Tender Rump Roast
This recipe turns a tough rump beef roast and makes a delicious dish, great for special occasions or a comforting meal.
Key Ingredients
This is a simple recipe made with the rump roast and a few pantry staples to really compliment it’s flavor… nothing fancy here!
Rump Roast: This recipe centers around the the beef rump roast (or you can use chuck roast). Both cuts have connective tissue, making them ideal. Tough cuts of meat, like rump roast, become tender and tasty when they’re cooked slowly!
Olive Oil: We use olive oil or avocado oil to sear the seasoned roast. Searing makes a beautiful brown crust on the meat that looks delicious, tastes wonderful, and locks in juices for tender bites!
Garlic Cloves: Garlic cloves infuse the meat with a delightful flavor as they roast alongside it. Plus it helps balance the richness of the meat!
Beef Broth: Beef broth serves as the cooking liquid, infusing the meat with savory flavors and maintaining moisture during the cooking process. It’s a nonnegotiable for creating a flavorful juicy roast.
Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce adds a savory, slightly tangy, umami-rich flavor to this recipe. It adds depth of flavor that really complements the rump roast taste!
Fresh Rosemary (Optional): Adding fresh rosemary adds a fragrant herbal note that pairs wonderfully with beef. It levels up the flavor profile and adds a great aroma.
Balsamic Vinegar (Optional): Balsamic vinegar brings a sweet and tangy contrast to the savory elements in the rump roast recipe, creating a more complex flavor profile!
How to Make Tender Rump Roast
This recipe is super simple to make in just a few steps… Basically, you’ll season it, sear it to lock in juices and flavor, then slow roast in in the oven! I usually season then sear then roast… But you can also sear, then season and roast. I like to toasted flavor that searing the seasonings onto the roast creates. But, wither way you do it, it’s delicious!
Searing Rump Roast
Searing is the secret weapon for a killer roast, trust me. Grab your biggest skillet – cast iron is my absolute fave – and crank that heat to medium-high. You want it hot, but not smoking. Drizzle in a couple tablespoons of olive or avocado oil, just enough to coat the bottom.
Here’s where the magic happens… Your seasoned roast goes in, and you’re aiming for that deep, rich, gorgeous brown crust. Don’t be shy! You’ll hear that satisfying sizzle, and that’s music to my ears. Resist the urge to move it around too much; let it really get that sear going. Usually, we’re talking about 3-4 minutes per side, but honestly? It’s all about eyeballing it! You want that beautiful brown, not just a light tan. If your roast is extra thick, give it a little more time.
Pro Tip: If your skillet gets a little smoky, just lower the heat a touch. You still want that high heat, but you don’t want to set off the smoke alarm! And another thing, use tongs! They give you way more control than a fork and keep all those juices inside the roast.
Once you’ve got that perfect sear on all sides, transfer it to your roasting pan, fat side up. That fat is going to melt and baste the roast as it cooks, keeping it super juicy – it’s like a self-saucing situation!
Oven Roasting
- Roast the uncovered roast for the first 20 minutes at 450°F. This initial high-temperature roasting helps create a flavorful crust while maintaining the meat’s juiciness! If you used a Dutch oven for searing, you can place it directly into the hot oven.
- After the first 20 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 225°F and continue slow roasting to desired doneness. Every oven is a little different, but It takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes to 125 degrees internal temperature. Reducing the temperature to 225°F is the key to tender rump roast. Slow Roasting, at this low temperature, allows tissues in the meat to break down gradually for tender bites 😉
Monitor Internal Temperature: Periodically check the internal temperature of the roast with a meat thermometer after the initial 20 minutes, to make sure you remove it when it reaches the right doneness for you:
For rare, aim for 125°F, which rises to 135°F after resting. To achieve medium-rare, target 135°F, reaching 145°F after resting. For medium-well, cook to 140-145°F, achieving 155°F after resting.
Rest & Serve: Remove the roast from the oven, tent it with a sheet of foil, and let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes before slicing. Resting allows the juices to redistribute within the meat, ensuring a moist and tender result. Slice it thin, about 1/4 inch thick, against the grain.
Let me know what you think!
Share your cooking tips and feedback in the comments below. Did you add any twists to these recipes? I’d love to hear!
Tender, Juicy Garlic & Herb Rump Roast
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound beef rump roast, boneless
- 2 tbsp Olive oil or Avocado Oil for searing
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 tbsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon thyme dried, optional
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced optional for garnish
- 1 bulb of fresh garlic peeled and chopped
- 1 cup beef broth or water
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar optional
- 1 onion chopped and caramelized
Instructions
- Remove your meat from the fridge before you start cooking it. Let your rump roast sit on the counter for at least 20 minutes to get closer to room temperature.
