I’m always on the lookout for new and tasty ways to make beef roasts. I like recipes and ideas that can be used for just about any cut of said meat. Who knows what’s going to be available at the store on a given day? This Savory Spiced Beef Roast makes a great addition to that repertoire of recipes.
You have some options for cooking, but I like and recommend using Sous Vide for this one. It makes advanced planning and prep work easy and means that you don’t need to give the meat much thought at all while you’re working on getting everything else ready for dinner.
Inspired by: Alton Brown’s Immersion Circulator Rump Roast and Spicy Beef Kebabs
What You Need to Make Savory Spiced Beef Roast
Equipment
- Rimmed Baking Sheet – Optional. This is for lining with foil and paper towels and then patting the meat dry.
- Paper Towels
- Large Sauté Pan or Skillet
- Small Bowl
- Measuring Spoons
- Vacuum Sealer
- Vacuum Sealer Bag Roll – Or Gallon Size Zip Top Freezer Bags
- Sous Vide Cooker
- Food Safe Weights – Optional. These are to help weigh down the bags of meat in the water bath.
- Large Heat Safe Container – For containing the water for the sous vide water bath. You will need to be able to attach the Sous Vide Cooker to the side of the container. I you don’t have a lid for the container with a cut out for the sous vide, you will want to use heavy duty aluminum foil to cover the container and prevent evaporation and excessive heat loss.
- Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
- Dutch Oven – Option if you don’t have a Sous Vide Cooker (see Recipes Notes)
- Large Oven Safe Baking Dish with Oven Safe Lid – Option if you don’t have a Sous Vide Cooker (See Recipe Notes)
- Slow Cooker – Option if you don’t have a Sous Vide Cooker (See Recipe Notes). I suggest a 6-quart crock pot if you have one.
Ingredients
- Beef Roasts – You can either use 2 smaller ones or 1 larger one. I like Chuck Roast for this recipe, but this spice mix would work on any beef roast.
- Avocado Oil – This is for searing the roasts. The quantity listed is approximate and will vary somewhat based on the size of your pan. The oil should completely coat the bottom of the pan you are using for searing.
- Spices and Seasonings
- Kosher Salt
- Hot Smoked Paprika – You could use smoked paprika or sweet paprika instead if you prefer. It’ll change the flavor a bit but will still be good.
- Ground Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Ground Black Pepper
- Turmeric – I suggest wearing gloves when working with turmeric to avoid having yellow fingers and yellow anything else you may accidentally touch.
- Worcestershire Sauce – This adds a nice additional umami layer of flavor.
Getting Started with Making Savory Spiced Beef Roast
To make this Savory Spiced Beef Roast you have some options as it relates to the cooking method. I’ll get to those in a few minutes. However, regardless of the cooking method you use, our goal here is to get the meat seared, rubbed, and sliced before the low and slow cook. My goal for you is to not have to mess with slicing beef before serving. I tend to find this a bit messy and annoying to have to do once people arrive. My cutting board takes up a good chunk of counter space and gets in my way from a dishwasher loading point of view. The only step that we’ll save until the very end is reducing the leftover juice into a little sauce.
Preparing the Meat
Okay so with that preamble, let’s get started by lining a rimmed baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil (for easier clean-up) and paper towels. Thoroughly pat the meat dry and then discard the paper towels.
Now, you’ll want to add about a quarter cup of Avocado Oil to a large sauté pan or skillet and turn it to medium high heat. I usually set mine to 6 on a 10 point scale. The actual amount of oil is enough to completely coat the bottom of the pan. You can add more between roasts if needed to keep it coated.
While the pan and oil are heating up, liberally rub all sides of the roasts with Kosher Salt. While the exact amount of salt needed depends on the surface area of the meat, I wound up using about a quarter cup across the 2 roasts.
Searing the Roasts
Once the oil is heated and shimmering, you can gently lay one roast in the pan. I use long tongs for moving the meat around. I also suggest using a splatter screen on the pan if you have one and wearing an apron and / or old clothes. There will be oil splatter. From experience, I can tell you that it hurts a lot if it hits you.
