Beef round refers to the rear leg of the cow between the rump and the knee This primal cut is lean, flavorful and versatile but often misunderstood Through this guide, we’ll uncover everything you need to know about beef round.
An overview of beef round
The round primal comprises three main parts – the top round, bottom round and knuckle or sirloin tip It contains various muscles like the semimembranosus, adductor, gracilis and quadriceps femoris
Beef round offers substantial portions of healthy protein at a budget-friendly price. However, its leanness makes it less tender than fattier cuts like ribeye or tenderloin. Proper cooking techniques are key to delivering tender, juicy results.
Key characteristics
Beef round has the following characteristics:
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Affordable – As a worked muscle group, round costs 20-40% less than loin cuts. Great value for money.
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Lean – Contains little marbling or external fat. Overall a healthy cut.
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Versatile – Suitable for roasts, steaks, kebabs, stews and ground beef.
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Dense texture – Fibrous with thick muscle fibers. Requires slow moist cooking.
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Earthy flavor – Strong meaty taste when cooked correctly. Absorbs spices and marinades well.
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High in nutrients – Excellent source of protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins.
Buying beef round
When purchasing beef round, choose cuts with vibrant color and some visible marbling where possible. Avoid brown or gray hues. For roasts, opt for sizes that suit your purposes – a 2 pound roast serves 3-4, while larger 3-4 pound cuts can feed up to 10.
Expert tip: For maximum tenderness, buy cuts under 1 inch thick for quick cooking. Thicker cuts excel when braised or roasted slowly.
Best cooking methods
To prevent beef round drying out, use wet cooking techniques:
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Braising – Brown then simmer gently in broth until tender. Ideal for round roasts or stew meat.
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Stewing – Similar to braising but completely submerged in liquid during cooking. Great for cubed round meat.
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Grilling – Quickly sear steaks over high heat until browned but still pink inside. Slice across the grain.
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Sous vide – Vacuum seal and cook low and slow in a water bath. Maximizes moisture.
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Slow roasting – Roast in a low oven, basting frequently. Keep roasts above 140°F internally.
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Marinating – Soak rounds in an acidic marinade to impart flavor and tenderize.
Handling collagen and connective tissue
Containing sinew, ligaments and collagen fibers, beef round requires time to break down tough areas. Use slower, moist heat methods and cook to an internal temperature of at least 160-170°F.
If making stew, simmering the meat for 2-3 hours converts collagen to gelatin, yielding fork-tender results.
Full-flavored beef round recipe ideas
From traditional pot roasts to global street food, beef round is widely adaptable:
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Hearty braised bottom round roast with root vegetables
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Asian beef stew with ginger, soy and five spice
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Juicy grilled round steak fajitas with peppers and onions
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Slow cooker bourguignon with red wine and mushrooms
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Greek style meatballs (keftedes) enhanced with herbs
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Thinly sliced roast beef sandwiches dripping with jus
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Middle Eastern kabobs marinated in yogurt and spices
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Italian braciole stuffed with cheese, garlic and parsley
Get the most from beef round
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Always cut across the grain to shorten muscle fibers.
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Add collagen-rich ingredients like onions or tomato paste to stews.
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Combine with bone-in shank or oxtail for extra flavor.
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Let roast rest 10 minutes before carving to reabsorb juices.
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Use leftover roast beef in sandwiches, wraps, tacos or rice bowls.
Is beef round right for you?
For those seeking an economical cut that offers hefty portions, beef round is a winner. With the proper prep, its bold meaty flavor and hearty texture shine through. A little technique goes a long way in delivering fork-tender, succulent results. Give round a chance – you may just find a new favorite!
Top Round: Good for Making Roast Beef
Top round comes from the inside of the leg and is therefore sometimes called inside round. In its retail form, it usually consists of two muscles, the semimembranosus, and the adductor.
