skillet
• How to Cook Eye of Round Roast Beef
• Fool-Proof Oven Prime Rib
• Marinated Steak Bites (Air Fryer, Skillet, or Oven)

Printable Instant Pot Beef Eye of Round Roast Recipe (For Making Deli Style Roast Beef)

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Let’s Get You Cookin’,
Chef Alli

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