How to Sous Vide Beef Bottom Round

Bottom round roasts are a tough cut of meat and can greatly benefit from the long cooking times sous vide allows. With sous vide you can cook them below the temperature that starts causing moisture loss. This results in very tender and moist meat.

For a more steak-like texture, I suggest 131ºF (55°C) for 2 to 3 days but if you like a more cooked roast you can do 140ºF (60°C). If you want something along the lines of traditional results you can cook it at any braise-like temperature for a few days.

About Beef Bottom Round

The bottom round is taken from the round primal cut of the cow. The round section is the upper part of the cow's back legs. The eye round and top round are also cuts from the round section. Among the three cuts, the top round is the most tender one of all.

The bottom round steak is sliced thin from the bottom round roast. Both the bottom round roast and steak are considered tough and mediocre in taste. However, the flavor of the bottom rounds can be greatly improved by adding good seasonings and cooking it well.

Season the cut with ingredients like garlic, bay leaf, red wine, rosemary, tomatoes, marinades, and other strongly flavored ingredients to add more flavors to this cut.

Some advantages of bottom round meats are both cost and fat content. People buy round cuts because they are more affordable than ones from other areas like short loin, sirloin or ribs. In addition, bottom round cuts are lean and low in fat.

Bottom round roasts and steaks are best cooked using either sous vide or another low and slow cooking method. These are the only way to truly tenderize this cut. One can also slowly cook this cut in liquids like water, red wine, beef broth or a combination of different liquids. Fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary will add an irresistible aroma to your dish. For both the roast and the steak, serve them thinly sliced, so that every bite is less chewy and more flavorful.

Typical Cooking Methods for Bottom Round Roast

Braise, roast and sous vide are all typical techniques people use to cook bottom round.

Other Names for Bottom Round Roast

Rump roast, round steak

Good Substitutes for Bottom Round

Rump roast, arm roast or shoulder roast and cube steak, minute steak and full-cut round steak are good alternatives for beef bottom round.

Traditional Dishes Using Bottom Round

Pot roast, beef pot pie, beef stew, beef stroganoff and pulled BBQ are some common dishes that contain bottom round roast in them. Bottom round steak is used in Carne Asade Burritos.

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Do you have experience cooking bottom round? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Looking for more beef? Check out the sous vide beef time and temperatures for all the sous vide information you need.

What Are Some Sous Vide Beef Bottom Round Recipes?

Here are several of the Beef Bottom Round recipes that I recommend trying out.

• Sous Vide Beef Kebabs Recipe

Sous Vide Beef Kebabs Recipe

Sous vide beef kebabs are one of my favorite recipes to make. I love the taste of the beef with the grilled vegetables. In the sous vide recipe we utilize a bottom round roast to create tender and spicy beef kebabs that we finish on the grill. You can use just about any cut of meat but the bottom round roast is nice and cheap with a good amount of fat on it.

Sous Vide Bottom Round Comments