- Preheat your oven to 450°F.
- Use a sharp knife to remove however much fat you want from the rump roast.
- Rub roast with olive oil to help seasoning stick.
- In a small bowl, mix the salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, thyme and rosemary (if using) seasoning.
- Rub the seasoning mix all over the rump roast.
Searing
- Add 2 tbsp olive or avocado oil to a skillet, cast-iron frying pan, or Dutch oven and bring it to a high heat.
- Sear the roast in hot cast iron skillet over medium high heat, on all sides until browned and a good crust has formed.
- Add sliced onion and 1 tablespoon oil to your dutch oven, heat over medium, just till onions caramelize.
- Place seared rump roast in Roasting Pan Fatty side up. If you used a frying pan to sear the roast, transfer your rump roast into your roasting pan.
- Pour into the bottom of the roasting pan: 1 cup beef broth or one cup water, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and the balsamic vinegar, if using.
- Sprinkle minced garlic over the top of the roast.
- Place seared and seasoned rump roast into a preheated 450°F oven. (If you used a Dutch Oven to sear, just put other ingredients on top and place it right into the hot oven!) UNCOVERED.
- Roast 20 minutes at 450°F.
- Turn the temperature down to 225°F and slow roast to desired doneness UNCOVERED. (it takes about 1 hour 10 mins to 125°F.) Internal temp for rare cook to 125 degrees F, which comes to 135 degrees F while resting. For medium cook to 135 which comes us to 145°F after resting. For for medium well done rump roast cook to 145 which comes up to 155°F internal temp after resting.
- Remove rump roast from oven, place it on a cutting board. Cover it with aluminum foil, and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing thin and against the grain.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Notes
No roast is exactly the same and neither are ovens, so it’s best to check to the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer of your roast at least every hour, and more often when it gets close to done.
For best results, I highly recommend you use your meat thermometer instead of just a timer!
Internal temp for rare cook to 125 degrees F, which comes to 135 degrees F while resting. For medium-rare cook to 135°F which comes us to 145°F after resting. For for medium well done rump roast cook to 140-145°F which comes up to 155°F internal temp after resting.
Cooked to Medium Rare:
Serve Rump Roast With
Rump roast is the perfect Roast Beef for Sunday family meals or special occasions like Christmas dinner. I like to serve it with the au jus and:
- Mashed Potatoes and Homemade Gravy! (Learn how easy it is to make homemade gravy with the pan drippings left in your roasting pan. It’s super delicious made with the rump roast juices, and only takes about 10 minutes.
- Soft and buttery sourdough dinner rolls.
More Rump Roast Recipes
FAQs
What is the best cooking method for rump?
The best cooking method for a rump roast is searing then oven roasting, for several reasons: Flavor Development: Searing the rump roast in a hot pan before roasting in the oven helps develop a rich, deep, and complex flavor. The high heat of searing caramelizes the surface of the meat, creating a savory crust and adding the best flavor. Juiciness: Searing seals the outer layer of the meat, which helps to lock in juices. So the roast stays moist and succulent as it continues to cook in the oven. Texture: The initial sear adds great texture. It creates a contrast between the crispy outer layer and the tender interior of the roast. Precision: After searing, the roast is placed in the oven to finish cooking. This allows for precise temperature control and even cooking to your perfect doneness preference!
Does rump roast get tender the longer you cook it?
Yes and no. Cooking rump roast for a longer time CAN increase its tenderness if the cooking temperature is low enough. However, overcooking it can dry it out. Rump roast is a lean meat with connective tissue. Longer cooking times can make it tender by breaking down the tissue, as long as the temperature is low enough, and it’s not over cooked.
How long does it take for a rump roast to fall apart?
Rump roast becomes fall-apart tender when the collagen in the connective tissue breaks down into gelatin. For fall apart rump roast you will need to use a slow cooker rump roast recipe for braising. In braising, you sear the meat and then simmer it in flavorful broth at a low temperature. Rump roast can become fall-apart tender in 3-4 hours of braising.
Hey, I’m Juliea!
So glad you’re here! I’ve been making this tender rump roast recipe for years… I hope you love it too!
About Juliea
Juliea Huffaker is the creator of Farmhouse Harvest, and dedicated to teaching from-scratch cooking, sourdough baking, gardening, and food preservation. With over 25 years of hands-on experience she has preserved hundreds of jars of produce, mastered the art of meats and sourdough baking, and nurtured a thriving organic garden. Her recipes and articles have been featured across the web. And she’s passionate about inspiring others to embrace a simpler, self-sufficient life style.