You need to let the roast sit until the bottom releases on its own and then flip it. Then I use the tongs to hold the roast on its side while I sear the edges. Once you’ve gotten a nice sear and on all sides and edges of the meat, move it back to the rimmed baking sheet. Then you’ll repeat the process with the second roast.
Rubbing and Slicing the Meat
You’ll need to allow the meat to cool enough that you can easily handle it without burning yourself. While that’s happening, you can mix up your spices. Into a small bowl, you should measure 4 teaspoons of Hot Smoked Paprika, 2 teaspoons of Ground Cumin, 1 teaspoon of Garlic Powder, 1 teaspoon of Onion Powder, 1 teaspoon of Ground Black Pepper, and 1 teaspoon of Turmeric. You’ll want to thoroughly mix them to ensure even distribution of the spices.
Once the roasts are cool enough to handle, you’ll rub the spice mixture all over all sides of the meat. Now you can grab a cutting board and, making sure to cut against the grain of the meat, slice each roast into approximately ¾-inch slices.
Cooking Methods
At this point, we need to talk about cooking methods for this meat. You basically have 3 options:
- Sous Vide – This is what I recommend and how this recipe was originally designed.
- Slow Cooker
- Oven – Using Dutch Oven or large oven safe vessel with a lid
The steps I describe immediately after this are for the sous vide method. See the Recipe Notes at the bottom for the alternative cooking method instructions.
Vacuum Sealing the Slices
You will set your Sous Vide Cooker to 135°F and allow the water to come up to temperature while you seal up the meat.
Our goal for packaging the roast slices is to get them flat in their cooking bag. I use a vacuum sealer and one or two food safe weights in each bag. However, if you don’t have a vacuum sealer, you can instead place the meat slices in a zip top freezer bag. With the vacuum sealer, I make 2 large bags. If you’re going to use gallon-size zip top freezer bags, you’ll probably need 4 of them.
Once you have the meat in the bags, distribute the Worcestershire sauce evenly among them.
With a Vacuum Sealer
With a vacuum sealer, use the “wet” setting to suck out all of the air without pulling out the Worcestershire sauce too.
Without a Vacuum Sealer
Leaving one corner open, gently submerge the rest of the bag in the water. This allows the water pressure to force out any air. Once all but that last open corner is under water, you’ll want to squeeze out any last air and seal the bag the rest of the way.
Cooking the Savory Spiced Beef Roast
Once sealed, you can drop the bags into the sous vide water bath and allow them to cook at 135°F for 10 hours.
Once the time is up, remove the bags from the water and allow them to cool enough for you to handle them without burning yourself. Use a pair of tongs to remove the slices of meat to a heat safe container or serving platter (if serving right away).
Don’t dump the juice!
Making the Reduction Sauce
Finally, you’re going to pour the juice from the bags into a small saucepan. You’ll cook the sauce over a relatively high heat until it reduces by about a third. Then you can pour the sauce over the meat and serve.
As an alternative serving method, you could also make some tasty little sliders with it. I used this Keto Flatbread, some Manchego cheese, and a little mustard.
Related Recipes
Looking for some other beef recipes? You might be interested in one of these:
- Beef Roast with Tomato, Cumin, and Feta
- Braised Beef Short Rib on Gorgonzola Cauliflower Chia Cakes
- Braised Beef in Wine Reduction Sauce
- Easy Low Carb Pot Roast
Wondering what to serve with this Savory Spiced Beef Roast? You might want to try my:
- Broccoli with Roasted Red Peppers and Parmesan
- Creamy Cauliflower Rice Risotto
- Easy Roasted Zucchini
- Easy Tossed Greens Salad Bar
- Green Beans with Garlic and Roasted Red Peppers
- Pepper Jack Creamed Spinach
Or you can check out my Keeping Warm Dinner Party page for a full menu suggestion.
Savory Spiced Beef Roast
Ingredients
- 7 pounds Beef Roasts 2 (3.5-pound) roasts or 1 larger one. I like Chuck Roast for this recipe, but this spice mix would work on any beef roast.
