This carnivore roast beef is an easy way to turn an affordable eye of round roast into a flavorful, protein-packed meal. The beef is seasoned overnight, covered with a rich seasoned butter coating, and roasted until tender and beautifully browned.
Because eye of round is a lean cut of beef, the butter adds much-needed richness while helping the outside of the roast develop a savory crust. A few minutes under the broiler at the end gives it an even deeper color and flavor.
The result is a simple carnivore roast beef that can be served warm for dinner or sliced thinly and enjoyed cold for meal prep.
Be sure to check out our entire collection of carnivore recipes for delicious ideas that fit a carnivore lifestyle.
What Is Carnivore Roast Beef ?
Carnivore roast beef is a simply seasoned beef roast made without vegetables, or plant-based sauces.
This recipe uses an eye of round roast seasoned with sea salt and black pepper. The roast is then covered with a mixture of softened butter, salt, and pepper before it goes into the oven.
The black pepper can be left out if you follow a strict carnivore diet.
Those following a more flexible lifestyle can include the pepper for additional flavor.
Although eye of round is very lean, it can still produce delicious roast beef when it is not overcooked and is sliced thinly against the grain.
Why You Will Love This Carnivore Roast Beef Recipe
This simple roast beef recipe is perfect when you want a hearty meat-based meal without a long list of ingredients.
You will love that it is:
- Made with only a few basic ingredients
- Naturally carnivore, keto, low-carb, and gluten-free
- Seasoned ahead of time for better flavor
- Covered in a rich seasoned butter coating
- Great for holidays, dinner, meal prep, or cold roast beef slices
- Easy to customize according to your preferred level of doneness
- Made without marinades, or complicated sauces
The Best Cut Of Beef For This Recipe
I use a five-pound eye of round roast for this carnivore roast beef recipe.
Eye of round comes from the rear leg of the cow and is one of the leaner cuts of beef. It does not have as much marbling as ribeye or chuck roast, so it is important to watch the internal temperature carefully.
The best way to keep eye of round tender is to avoid overcooking it, allow it to rest before slicing, and cut it very thinly against the grain.
You can also make this recipe with a top round, bottom round, or boneless ribeye roast. Keep in mind that the cooking time will vary depending on the cut, thickness, fat content, and starting temperature of the meat.
I do not recommend substituting chuck roast without changing the cooking method. Chuck roast contains more connective tissue and usually needs a longer, slower cooking time to become tender.
What Is A Butter Coating?
The seasoned butter coating is a mixture of softened butter, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper that is spread over the roast before it goes into the oven.
Calling it a coating makes it clear that the butter is added before roasting rather than spooned over the meat after it is cooked.
As the roast cooks, the butter melts over the surface of the beef and adds richness to this otherwise lean cut. It also helps the seasonings stay in place and encourages the exterior to brown during the final broiling step.
Be sure to use softened butter rather than melted butter. Softened butter is easier to spread evenly over the top and sides of the roast.
Ingredients Needed
The following are the simple ingredients you will need to make this carnivore roast beef:
- Eye of round roast
- Sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- Softened butter
For a strict carnivore version, simply leave out the black pepper and season the beef with butter and salt.
How To Make Carnivore Roast Beef
Begin by patting the eye of round roast dry with paper towels. Removing the excess moisture helps the salt and pepper adhere more evenly to the meat.
Combine the sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning mixture over the entire roast, making sure to season the top, bottom, and sides.
Wrap the seasoned roast tightly in plastic wrap or place it in a covered container. Refrigerate it for at least eight hours or overnight. This gives the salt time to season the beef more deeply.
When you are ready to cook the roast, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the softened butter, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl to prepare the seasoned butter coating.
Remove the roast from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Place the meat in a roasting pan or on a large rimmed baking sheet.
Spread the seasoned butter mixture evenly over the top and sides of the roast.
Place the roast in the preheated oven and cook for approximately 45 minutes. Since ovens and roasts vary, begin checking the internal temperature rather than relying only on the cooking time.
Once the roast is about 5 to 10 degrees below your desired final temperature, set the oven to broil.
Broil the roast for 3 to 5 minutes, watching it carefully, until the exterior is browned and the beef reaches your preferred temperature. Butter can brown quickly under the broiler, so do not step away from the oven during this step.
Remove the roast from the oven and loosely cover it with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Use a sharp knife to slice the roast as thinly as possible against the grain.
