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Beef Round Roast

Also indexed as:Pikes Peak Roast, Rump Roast, Tip Roast
Beef Round Roast: Main Image

Buying Tips

Look for round roast with a clear, red colour. The normal colour of beef is purplish-red, but it takes on a cherry-red hue, known as the “bloom,” when exposed to oxygen. While the exterior is bright red, the interior of the meat retains the darker colour. Vacuum-packed round roast will also show the purplish colour. Packaged round roast should be cold and the packaging free of punctures or tears; vacuum-packed steak should have its seal intact. The beef should be firm to the touch. Check the label for the “sell-by” date and make sure to buy it before or on that date.

Varieties

Round Tip Roast

The round tip roast, which may be sold as a trimmed tip roast or ball tip roast, is the most tender of the round roasts.

Top Round Roast

Top round is another of the more tender round roasts and is also the leanest.

Rump Roast

This roast is cut from the bottom of the round; the bone is then removed and the meat rolled and tied. If the bone is left in, it is known as a standing rump roast. Premium or choice grades of rump roast can be roasted but select rump roast is best when braised, and makes a flavourful pot roast.

Beef Eye of Round Roast

One of the less-tender round roasts, the eye of round should be cooked with moist heat.

Pikes Peak Roast

Also called heel of round, the Pikes Peak roast is cut from low in the round, just above the hock. It contains many small muscles and lots of connective tissue. This is the least tender of the round roasts, but cooks up into a pot roast with excellent flavour.

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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2024.