34 comments
docaly
When putting the ingredients together and following the steps, I was confused as to where to add the fresh/dried thyme and rosemary as the recipe does not advise as to when to include it. I put them into the roasting pan before beginning to roast.
Also, might I humbly suggest that you have someone edit the recipe before you publish it as it has spelling errors and some incomplete info, as cited above. Looking forward to tasting this as it definitely sounds yummy!
Thank you for making this recipe available.
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Docaly… You add the thyme and rosemary with the other herbs before searing. Some like to add them after searing. Searing toasts the seasonings and deepens the flavors. But you can do it either way and it is delicious. I hope this helps! Also, thank you for the heads up on missing step & spelling error. Fixed!
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Jackie… You are exactly correct the thyme is optional to add while seasoning the roast, and the balsamic vinegar is added to the braising liquid! You did it perfectly. That’s for the constructive comment, I will add that to the recipe card!
Hollu
I need to know asap if I cover the roast when I turn it down to 225
It does t say but worried it will dry out
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Hollu… No you do not cover the roast after turning the temp down;)
Holly
Do you cover toast when turned it down to 225?
juneal ramsdell
When do you add the vinegar
Darin
Easy to follow recipe, delicious meat! Perfect for our Sunday Family dinners.
ラブドール
Such a tender rump roast! This is the best rump roast I’ve ever made. I love how the herbs taste on that are seared onto the roast. Very good!
Nikki
Julia, you have the best recipe posts. Your pictures always make my mouth water. Just beautiful and can’t wait to try another one of your amazing recipes. Thank you!
Joe
I am confused about the temp of the roast. You say after two hours it will be 145 degrees, which is rare. So if I want to serve it rare, is it done and I just forgo cooking it at 225 degrees for another hour or two? Will it still be super tender?
juliea
Hello Joe! The USDA says a roast should be cooked to 145 internal temp…. However during the resting period, if you tent it with foil, the temp will continue to rise about 5-10 degrees. If you like beef pink in the middle you may take the roast out after the internal temp reaches 135, then tent it with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes, and the temp will rise to 145. If you cook it longer it will be well done. Which will not be tender with this roasting method.
conbar
Hurrah, just what I was looking for, great rump roast recipe!
thanks
Tammy
Question – when you seated the roast on your griddle, what temp was the griddle? Also it looked like no oil was used for that, correct? Thank you!
juliea
Hi Tammy! I did use avocado oil to sear the roast. I used 350-degree setting.
Teresa
My rump roast is tied. Do I cook it tied?
juliea
Yes you would keep it tied through the roasting process;)
Marie
How long should I roast a 3 1/2 lbs roast. Unable to get a 4-5 roast.
juliea
Hello Marie! Thanks for stopping by and asking! Roasting time will probably be cut by 1/4th but always go by internal temperature for perfect results!
Sarah
Oh, yum! Today’s a rainy day. Perfect type of day for a warm meal like this. 🙂
Nadxiieli Kannenberg
Oh! I am going to have to make this before the summertime comes! Thanks for the post!
robinett
Roats seem to turn out best when you bring it to room temperature before cooking Great webpage thanks for making it!
Jules
We love roast beef and rump roast is one of my favorite… Always did it in the crock pot. Definitely going to try it this way roasted in the oven!
Belinda
Covered or uncovered in the oven
Jo
Thank You for that info!!
juliea
The recipe calls for the roast to be uncovered.
Leslie
This recipe has all the good feels of fall. Will be saving for a pre-thanksgiving meal. 🙂
Liz
I need to try this! There are a lot of meat eaters in my house, and this sounds so good. I’ve never done this, so I appreciate all the tips!
Michelle Mccann
Great recipe! I’m not much of a cook and my husband loves it! Very juicy and tender. This will be definitely be the recipe I use from now on for roast and will recommend it to others.
juliea
Hi Michelle! Thanks for stopping by the blog and trying my rump roast recipe… So glad you love it! – Juliea
Julie
So many helpful tips and cooking advice! We are definitely a meat and potatoes kind of family, but sometimes I get hung up on how to cook the meat! Your directions are easy to follow and aren’t super complicated which I appreciate. Going to save this post for fall and winter cooking so I can come back and reread the tips to make sure I’m doing it correctly!
Laura Hopkins
Do you put the lid on your dutch oven to raost ?
Barbra-Sue Kowalki
Very thorough from what to serve and how to use leftovers! Thank you!
Becks
Going to save this to use when it starts getting cold here in Illinois! Thanks!