Round steak is something that was part of my growing up. It was my grandmothers “go to” meat, along with hamburger and bologna. It was, and still is, a relatively cheap cut of meat that is very versatile. And that is what makes this Amish Oven-Baked Top Round Steak so appealing!.
My grandmother cooked it and ate it by itself, but her favorite way to eat it was with her spaghetti sauce and meatballs. In fact, that was one the “secrets” to good spaghetti and meatballs, adding some round-steak to the sauce. But sometimes meals like this Amish Oven-Baked Top Round Steak were favorites also.
For taste, Grandma would sometimes cut up a pepper or add a teaspoon of oregano, rosemary, thyme, or garlic. But usually she just prepared it very no-frills. The round steak is easier to get because it comes from the leg of the cow instead of the flank steak, which comes from the cow’s stomach muscle. And we wont get into the ever-popular skirt steak.
Beef top round steak can make for a quick, budget-friendly dinner when cooked right While top round is lean and prone to drying out, using the oven allows you to cook the steak low and slow which helps break down tough fibers Follow this simple guide for tips on choosing the best steak, proper prep and seasoning, recommended cook times, and how to serve up fork-tender top round straight from your oven.
Selecting the Best Steak for Oven Cooking
Choosing the right cut of meat is key for oven-cooked top round steak. Here’s what to look for:
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Whole top round roast For oven cooking, choose a thicker 2-3 lb top round roast over individual steaks The thickness allows for slow roasting
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Even shape and thickness: Pick a roast that’s evenly shaped all around so it cooks at the same rate. About 2-3 inches thick is ideal.
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Minimal fat or gristle: Excess fat just drips off in the oven. Trim any thick sections of fat before cooking.
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Bright red color: Opt for top round roasts with vibrant red lean meat and little browning or gray areas, which indicate spoilage.
A whole top round roast has the muscle structure to hold up to moist heat oven cooking and become fall-apart tender.
Prepping Top Round Roast for the Oven
Proper prep is key to oven-roasted top round steak. Follow these tips:
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Trim fat and silver skin: Use a sharp knife to remove any thick fat or silver skin on the surface.
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Season all over: Coat the entire roast with salt, pepper and dried herbs like thyme, rosemary and oregano.
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Brown with high heat (optional): Searing the roast in a pan before oven cooking adds flavor.
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Tie with butcher’s twine: Tying the roast creates an even shape so it cooks evenly.
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Use a meat thermometer: Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest section without touching bone.
Now the roast is ready for low and slow cooking to tenderize while retaining moisture.
Oven Cook Times and Temperatures
Cooking times will vary based on size, but plan on roasting a 2-3 lb top round roast for:
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325°F oven: Approximately 1 1⁄4 to 1 1⁄2 hours
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350°F oven: Roughly 1 to 1 1⁄4 hours
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375°F oven: About 45 minutes to 1 hour
For a larger 3-4 lb roast, extend cook times up to 30 minutes longer.
Always use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness instead of relying on cook times. Remove the roast at 120°F for rare, 130°F for medium-rare, and 140°F for medium. The temperature will rise another 5-10°F during resting.
Seasonings, Rubs and Marinades
In addition to salt and pepper, use these flavor additions for top round roast:
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Fresh herb rub: Chopped rosemary, thyme, oregano and garlic tossed with oil makes a quick herb rub.
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Dry spice rub: Combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano and pepper for a bold rub.
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Red wine marinade: Marinate the roast for 1-2 hours in red wine, garlic and chopped herbs.
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Savory sauce: Brush prepared barbecue sauce, chimichurri sauce or a horseradish dijon mix over the cooked roast.
Layers of flavor from herbs, spices and sauces give typically bland top round a major boost.
Roasting Pan Prep
Use these tips for setting up your roasting pan:
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High-sided pan: Choose a deep pan to prevent grease splatters. Disposable foil pans work well.
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Roasting rack: Elevate the roast on a rack above the veggies to allow air flow and even cooking.
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Aromatic veggies: Roast potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic around the meat to pick up flavor.
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Liquid: For more moisture, add 1⁄2 cup beef broth or red wine to the bottom of the pan.
Let Meat Rest Before Slicing
Once the roast reaches the target temperature, remove it from the oven and tent it loosely with foil. Let it rest 15-20 minutes so juices can redistribute evenly. Slice against the grain for tender meat.
Sample Recipe: Oven Roasted Top Round Roast
Ingredients:
- 3 lb top round roast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb potatoes, quartered
- 1 lb carrots, cut into chunks
- 1 onion, sliced
Directions:
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Pat roast dry and rub with oil. Season with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.
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Place potatoes, carrots and onion in roasting pan. Add roast fat side up.
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Roast 1 1⁄4 hours until internal temperature reaches 130°F for medium-rare doneness.
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Let rest 15 minutes before slicing roast against the grain. Serve with roasted veggies.
This easy oven method delivers a flavorsome, budget-friendly roast using humble top round steak. The veggies roast alongside the meat for a complete meal.
Top Round Roast vs Steak Differences
While top round steak and roast come from the same part of the cow, there are some differences when cooking each one in the oven:
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Cut: Roasts are a whole intact muscle. Steaks are sliced crosswise from the muscles.
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Size: Roasts weigh several pounds. Steaks are individual serving sizes.
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Cook time: Roasts need over an hour in the oven. Steaks roast much quicker.
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Temp: Roast to 120-140°F for rare to medium doneness. Cook steaks to 130-155°F range.
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Prep: Roasts benefit from tying or browning. Steaks just need seasoning.
Both benefit from low, slow oven cooking but follow the guidelines for the specific cut you’re preparing.
Troubleshooting Oven-Roasted Top Round
Having issues with your oven-cooked top round? Here are some common problems and solutions:
Tough and chewy: Went past medium doneness or didn’t rest meat before slicing. Cook to no more than medium and let rest 15+ minutes.
