Mom's Roast Beef. My Favorite Roast.

When I first started cooking as a young bride, I was completely intimidated by roasts.

What's the right cut of meat?
How long do I cook it?
How do I know when it's done?

And, if I mess it up, why on earth didn't I just order pizza and forget the whole daggum thing?

I was cooking for many years before I attempted making a roast. This recipe for my mother-in-law's roast beef was one of my favorite meals. But I, for whatever silly reason, thought there was no way I could make it and have it turn out as good as Mom made it.

Well, I'm here to tell you that if you feel the same way I did about roasts, or just want a new roast recipe, that this roast is as easy as pie. Well, pie - if you make your own crust - is in fact not as easy as this roast.

Digression: I promise to post a pie crust tutorial in the next couple of weeks. So many of you have emailed me asking for my pie crust recipe since I posted Fresh Strawberry Pie. And, I, being the disorganized fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants girl that I am, haven't posted one for you. But, I have a hankering somethin' fierce for my Southern Peach Pie so I'll get on the ball with that and post a pie crust tutorial when I make it next week.

This roast has become one of our favorite "go to" meals when we entertain because we love it, everyone who comes over and has it loves it, and because it creates some of the best leftovers on the planet. (Think open-faced roast beef sandwich smothered in gravy).

OH SWEET MERCY, HOW I LOVE OPEN-FACED ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES!

This roast is incredibly flavorful, and the gravy is to die for. And, served over Creamy Mashed Potatoes (which I'll post later today) - well, there's just nothing as comforting in the whole wide world.

So, here are the easy step-by-step instructions on how to make Mom's Roast Beef.

Mom's Roast Beef
a family recipe...

1 (3-4lb) eye round roast
2 tablespoons oregano
2 tablespoons basil
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons lemon pepper
salt
pepper
1 green pepper, cut in chunks
1 stalk celery, cut in chunks
1 onion, halved
1 carrot, cut in chunks
4 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups water

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Place roast into a roasting pan or metal baking dish. Pierce roast all over with fork.

Rub oregano, basil, garlic powder, lemon pepper, and generous amounts of salt and pepper over all sides of roast. Place, fat side up, into the preheated 500 degree oven and bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes.

*This sears the outside of the meat and gives it incredible flavor.

Carefully remove pan from oven and reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Add green pepper, celery, onion and carrot chunks to the pan. Add four beef bouillon cubes and 2 cups of water around the roast.

Return the roast to the oven and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.

*This recipe cooks the roast medium-well to well done, which is how even my "I like my meat all shades of red" husband prefers it. This one is meant to be cooked to more like well done.

Remove roast from oven and allow to cool slightly in pan. Remove roast from pan and place on a cutting board. Set pan filled with vegetables and juice aside.

If needed, remove some of the fat from the outside of the roast and discard. Slice roast as thinly as possible with a carving knife and serve.

To make the gravy:

Using a slotted spoon, scoop out vegetables from pan, leaving juice in the pan. Pour juice into a medium sized pot, and heat on low heat.

Mix together 1/4 cup cornstarch or flour and 1 cup water until smooth. Add to pot. Continue heating gravy on low heat until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

*You can serve the vegetables alongside the roast or line the platter with them. Someone (aka my husband) always gobbles these up before we ever make it to the table at our house. At Mom's house, I take them to the nearest closet and hide out until they're gone.

I hope you enjoy this roast as much as we do.

Happy Monday to ya'.

From a travel-crazed Momma who is so happy to be back home, again!