# Where did I go wrong?



## FreshGround (Jan 16, 2022)

Ever since I got a slicer I've been wanting to make deli-style roast beef.  Using an eye round, my first try didn't work out that well - very tender but very dry.  And deli roast beef can't be dry.

Since eye round is fairly tough I think I overdid it on tenderizing.  My first decision was to marinade it for 24 hours.  The tenderizing elements of my marinade were fresh-squeezed lemon juice and red wine vinegar, and the other ingredients were oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, dried basil, dried parsley, ground black pepper, salt, onion powder, and fresh thyme.  I can give quantities, if needed.

After trimming, the eye round weighed in at around 4 lbs.  I put it in a gallon sized ziplock with the marinade, sloshed it around a bit and popped it into the fridge.  3 or 4 times I sloshed it around and turned it over and then I took it out after 24 hours.  Drained the marinade but didn't rinse it off.  Popped it into a vacuum bag, sealed it up and into the sous vide bath at 120* for 21 hours.  I like my deli roast beef rare to medium rare.  And we were going to sear it.

At the end of the sous vide bath, took it out, opened the bag, took out the meat, dried it off well and then let it dry for a couple of hours to cool down to minimize cooking effect of the searing.  Got the gas grill up to 600 and seared it.  Probably way too long, 5 minutes per side, and the shape of the meat  had 3 sides, so a total of 15 searing minutes.

Then let it cool, tented it, and into the fridge overnight to chill for slicing.  It sliced very nicely.  It was less pink than I expected.  Flavor was fine.  But it was dry dry dry.  Could really only eat it by whipping up an aus jus for dipping.

So, I submit myself to the (gentle?) critique of my betters.  Where did I go wrong?  The marinade?  The sous vide parameters?  The long drying time between sous vide and sear?  The searing temp/time?  The post searing overnight refrigerating?  The only thing I feel like I can exonerate is the slicing, because it sliced beautifully.  But it was less pink than I expected.  More on the M side of medium rare when I was shooting to be on the R side of medium rare.  And no juiciness at all.  Did I mention that it was dry? LOL


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## daveomak (Jan 17, 2022)

Ii don't believe one can cook an eye of round and get a juicy hunk of finished meat.. I have failed many times..  It's jerky material...


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## indaswamp (Jan 17, 2022)

^^^^what Dave said.
Use rump roast, or sirloin; much much better....


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## indaswamp (Jan 17, 2022)

BTW, the acid from the marinade probably helped save you, but not recommended to sous vide raw meat below 130*F.
Follow Baldwin's tables...
https://douglasbaldwin.com/sous-vide.html?mod=article_inline

Now I do cook my roast beef sous vide below 130*F, BUT this is after hot smoking the rump roast for 4-5 hours @225*F to INT of 125*F so the surface has been thoroughly pasteurized. I then bag and immerse in sous vide bath @128*F for 22-24 hours. Tender, juice, and med.-rare.
I also make chef jimmyj's smokey au jus in pans under the roast in the smoker.
I slice for roast beef sandwiches and thick cut for dinners with garlic mashed potatoes.


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## mike243 (Jan 17, 2022)

I would throw it away jmo


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## SmokinAl (Jan 17, 2022)

I think I would just smoke it next time. Here is a Eye pastrami I did a while back. You can see how juicy it is.





						Eye of round Pastrami, mucho q-view!!
					

I was at Sam's a couple of weeks ago looking for some salmon to make lox. They really didn't have any that looked good so while looking around I found a 5# eye of round, Angus choice. I have been wanting to make pastrami with a round roast for some time. I grabbed it. No trimming necessary. I...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com
				



Hope this helps!
Al


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