Dry and bland: Cooked at too high of heat without enough moisture. Use lower 325°F oven temp and add roast veggies.
Burnt outside: Oven temp too high. Lower to 300-325°F for more even cooking. Use meat thermometer, not times.
Raw inside: Didn’t cook long enough. Use thermometer and check in multiple spots. May need longer time.
Unevenly cooked: Roast wasn’t uniformly shaped or was overcrowded in pan. Tie into even shape and give room around meat.
Achieving the Perfect Doneness
Learning the signs of done-ness for oven roasting ensures moist, tender meat.
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Rare: 120-125°F, bright red center
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Medium-rare: 130-135°F, warm red center
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Medium: 140-145°F, pink with hint of red
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Medium-well: 150-155°F, light pink inside, hint of juice
The temperature will continue rising about 5°F after removed from the oven. Use an instant-read thermometer to check multiple areas and not just one spot.
Bonus Oven-Roasted Top Round Recipes
Oven roasting brings out the best in cheaper top round cuts. Try these recipe ideas:
- Roast with root veggies in an herbed red wine sauce
- Top round roast stuffed with mushrooms and goat cheese
- Roast topped with chimichurri sauce and roasted peppers
- Coffee and chili rubbed roast with sweet potatoes
- Mustard and herb crusted roast served with au jus
- Roast paired with creamy cauliflower gratin
The oven does the work to turn budget top round into a mouthwatering centerpiece roast. With the right prep, seasoning and cook time, you’ll enjoy fork-tender results with ease.
Frequency of Entities:
top round roast: 16
oven: 15
cook: 8
beef: 7
tender: 6
season: 6
juicy: 5
flavor: 4
rest: 4
thermometer: 4
slow: 3
lean: 3
slice: 3
Amish Oven-Baked Round Steak FAQ
Cube steak is a very good substitution, very similar cuts of meat. And if all else fails, try a rump roast!.
A delicious mushroom or onion gravy would pair well. Check out these 5 amazing Amish gravy recipes here.
This varies greatly between Amish settlements depending on local customs and traditions. Wood-stoves are still very common, but they tend to heat unevenly. Kerosene is another widely used cooking stove among the Amish. Still, others would cook a top round steak over an open fire outside.
Canned cream of mushroom soup is a favorite. If you dont have any other soup on hand, just smother it with cream of mushroom soup!.
Round steak is a highly respected cut of beef among the Amish and Mennonites because it is easy to find, cheap, and can be used in many ways. This Amish Oven-Baked Top Round Steak shows that you can get a lot done with a little. My parents tried it out and really liked it.
I like this type of cooking because you can mix and match according to your own taste. They did not, for instance, have dry onion soup mix, so they just used chopped onions. Dad thought that the dinner would have been a little less wet if they had onion soup mix, so look through your pantry for some dry soup mix. I know you have some back there somewhere.
And they didn’t have any cream of chicken soup, so they mixed two cans of cream of mushroom soup with sour cream. Dad said it turned out wonderfully, perfectly fork-tender. Id try to stick the recipe if you have the ingredients, but if you dont, yeah, experiment away.
You could use a Dutch oven instead of a glass baking dish for this recipe. No matter how you cook it, this is one of the best round steaks you’ll ever have! As it cooks, it makes a tasty broth, and yeah, this is good stuff. A touch of red wine vinegar as it cooks is also a delightful addition.
Of all the round steak recipes I have seen, this is one of the easiest. You can cut it up and do it in a stir-fry. You could douse it in Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or steak sauce when you are ready to eat.
Now, here are some photos and the recipe. Enjoy!
You should still get the best, leanest top round steak you can find, even though it’s cheap.
Spread the soup on top of the steak. You can also add any other seasonings that aren’t on this list, like black pepper, seasoning salt, or marinades.
Brown gravy is a great companion to the steak, but you can experiment with gravies. This is also the part where you can add in some carrots and perhaps some rice or noodles.
This makes for a wonderful and affordable steak dinner! Serve with some sliced tomatoes on the side. And be sure to follow proper cooking process for meat and getting the best internal temperature. Texas A & M puts out a good guide.
- 2 pounds round steak
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 package brown gravy mix
- 1 package of dry onion soup
- 1 can water
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- Place round steak in a 9 x 13 pan.
- Mix everything else together and pour it on top of the round steak.
- Cover with foil and bake for 3 hours.
- Uncover, slice, and serve with mashed potatoes.
- Use the baked gravy for the meat and the potatoes.
More Amish Beef Dinners
How to Cook a Top Round Steak or London Broil in the Toaster Oven~Good Cheap Steak
FAQ
What is the best method of cooking top round steak?
How long to cook steak in the oven at 350 degrees?
How long to cook steak at 400 in the oven?
Is it better to cook a steak in the oven or stove?
How do you cook top round steak in the oven?
Here are some of the most popular ones: To cook top round steak in the oven, preheat your oven to 400°F and place the steak on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Season the steak with salt, pepper, and any other spices you like, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium-rare.
What temperature should a beef top round steak be cooked to?
For best results, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) before cooking the beef top round steak. This higher temperature will help to create a nicely-browned crust on the outside while keeping the inside tender and juicy. How long should I cook the beef top round steak in the oven?
How do you cook a ribeye steak in a pan?
Heat a skillet over high heat and add oil. Season the steak with salt, pepper, and any other spices you like, and sear for 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the steak to a baking sheet and broil for 3-4 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F for medium-rare. Let the steak rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
How long do you cook a steak in the oven?
Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the steak and desired level of doneness. As a general guideline, for medium-rare, cook the steak for about 15-20 minutes per pound in the oven. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature, which should be around 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare.