I recently calculated the cost difference between buying a roast and buying prepackaged deli roast beef. Because of how inflation is affecting food, I thought we’d talk about how to make deli roast beef at home.
A Roast- Top Round, Bottom Round, and Eye of the Round are all good options. Check out the Canadian Beef Producers Website to see if the roast you bought at the store is a good cut for this.
Canola Oil—This is where I suggest canola oil because the roast will be at 500F for the first 15 minutes. If you use another oil just make sure it has a high smoke point.
For many of us, visiting the deli counter at the grocery store is a weekly ritual. Loading up on convenient pre-sliced meats like roast beef makes assembling lunches and quick dinners a breeze. But have you ever considered making your own deli-style roast beef from scratch at home?
With the right cut of beef and simple roasting method, you can easily replicate the tasty sandwich meat found at delis. Homemade allows you to control the quality of meat as well as the salt content too.
In this article, we’ll look at the best beef cuts to use for deli-style roast beef along with tips for cooking it to perfection. Read on to learn how to skip the supermarket deli and enjoy tender, juicy roast beef anytime.
What Makes a Good Deli Roast Beef?
When selecting a cut of beef to make your own deli-style roast, there are a few qualities you’ll want to look for
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Lean – Deli roast beef is typically low in fat with little marbling. Leaner cuts result in a healthier lunch meat.
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Tender – Even when sliced paper thin, the meat should be tender enough to bite into easily. Tough, chewy roast beef makes for poor sandwiches.
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Flavorful – Although deli roast beef is lean, the meat should still have good beefy flavor Cuts from the round or sirloin offer the most flavor
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Affordable – Buying pre-packaged deli meat can get expensive, Choose inexpensive roasts like eye round or bottom round
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Uniform shape – Opt for roasts with a consistent shape and thickness to ensure even cooking.
Keeping these traits in mind will lead you to the right roast for homemade pink, tender and tasty deli-style beef.
The Best Cuts of Beef for Deli Roast
The good news is you don’t need an expensive cut like ribeye or tenderloin to make delicious deli roast beef. Affordable roasts from the round and sirloin offer the perfect lean yet flavorful meat. Here are the best options:
Eye of Round
Arguably the most popular choice for deli-style roast beef, eye of round offers terrific flavor and leanness. It’s very affordable and uniform in shape. Roast it slowly using a meat thermometer for perfect doneness.
Bottom Round
Almost as lean as eye round, bottom round has good flavor and tends to be slightly more tender. It can be roasted just like eye round into excellent deli meat.
Top Round
Top round is another super lean and relatively tender cut ideal for deli-style roast beef. It has great beefy flavor as well. Look for top round roasts with some fat cap for added moisture.
Top Sirloin
From the sirloin primal, top sirloin makes a delicious and budget-friendly choice. It has more marbling than round cuts but still carves into tender and tasty roast beef slices.
Tri-Tip
While pricier than other picks, tri-tip is a lean yet wonderfully flavorful cut. With its small uniform shape, tri-tip roasts nicely into high-quality deli roast beef.
Any of these affordable cuts from the round or sirloin primal will transform into perfect deli-meat with the right roasting method. Their leanness, tenderness and bold beef flavor are ideal.
How to Cook Deli Roast Beef
Cooking an inexpensive roast like eye round or top round requires special care to turn out tender and medium rare. Here are some tips:
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Generously season the roast with salt, pepper and herbs. This flavors the meat and draws out moisture.
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Sear at a high temp first to brown the exterior. This locks in juices.
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Roast in a low 300°F oven using a meat thermometer to reach 130°F for medium rare.
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Let rest at least 30 minutes before slicing to allow juices to redistribute.
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Chill completely before slicing thinly against the grain. This makes it easier to cut paper-thin slices.
With the right cut, seasoning and roasting method, you’ll achieve tender, juicy homemade deli roast beef that rivals the store bought kind for a fraction of the cost. Give it a try!
Serving and Storing Deli Style Roast Beef
Once roasted and sliced, there are lots of tasty ways to enjoy your homemade deli roast beef:
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Pile high on sandwiches, wraps or rolls for easy lunches
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Add to antipasto or charcuterie boards for appetizers
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Roll up with cheese and vegetables for quick snacks
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Use in pasta salads, rice bowls or omelets
Properly stored, homemade deli roast beef will last 4-5 days refrigerated. For longer storage, vacuum seal portions and freeze for 2-3 months.
Make Your Own Deli Counter at Home
With the help of affordable roasts like eye of round paired with a simple roasting method, you can skip the supermarket deli and enjoy fresh, tasty roast beef any time. Experiment with different lean beef cuts until you find your favorites for turning into deli-style lunch meat. Getting perfect results is easy and cost-effective. Give it a try and say goodbye to the grocery store deli counter!
Seasonings for Deli Roast Beef
- Take the roast beef out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for an hour.
- Preheat oven and Mix Seasonings
- Pat the Roast Dry with Paper Towel
- Rub with Oil
- Sprinkle Seasoning Evenly all over the roast.
- Place roast in roasting pan, on a rack. (if you don’t have a rack, use cut-up onion to lift the roast)
- Roast for 15 mins in 500F Oven. (Uncovered)
- Leave Roast undercovered and in the oven. Lower the heat in the oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 130 to 165F, or until done to your liking.
- After 30 minutes, cover the roast and put it in the fridge until it’s cold. (overnight).
- Remove String and Sliced against the grain.
- For up to 6 months, freeze in bags or containers that don’t let air in.
- Highfive yourself for saving money.
Dry Roasting Pro Tips
When done in an oven, heat surrounds the cut and raises the temperature inside slowly until it’s done to your liking. Larger cuts are generally candidates for roasting and achieve high cooked yield and even doneness throughout.
- Season roast on all sides.
- Put the roast on a rack or cut up the carrots, onions, and celery. Place the roast fat side up.
- When putting the temperature probe in, stay away from any bones or fat pockets.
- Place roast in the oven and set temperature. When the roast is 10°C less done than you want it, take it out of the oven and let it rest.
- Let the roast rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes. This will let the meat tissue loosen up and soak up the juices again, and the temperature will keep going up.
- Always slice across the grain.
How To Make Perfect Deli-Style Roast Beef At Home
What kind of meat is used to make a roast beef sandwich?
There are two in particular that are fantastic for making roast beef sandwiches: the classic bottom round roast, and the more premium top loin or NY strip roast. Perhaps the most common cut of meat used to make roast beef is the bottom round roast. It’s a large, lean cut that is derived from the round of the cow, that is to say the rear end.
What kind of meat is used to make roast beef?
Perhaps the most common cut of meat used to make roast beef is the bottom round roast. It’s a large, lean cut that is derived from the round of the cow, that is to say the rear end. The meat of a bottom round roast is tender and holds its form when cooked slowly in a Dutch oven, making it perfect for making deli-style roast beef sandwiches.
What is the eye of round Deli roast beef?
The eye of round is the cut of choice for most store-bought deli roast beef. It comes from the upper portion of the rear leg, known as the round primal cut. The second cut was the tri-tip—the small, triangular muscle from the bottom tip of the sirloin primal.
What cut of meat should I use to make roast beef?
What cut of meat you should use to make roast beef depends on whether you’re looking for a tender, rosy slice of meat or a melt-in-your-mouth bite that’s almost falling apart. Cuts vary vastly in price and how they’re best prepared, so taking your budget and desired cook time into account is crucial.