Comparatively speaking, the top round is more tender than bottom round, but down at this end of the beef carcass, the word “tender” has a much different meaning than it does up around the rib or short loin.
Because its tough and lean, the trick with top round is that you want to cook it medium rare and then slice it thinly. That makes it ideal for roast beef sandwiches.
But even if youre serving it as a roast, its a good idea to slice it thinly, against the grain, so that its easier to chew. And dont forget the gravy.
To achieve a good medium rare roast from the top round, youll want to start it at a high temperature to brown the outside and then lower it so that it cooks slowly the rest of the way.
If you do this right youll end up with a nice uniformly medium rare roast without any gray sections around the edges.
Some people even roast top round using a technique similar to the closed-oven method for cooking prime rib.
Beef Round: Cheap and Nourishing
On the plus side, these are inexpensive cuts that are every bit as nourishing as a beef tenderloin or ribeye steak, which makes the beef round a very economical way to feed a family or any other group of hungry people.
As for the issues of toughness and so on, youre in luck. Because the key phrase above is “if not cooked properly.” If you use the right cooking technique, there is no such thing as a tough cut of meat.
There are basically three parts to the beef round—the top round, bottom round, and the knuckle or tip.
Bottom Round What is it good for?
FAQ
What is another name for beef round?
Also Known As Beef Round, Top (Inside) Round Steak; London Broil; Short Cut; Top (Inside) Round Steak; Top Round London Broil; Top Round Steak (Center Cut); Top Round Steak Boneless; Thick and versatile weekday cut. Typically broiled or slow-cooked to bring out its best. Learn more about this beef cut here.
Is beef round a good cut of meat?
If you’re looking for a versatile and readily accessible cut of beef, round steak is a great option that won’t break the bank. Cook it low and slow for delicious, melt-in-your-mouth tender meat.
Is beef round the same as chuck?
Chuck pot roasts have more fat, and therefore more flavor, than those from the round. Beef round roasts suitable for pot roasting are round tip, round rump, bottom round and eye round roasts. Most beef round and chuck pot roasts can be used interchangeably, with only slight adjustments in cooking time.
Is beef round healthy?
Top round is really healthy once the fat is trimmed off, much healthier than most other cuts.
What is a round steak?
This classic Round Steak is a cross section of the round, showing some of the best known cuts. The main muscles in the round are the Top, Bottom and Eye of Round, as well as the Sirloin Tip. This cut is the largest muscle in the round, and gristle-free when trimmed correctly. We use Top Rounds in our deli to make our amazing roast beef for slicing.
What is a beef round cut?
Beef round is a prime beef cut and another name for beef steak. It comes from the ’round’ region of a cow’s body — another name for its rear legs. Depending on how it’s cut, it may or may not include the leg bone (the femur). However, the round cut is always further cut into top round, bottom round, and eye round.
What is a beef round?
The beef round is a large primal cut consisting mainly of the rear leg and rump of the animal. Steaks and roasts from the beef round can be tough since those muscles get a lot of exercise. They’re also very lean since most of the fat on a beef cow is deposited toward the front of the animal.
Where does beef round come from?
Beef round is one of the eight primal cuts of beef and comes from the steer’s back-end and consists primarily of muscle around the cow’s hind legs and rump. It’s split into three subsections: top round, bottom round, and eye round. The top round cut of the beef comes from the insides of the two legs of the cow.
How do you cut a beef round?
All the different subsections of the beef round can be used as cheap steak options. If you want steaks, just cut one-inch-thick portions of top round and eye round. You can also cut a wide portion of either to use in barbecue roast recipes, or cut the beef round into cubes for use in stews. The bottom round is best reserved for beef strips.
What is the difference between top and bottom round beef?
While it comprises two different muscles, it still has very little fat or connective. While still economical, the top round cut can be a little pricier than other round cuts as it’s more tender and easier to cook. The bottom round cut of the beef comes from the outside portion of the cow’s legs.