- ¼ cup Kosher Salt
- ¼ cup Avocado Oil Approximate. The oil should completely coat the bottom of the pan you are using for searing.
- 4 teaspoons Hot Smoked Paprika
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
Instructions
- Fill the container you’ll be using with the Sous Vide with water, turn on the Sous Vide machine and set the temperature to 135°F. While it comes up to temperature, prepare the meat.
- Pat 7 pounds Beef Roasts dry with paper towels and then rub liberally with Kosher Salt (about ¼ cup Kosher Salt) on all sides.7 pounds Beef Roasts, ¼ cup Kosher Salt
- Heat approximately ¼ cup Avocado Oil in a large skillet over high heat. Once the oil is hot and starts to shimmer, place one roast in the pan. Let it sit until it releases from the pan. Flip it over and repeat the process. Using tongs, sear all of the edges as well. Remove it from the heat and let it cool enough that you can handle it without getting burnt.¼ cup Avocado Oil
- Combine all of the spices–4 teaspoons Hot Smoked Paprika, 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin, 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder, 1 teaspoon Onion Powder, 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper, and 1 teaspoon Turmeric. Mix well.4 teaspoons Hot Smoked Paprika, 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin, 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder, 1 teaspoon Onion Powder, 1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper, 1 teaspoon Turmeric
- Apply the rub to the roasts. Use all of the rub and coat completely.
- On a cutting board, slice the roasts in approximately ¾-inch slices. Make sure to cut against the grain.
- Place the beef slices in 2 large vacuum sealer bags with 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce divided between the 2 bags. You want to lay them in a single flat layer in the bags. Vacuum seal the bags. If you do not have a vacuum sealer and plan to use zip top freezer bags, you’ll probably need to use 4 bags. If that is the case, you will still lay the slices flat in the bags. You will just need to be careful when putting them in the water to prevent them from slipping around in the bag and bunching into a clump before you get it sealed.2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- Place the sealed bags in the water bath with the Sous Vide at 135°F and allow them to cook for 10 hours.
- Once done, remove the bags from the water bath. Cut open the tops of the bags. Use tongs to remove the beef slices to a serving dish, reserving the liquid.
- Pour the liquid / jus into a small saucepan.
- Reduce the jus over high heat, stirring constantly, until it has reduced by about a third.
- Pour the reduced liquid over the meat and serve warm.
Equipment
- Rimmed Baking Sheet Optional
- Paper Towels
- Large Sauté Pan or Skillet Or Skillet
- Small Bowl
- Measuring Spoons
- Vacuum Sealer Bag Roll Or Gallon Size Zip Top Freezer Bags
- Food Safe Weights Optional. These are to help weigh down the bags of meat in the water bath.
- Large Heat Safe Container For containing the water for the sous vide water bath. You will need to be able to attach the Sous Vide Cooker to the side of the container. I you don’t have a lid for the container with a cut out for the sous vide, you will want to use heavy duty aluminum foil to cover the container and prevent evaporation and excessive heat loss.
- Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil
- Dutch Oven Option if you don’t have a Sous Vide Cooker (see Recipes Notes)
- Large Oven Safe Baking Dish with Oven Safe Lid Option if you don’t have a Sous Vide Cooker (See Recipe Notes)
- Slow Cooker Option if you don’t have a Sous Vide Cooker (See Recipe Notes). I suggest a 6-quart crock pot if you have one.
Notes
- Alternative Cooking Methods
- Slow Cooker
- Salt and sear as instructed.
- Rub with spice blend and slice as listed above.
- Place in the crockpot with 1 cup broth or water and the Worcestershire Sauce.
- Cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 – 5 hours.
Remove the jus and reduce in a small saucepan as described above.
- Oven
- Salt and sear as instructed.
- Rub with spice blend and slice as listed above.
- Cover the cooking vessel. A Dutch oven would be best, but if you don’t have one of those, you can use any oven safe casserole dish. If your dish doesn’t have a lid, cover it with heavy duty aluminum foil.
- Cook at 250° for 4 hours.
Remove the jus and reduce in a small saucepan as described above.
- Slow Cooker
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