A bit of a twist on braised beef, the flavor-packed tomato sauce is the star of the show in this savory Beef Roast with Tomato, Cumin, and Feta. I like to make extra to have as a dip later in the week. Once you try this, it is sure to be an addition to your main course rotation!
What You Need to Make Beef Roast with Tomato, Cumin, and Feta
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker – You could alternatively make this in a slow cooker or Dutch oven.
- Cutting Board – For slicing the onions.
- Chef’s Knife – For slicing the onions.
- Small Mixing Bowl – For prepping and dividing up the spices.
- Rubber Scraper – Or another utensil for stirring the onions and sauce.
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring Cup – I like the plunger style ones for this recipe since it is for the chili garlic sauce.
Ingredients
- Beef Bottom Round Rump Roast – You can use another cut of beef if preferred. Basically, it should be something that needs to be cooked low and slow (or in a pressure cooker) to break down the connective tissue. i.e. I wouldn’t suggest using a filet, tenderloin, or steak cut.
- Kosher Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Avocado Oil or Olive Oil – This is for searing the beef and cooking the onions.
- Ground Cumin
- Chili Garlic Sauce
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Red Onions – Thinly Sliced.
- Garlic – Minced or grated. I buy the pre-minced version in bulk. You can mince or grate it yourself. I just like to save the time.
- Feta – Crumbled. I buy the version that is already crumbled in the interest of saving time.
- Flat-leaf Parsley – Roughly Chopped
Getting Started with Making Beef Roast with Tomato, Cumin, and Feta
Advanced Prep
The day before serving this Beef Roast with Tomato, Cumin, and Feta, I suggest completing the following prep work:
- Slice your red onions and store them in a baggie in the fridge. I label my bags with a marker so that I don’t have to think about it when I grab them later.
- Chop your large Spanish onion (or 2 small-medium yellow onions) for the cauliflower rice.
- Cube and dry your bread.
- Get your bread pudding ready up to the point of baking.
- Put the rub on your beef (if you have the time and space in the fridge).
Getting Everything Together (Mis en place)
On the day of (your dinner party or when you are planning to serve it), if you haven’t already put the rub on your beef, allow yourself about an hour to get the beef and onions seared, put into the pot, and cooking.
Gather your ingredients. Before I even think about turning on my Instant Pot, I like to make sure all of my ingredients are open and right by my side, with any measuring already done (like for the chili garlic sauce or garlic). The sauté function is pretty hot, so if I need time between steps to measure, open, etc., I’m inevitably going to burn something. Don’t do that. 🙂
Coat your beef with the rub. I like to line a half sheet pan with heavy duty aluminum foil for applying my rub so that I have plenty of space (since I happen to be working with 2 smaller roasts instead of one larger one). Then I can set my meat back on it once I finish my searing of every side as well as for any miscellaneous spoons or prep bowls that I’m done with; and when I’m done, I can wrap it up and toss it out.
Start Cooking
If you’re using an Instant Pot, turn on the Sauté function and add 2 tablespoons of avocado or olive oil and let it heat up. If you’re using a crockpot, then do this step in a skillet on the stove over medium-high heat. Sear the roasts on every side. Yes, I mean the ends and edges too. Since I was working with 2 pieces of meat, I did these one at a time and then set them back on my sheet pan to hang out while moving on to the next step.
Lori’s Footnote: I really do encourage using avocado oil or regular olive oil, not extra virgin.
Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pot. Toss in the sliced onions. Cook until they are softened. This took me about 8 – 10 minutes.
Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cumin and garlic plus any rub that might have been left over and the chili paste. Cook until fragrant. About 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add in the chili paste and cook for about 1 minute more.
Stir in the crushed tomatoes and season with additional salt to taste. Make sure everything is well combined.
Return the beef to the pot. I like to make sure my liquid is bubbling, then turn off the saute function and turn on the slow cook function. Set it ____ heat for ___ hours.
When the time is up, remove the roasts from the pot to a cutting board and slice into ¾ inch thick portions. Serve on a bed of Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice. Drizzle on some more sauce and sprinkle with crumbled feta and chopped parsley.
Additional Ideas
This recipe appeared in the menu for my Mediterranean Beef Dinner Party. Check it out for some suggestions of what to serve with this delicious, savory beef!
This recipe was inspired by Braised Chicken with Tomato, Cumin, and Feta from the New York Times.
Beef Roast with Tomato, Cumin, and Feta
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt about 2 teaspoons plus more for seasoning to taste
- 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper about 1 teaspoon
- 4 tablespoons Ground Cumin Divided: 2 tablespoons to rub on the roasts, 2 tablespoons to add to the onions while cooking
- 4 pounds Beef Bottom Round Rump Roast ~4 pounds
- ¼ cup Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
- 2 medium Red Onions Thinly Sliced
- 6 large cloves of Garlic Minced or grated
- ¼ cup Chili Garlic Sauce
- 2 cans Crushed Tomatoes 28 ounces each
- 1 cup Feta Crumbled
- ½ cup Flat-leaf Parsley Roughly Chopped
Instructions
- Combine the salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the ground cumin. Rub it over the roasts. Let the roasts set to come up to room temperature before cooking.4 pounds Beef Bottom Round Rump Roast, 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt, 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper, 4 tablespoons Ground Cumin
- Heat ~2 tablespoons of the oil in the Instant Pot on the “Saute” setting. If you are using a Crockpot, heat the oil in a large pan on the stove-top.¼ cup Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
- Quickly sear all sides of the roasts, remove from the pan, and set aside. (You’re not trying to cook the meat at this point. Just get a little bit of caramelization on it.)
- Add the remaining oil if needed. Sautee the sliced red onions until soft. About 8 to 10 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cumin and garlic. Cook until fragrant. About 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add in the chili garlic sauce and cook for about 1 minute more.4 tablespoons Ground Cumin, 2 medium Red Onions, 6 large cloves of Garlic, ¼ cup Chili Garlic Sauce
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and season with additional salt to taste / if needed.2 cans Crushed Tomatoes
- Place the roasts back into the pot. Cook on Low for 8 hours.
- Serve on a bed of cauliflower rice. Top with crumbled feta and chopped parsley.1 cup Feta, ½ cup Flat-leaf Parsley
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker You could alternatively make this in a slow cooker or dutch oven.
- Small Mixing Bowl
