Baked Eye of Round

Adapted from Southern Living Party Cookbook by Celia Marks

Once again, this is a recipe Carolyn found. I haven't made it in a while, but it's a good dish to have up your sleeve when you're having a party. It's easy to make, low fat, wonderful served at room temperature, and you can double or triple the recipe with ease if you want to serve a crowd. The meat is most delicious if seasoned two days ahead of cooking. However, it can be seasoned just before cooking with excellent results.

Margaret and Tom won't remember, but this is the first dinner I ever made for them. They stopped at the farm on a Sunday on their way home from visiting friends in Vermont, and I served this beef and Penne with Tomatoes and Balsamic Vinegar, which is great served as a side dish with this (and might I add a dish Peggy and I both love). Nick, who was about 12 at the time, came into the kitchen while I was cooking and said "This smell makes my mouth water." I have adored him ever since.

Now for the caveat. The original recipe calls for seasoned salt and garlic salt, which might be two ingredients you don't feel like using. I personally would not (ever) use garlic salt; however, there are times I would use garlic powder. (If it’s good enough for Paul Prudhomme, it’s good enough for me). If you want to use seasoned salt, check out this recipe, which has no MSG in it. At least you could use really good sea salt and fresh spices.

Eye-of-round beef
1 teaspoon or so of vegetable oil for browning the meat

Seasoning Mixture

Mix the following together to use as a dry rub:
Kosher or fine sea salt
Garlic powder
Black pepper
About 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed (I grind it in a coffee grinder that I only use for spices because I never buy ground rosemary)

If convenient, season meat 2 days before cooking.

Dry rub the entire surface of the meat liberally with the seasoning mixture. Wrap the seasoned meat tightly in aluminum foil, and refrigerate.

About an hour before cooking, remove the meat from the refrigerator to get to room temperature. Brown the meat on all sides in just enough oil to grease a skillet . Place the browned meat on a flat rack in a shallow pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes to the pound for rare or 20 minutes to the pound for medium.

Cut into thin slices to serve.

Because this meat is so lean, you won't have enough drippings to make gravy. It is delicious hot, warm, or at room temperature.

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