Herb-Crusted Roast Beef

Our herb-crusted roast beef makes a superb centerpiece for special occasions and dinner parties. The dish takes just 20 minutes to prepare—simply apply the wet and dry rubs to your beef roast and let it bake for a couple of hours. The short amount of prep gives you time to work on sides and salads, or just take a breather and enjoy a batch cocktail with the rest of the group.

This recipe calls for rump roast, one of the best cuts of meat for affordable, hassle-free meals. It’s economical, generally available at your local butcher or grocery meat counter, and a standard for many roast beef recipes. No need to splurge on something more expensive, but this will still taste like a million bucks! Enjoy the aromatic, slow-cooked herb-crusted beef roast whenever the occasion demands something special.

Ingredients for Herb-Crusted Roast Beef

• Beef rump roast or bottom round roast: Labeled as rump, bottom round or simply round roast, this lean cut is classic for roast beef and pot roast. If you can’t find it, use chuck roast, but it will contain more fat. You could also use a top sirloin roast. Your beef roast should weigh 4-1/2 to 5 pounds. Ask the butcher to trim yours down to the correct weight if needed.
• Garlic cloves: Use fresh, not dried, garlic. Avoid green, sprouted garlic, as the flavor will be too mellow for what you want. There are several ways to mince garlic, but a knife mince is still the easiest.
• Dijon mustard: Sharp and acidic Dijon mustard helps adhere the roast beef herb crust. Try whole-grain mustard for a more textured crust.
• Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice is always better than the bottled stuff.
• Olive oil: You can use the type and varietal of olive oil you prefer. A green, grassy olive oil will bring out the herbaceous flavors in the crust, and a smooth, buttery olive oil will enhance the savory beef flavors.
• Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce brings out all the umami flavors in the beef.
• Seasonings: The seasonings in this savory, herbaceous rub include dried parsley, dried basil, dried tarragon, dried thyme, salt and pepper.
• Gravy: You’ll make the gravy from pan drippings to get a savory, silky-smooth sauce. It takes just flour, beef bouillon granules, water and the reserved drippings.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the roast

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the beef roast, fat side up, in an ungreased roasting pan. Stir together the garlic, mustard, lemon juice, oil and Worcestershire in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the roast. Stir together the parsley, basil, salt, pepper, tarragon and thyme in a separate small bowl. Rub the mixture over the roast.

Editor’s Tip: Let the beef come to room temperature while the oven preheats so the meat will cook more evenly once it hits the heat.

Step 2: Bake the roast

Bake the roast, uncovered, 1-3/4 to 2-1/4 hours or until the meat reaches your desired doneness. For medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; for medium, 140°; for medium-well, 145°.

Editor’s Tip: Every kitchen should have a trustworthy meat thermometer. The ThermoWorks Thermapen is always a top choice.

Step 3: Let the meat rest

Transfer the cooked roast to a warm serving platter. Let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Let the meat rest before slicing so the juices redistribute, making for a juicier slice and better-textured meat.

Step 4: Make the gravy

Pour the pan drippings and any loosened brown bits into a measuring cup. Skim the fat, reserving 2 tablespoons fat. In a large saucepan, whisk together the flour, bouillon and 1 cup water until smooth. Gradually stir in the drippings, the reserved 2 tablespoons fat and the remaining water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cook and stir for two minutes or until thickened.

Editor’s Tip: To ensure a lump-free gravy, add the liquid gradually and stir or whisk constantly until the gravy comes to a boil. You don’t have to worry about lumps once the gravy reaches a boil and thickens.

Step 5: Slice and serve

Slice the roast to your desired thickness. Serve the sliced beef with the gravy.

Editor’s Tip: Once you learn to cut steak the right way, you can apply that to other beef cuts like your roast beef. Most important: Always cut it against the grain.

Ellie Crowley for Taste Recipes

Herb-Crusted Roast Beef Variations

• Serve with horseradish sauce: For a creamy sauce with a healthy dose of zing, try the roast beef with the sauce from our prime rib with horseradish sauce. It’s just four ingredients and can be whipped up in mere seconds.
• Make herb-crusted tofu: For a meatless entree, start with the same wet and dry rub mixtures. Rub them over 1/2-inch-thick slabs of extra-firm tofu, then roast at 400° until lightly browned on both sides. For a meatless gravy, use butter or vegan margarine in place of the beef fat and vegetable stock or water in place of the pan drippings.
• Try herb-crusted pork loin: Spread the wet and dry rubs in this recipe over a bone-in pork loin roast (around 4 pounds). Bake until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 145°. Our recipe for herb-crusted pork loin contains more pointers.
• Put another rub on this roast: If you can’t get enough of herb-crusted beef roast, try the crust in our herb-crusted prime rib recipe.

How to Store Herb-Crusted Roast Beef

To store your roast beef with herb crust, first let it cool to room temperature (don’t leave it out more than two hours, however). Wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or storage wrap, then place it on a baking pan. You can then store it in the refrigerator or the freezer.

How long does herb-crusted roast beef last?

You can store your roast beef in the fridge for two to three days or in the freezer for two to three months.

How do you reheat roast beef?

You want to reheat your herb-crusted beef roast gently so you don’t dry out those precious juices. Place your desired slices of beef in an oven-safe dish, and add drippings, broth or water to the pan—just a few splashes will help the meat stay juicy as it heats. Cover the dish, and reheat the beef in a 300° to 325° oven until just warmed.

If you’re starting with frozen roast beef, let it first thaw in the refrigerator, then follow the directions above.

Herb-Crusted Roast Beef Tips

Ellie Crowley for Taste Recipes

What other herbs can you use on roast beef?

This recipe already uses a great blend for the roast beef herb crust, but you can add other woodsy, woody dried herbs like oregano and sage. You can also use cracked black pepper instead of regular ground pepper for a wonderful kick of spice and more texture in the crust.

How do you get a good crust on roast beef?

The flour in our rub recipe helps create a crust on this roast beef. You can also place your beef on a roasting rack in the roasting pan. This will allow air to circulate more freely around the beef, leading to more crust development. Finally, you can sear your raw beef in 1 to 2 tablespoons oil in a very hot skillet until it’s browned on all sides, then proceed with the recipe starting at Step 1.

What can you serve with herb-crusted roast beef?

Our collection of steak sides has you covered. Recipes like cheesy au gratin potatoes, savory sauteed garlic mushrooms and smooth Asiago mashed cauliflower make excellent pairings with herb-crusted beef roast.

What are other ways to use herb-crusted roast beef?

There are a myriad of great ways to use leftover steak and roast beef in your recipes. Slice the beef and use it in salads, sandwiches, wraps and cooked grains. This particular beef roast would be excellent repurposed in our garlic and herb steak pizza, steak tacos or asparagus beef saute.