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
Rump Roast
This recipe centers around the star of the dish, the beef rump roast (or you can also use chuck roast). Both cuts have connective tissue, making them ideal. Tough cuts of meat, like rump roast, become tender and tasty when 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. It improves the appearance, flavor, and locks in the juices for a tender result!
Garlic Cloves:
Garlic cloves infuse the meat with a delightful flavor as they roast alongside it. Garlic also helps to balance the richness of the meat.
Beef Broth:
The beef broth serves as the cooking liquid, infusing the meat with savory flavors and maintaining moisture throughout the cooking process. It's essential for creating a flavorful and juicy roast.
Worcestershire Sauce:
Worcestershire sauce brings a savory, slightly tangy, and umami-rich element to this recipe. It really adds depth of flavor and 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):
If used, balsamic vinegar can bring a sweet and tangy contrast to the savory elements, creating a more complex flavor profile.
Instructions
- Remove Your Meat from the Fridge: Begin by taking the 4-5 pound boneless beef rump roast out of the fridge. Allow the meat to reach room temperature for at least 20 minutes before cooking. (This reduces the temperature difference between the outer and inner parts of the roast so it cooks more evenly.)
- Preheat Your Oven to 450°F: This step is crucial to ensure your oven is ready for roasting at the right temperature.
- Trim Excess Fat: Using a sharp knife, trim off any excess fat from the roast. Leaving some fat is fine, it adds flavor and moisture, but remove excessive if you wish.
- Mix Seasonings: In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons of fresh garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons of onion powder. This mixture makes a flavorful seasoning for rump roast.
- Season the Roast: Rub the seasoning mixture all over the rump roast, evenly on all sides. This adds so much flavor and helps form a delicious crust when searing.
Searing Rump Roast
Searing the Roast: Heat a large skillet or cast iron frying pan over medium-high heat with a combination of olive oil and avocado oil. Sear all sides of the seasoned roast until they develop a deep, rich brown crust. Searing locks in moisture and flavor.
The high-temperature searing creates a flavorful crust on the roast that tastes so good. Searing usually takes about 3-4 minutes on each side. However, you might need to adjust the time depending on the size and thickness of your roast. The goal is to achieve a nice brown sear without overcooking the meat 😉
Transfer to Roasting Pan: Place the seared rump roast in a roasting pan, fat side up, for the roasting process.
Add Flavorful Ingredients: Pour 1 cup of beef broth or water into the roasting pan. Add 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce for extra depth of flavor. Sprinkle a chopped and caramelized onion over the roast, and place the chopped garlic on top.
Oven Roasting
- Roasting Time: Preheat your oven to 450°F. If you used a Dutch oven for searing, you can place it directly into the hot oven. Roast the uncovered roast for 20 minutes at 450°F.
- This initial high-temperature roasting helps create a flavorful crust. Roasting at 450°F for the first 20 minutes of cooking time is perfect for developing a flavorful exterior while maintaining the meat's juiciness 😉
- Adjust Temperature: After the first 20 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 225°F and continue slow roasting to desired doneness. (it takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes to 125 degrees internal temp.)
- Reducing the oven temperature to 225°F is the key to tenderizing the roast. Slow Roasting at a lower temperature allows the connective tissues in the meat to break down gradually. This low moist heat roasting cooks top round roast gently for tender bites 😉
Monitor Internal Temperature: Periodically check the internal temperature of the roast with a meat thermometer after the initial 20 minutes.
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 and Serve: Remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes before slicing it thin and against the grain. Resting allows the juices to redistribute within the meat, ensuring a moist and tender result.
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 Rump Roast Recipe - Oven Roasted
This rump roast recipe works like magic for tender roast beef everyone loves. Perfect for any special occasion or Sunday dinner!
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound boneless beef rump roast.
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil or 2 tablespoons Avocado Oil for searing
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- One TBS ground Black Pepper
- 1 cup beef broth or water
- One tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- *optional, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- *optional, 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 peeled and chopped bulb of fresh garlic.
- 1 chopped and caramelized onion.
- Optional - 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme & rosemary minced, or 1 teaspoon of the dried herbs.
Instructions
- Remove Your Meat from the Fridge As mentioned above, make sure to 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.
- Mix salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, and thyme (if using) seasoning.
- Rub the seasoning mix all over the rump roast for flavor!
- Searing - After roast is closer to room temperature, Sear it with oil in hot skillet or cast iron Frying Pan, or dutch oven... A Dutch oven will make this step easier. But a frying pan works just fine if you don’t have a cast iron pan or dutch oven. Make sure to sear all sides of the seasoned roast on high heat in butter or avocado oil, or both! Sear on all sides till browned.
- 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.
- Add 1 coarsely chopped caramelized onion.
- 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 UNCLOVERED. (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
Internal temp for rare cook to 125 degrees F, which comes to 135 degrees F while resting. For medium-rare 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.
Nutrition Information
Yield 10 Serving Size 3ozAmount Per Serving Calories 758Total Fat 50gSaturated Fat 19gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 25gCholesterol 274mgSodium 879mgCarbohydrates 3gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 69g
Rump Roast 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 including:
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 enhancing the overall taste of the roast.
Retained Juiciness: Searing seals the outer layer of the meat, which helps to lock in juices. This means that the roast remains moist and succulent as it continues to cook in the oven.
Texture Improvement: The initial sear also contributes to a better texture. It creates a contrast between the crispy outer layer and the tender interior of the roast.
Oven Precision: After searing, the roast is placed in the oven to finish cooking. This allows for precise temperature control and even cooking throughout the roast.
Does rump roast get tender the longer you cook it?
Cooking rump roast for a longer time can increase its tenderness. However, it is important to be cautious not to overcook it. Overcooking can result in the meat becoming excessively tender or dry.
Rump roast is a lean meat with connective tissue. Longer cooking times can make it tender by breaking down the tissue.
How long does it take for a rump roast to fall apart?
The tenderness of a rump roast depends on its size, cooking method, and temperature. 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 or the braising method. In braising, you sear the meat and then simmer it in a flavorful liquid at a low temperature. Typically, a 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!
Becks
Going to save this to use when it starts getting cold here in Illinois! Thanks!
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!
Barbra-Sue Kowalki
Very thorough from what to serve and how to use leftovers! Thank you!
Laura Hopkins
Do you put the lid on your dutch oven to raost ?
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
Leslie
This recipe has all the good feels of fall. Will be saving for a pre-thanksgiving meal. 🙂
Belinda
Covered or uncovered in the oven
juliea
The recipe calls for the roast to be uncovered.
Jo
Thank You for that info!!
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!
robinett
Roats seem to turn out best when you bring it to room temperature before cooking Great webpage thanks for making it!
Nadxiieli Kannenberg
Oh! I am going to have to make this before the summertime comes! Thanks for the post!
Sarah
Oh, yum! Today's a rainy day. Perfect type of day for a warm meal like this. 🙂
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!
Teresa
My rump roast is tied. Do I cook it tied?
juliea
Yes you would keep it tied through the roasting process;)
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.
conbar
Hurrah, just what I was looking for, great rump roast recipe!
thanks
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.
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!
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!
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;)
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!