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June 24, 2020

Are you looking to liven up your Sunday family dinners or add some variety to a weeknight supper? It can be hard to find a recipe that will please everyone in your household. You should opt for a main course that will complement comfort side dishes like rice and mashed potatoes.

If you’ve grown tired of your go-to grilled chicken or pulled pork, we have a new recipe you can try. Read on to unlock the secrets of the perfect rump roast recipe!

Things To Keep in Mind Before You Cook a Rump Roast

Before we offer our rump roast recipe, we’ll cover some key points to minimize hiccups along your cooking journey.

What’s the Difference between Beef Rump & Chuck Roast?

A lot of people use these terms interchangeably. While both cuts of meat come from parts of a cow, their similarities end there.

Rump roast, not to confuse with bottom round, comes from the hindquarters. Chuck roast comes from a cow’s shoulder portion. The hindquarters and shoulder area are both well-used parts of the cow, so these two cuts of meat are naturally pretty tough. Most people agree that roasted rump is the more tender of the two.

How Tender Is Rump Roast?

Even though rump comes from the round of a cow, this cut of meat can become tender if cooked properly. When you do, the payoff is worth it as this savory, juicy, cut is rich with flavor and will melt in your mouth. As long as you follow the preparation and cooking instructions diligently, you shouldn’t have to gnaw your way through dinner.

How Much Fat Do I Need to Remove?

We recommend trimming the top quarter of fat on your cut of meat. It will eliminate the fibrous, stringy, and unappetizing part of your roast. By leaving some of the fat, you’ll still get mouthfuls of a juicy cut of meat.

Some cooks want a leaner cut of meat, so they will cut off all of the fat. While this is a viable option, we advise leaving some of it on so that your meat doesn’t get too dry.

Know Which Cooking Method You Want to Try

Preparing a rump roast allows for a lot of versatility. You can cook it in the oven or slow cooker and choose from methods like roasting, grilling, and braising. The slow cooker often takes longer but can work if you will be out of the house all day.

In this roast recipe, we will teach you how to braise a beef roast.

Some Common Mistakes to Avoid

Preparing the perfect roast is no easy task. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

Cooking your meat for too long: If you let it cook beyond the recommended time, you’ll end up with a chewy piece of meat. If you place your meat in the slow cooker after searing it, you will be less likely to overcook it than if you put it in the oven.
Cooking your meat right out of the fridge: You should let your meat approach room temperature before putting it in the oven. If you cook it right out of the fridge, your meat will experience thermal shock, which isn’t suitable for its taste or tenderness.
Cutting right into your meat after it finishes cooking: This rule applies to a majority of roasts. Once your meat has finished cooking, carefully wrap it in tin foil while it’s still hot. Allow it to cool before cutting into it. This vital step will keep your meat soft, moist, and delicious.
Using a dull knife to cut your meat: To seamlessly achieve thin roast beef slices for serving, use your sharpest knife. This method will be much safer and produce a more picture-perfect final result.

Ingredients for the Perfect Rump Roast

Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make the perfect rump roast:

4-5 pound boneless beef rump roast
Grassfed Butter or olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup of water
2 bay leaves
1 peeled bulb of fresh garlic
1 coarsely chopped caramelized onion
1 tablespoon of lemon juice

How To Cook a Rump Roast: Step-by-Step

Before you get started, here’s how long you can expect to spend in the kitchen:

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5-7 hours
Total time: 5-7 hours, 20 minutes

Below, check out our step-by-step guide to preparing the perfect rump roast!

Step 1: Remove Your Meat from the Fridge

As mentioned above, make sure to remove your meat from the fridge before you can begin cooking it. Allow it to sit out for around 20 minutes to get closer to room temperature.

While you wait, preheat your oven to 350°F. You can also remove however much fat you want from the meat. Use a sharp knife to achieve accurate cuts.

During this step, sprinkle your roast with salt and pepper to flavor it. Be careful with how much you add, as too much salt and pepper will distract from your other ingredients.

Step 2: Sear in a Frying Pan

Once your meat has approached room temperature, sear it in a frying pan.

If you have one, we recommend using a Dutch oven instead of a frying pan. This step will make the next steps easier. However, a frying pan will work just fine if you don’t own this style of oven.

Sear all sides of your meat on high heat in butter or oil. Some chefs like to use both as the oil will help your meat withstand hot temperatures, and the butter will add a distinctive flavor.

Step 3: Add in Your Extras

At this point, you can start adding in your extra ingredients. Start by pouring in one cup of water, the two bay leaves, and one tablespoon of lemon juice. Feel free to add one tablespoon of chopped parsley for additional flavor and color.

You can then add the coarsely chopped and caramelized onion. After adding the onion, finish off your roast with by sprinkling minced garlic over the roast.

Step 4: Place the Roast in the Oven

Place your seared meat into the 350°F oven. If you used a Dutch oven for the searing process, you could place this vessel right into the oven. If you used a frying pan, transfer your meat and additional ingredients into a roasting pan.

Bake for two hours at 350°F. After two hours, turn your oven down to 250°F and cook for an additional three to five hours.

Alternatively, you may use a slow cooker to finish cooking your meat.

Determine How Well-Cooked You Want Your Roast to Be

The cooking time for your meat will depend on how well-done you want it.

The searing process should have adequately browned the outer portion of your roast. The baking process will help you achieve an ideal internal temperature. After your roast has been in the oven for three hours, begin testing its temperature with a meat thermometer.

Follow these temperatures to determine how well-cooked you want your rump roast to be:

125°F for rare meat
130°F for medium-rare meat
140°F for medium-well meat
160°F for well-done meat

Once your roast has reached your ideal internal temperature, take it out of the oven. Allow it to cool off before you cut it. Once it has cooled down to room temperature, use a sharp knife to make thin cuts.

Conclusion

Many novice chefs will steer clear of beef rump roast because of its notoriously tough texture and long cooking time.

As long as you follow this roast recipe carefully, you’ll have a new go-to dinner option for your family! Feel free to experiment with the seasonings and vegetables to make this dish your own!

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Footnotes1. https://practicalfarmers.org/research/fatty-acid-comparisons-of-grain-and-forage-fed-pork/