How To Know When Roast Beef Is Done
An instant-read meat thermometer is the most reliable way to determine when your carnivore roast beef is ready.
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Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, making sure the tip reaches close to the center. Avoid placing the thermometer in a pocket of fat or connective tissue because this can affect the reading.
Remember that the internal temperature may continue to rise by several degrees while the roast rests. This is known as carryover cooking.
For food safety, the USDA recommends cooking whole beef roasts to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees and allowing them to rest for at least three minutes.
If you prefer your roast beef cooked beyond medium, continue roasting until it reaches the temperature and doneness you enjoy.
Tips For The Best Carnivore Roast Beef
Season The Beef Ahead Of Time
Seasoning the roast at least eight hours before cooking gives the salt time to penetrate the surface of the meat. This creates better flavor than seasoning it immediately before roasting.
Use Softened Butter
The butter should be soft enough to spread but not melted. Melted butter will run off the roast before it has a chance to coat the surface evenly.
Use A Meat Thermometer
Eye of round is lean and can become dry when overcooked. Checking the internal temperature helps prevent you from cooking it longer than necessary.
Watch The Roast While Broiling
The seasoned butter coating can brown quickly under high heat. Check the roast frequently during the final few minutes so the exterior browns without burning.
Allow The Roast To Rest
Resting gives the juices time to redistribute through the beef. Slicing the roast immediately can cause more of those juices to run onto the cutting board.
Slice Against The Grain
Look for the direction in which the muscle fibers run and slice across them rather than in the same direction. Cutting against the grain shortens the muscle fibers and makes each slice easier to chew.
Slice The Beef Thinly
Thin slices are especially important when serving eye of round. A sharp carving knife or electric knife makes this much easier.
How To Store Carnivore Roast Beef
Store leftover roast beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Keeping the roast whole until you are ready to eat it may help prevent it from drying out. However, slicing it ahead of time is convenient for quick meals and meal prep.
Carnivore roast beef can also be frozen for up to 3 weeks. Place the slices in a freezer-safe container and separate individual portions with parchment paper if desired.
Thaw the roast beef overnight in the refrigerator before reheating or serving.
How To Reheat Roast Beef Without Drying It Out
Because eye of round is lean, gentle reheating works best.
Place the roast beef slices in a covered skillet over low heat with a little butter or beef broth. Heat just until warmed through.
You can also place the slices in a covered baking dish and warm them in a low oven. Avoid reheating the beef for too long because this can make it dry and tough.
The leftovers are also delicious served cold straight from the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
The overnight seasoning time is highly recommended because it gives the salt more time to flavor the beef.
However, you can season the roast and let it sit in the refrigerator for as long as your schedule allows. Even a few hours will provide more flavor than seasoning it immediately before cooking.
Yes. Freshly cracked black pepper is optional.
Leave it out if you follow a strict carnivore diet or prefer roast beef seasoned only with salt. The butter and sea salt will still give the roast plenty of flavor.
Yes, the butter can be replaced with beef tallow for a dairy-free and stricter carnivore version of this roast beef. Since tallow is pure fat and firmer than butter, I recommend starting with about ⅓ cup rather than the full ½ cup called for in the recipe.
Allow the tallow to soften until it is spreadable, but do not melt it completely. Mix it with the salt and pepper, then spread it evenly over the top and sides of the roast.
You can add a little more tallow if needed to fully coat the meat. Tallow also handles high heat well, making it a good choice for the final broiling step.
Yes. This roast beef is an excellent make-ahead and meal prep recipe.
You can season the raw roast and keep it covered in the refrigerator overnight before cooking.
Once cooked, allow the roast to cool before placing it in an airtight container.
The roast can be sliced ahead of time or stored whole and sliced as needed.
More Carnivore Recipes To Try
If you enjoy easy carnivore chicken recipes like this one, be sure to try these next:
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Carnivore Roast Beef
This easy carnivore roast beef features a tender eye of round roast seasoned overnight and finished with a rich, buttery crust. Slice it thinly for dinner, meal prep, or cold roast beef leftovers.
Ingredients
- 5-pound eye of round roast, trimmed of silver skin
- 1 ¾ teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Butter Coating
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine 1 ¾ teaspoons of sea salt with ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Rub the salt and pepper mixture evenly over the entire roast.
- Wrap the seasoned roast tightly in plastic wrap or place it in a covered container. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, 1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
- Remove the roast from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Place the roast in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet large enough to hold it comfortably.
- Spread the seasoned butter evenly over the top and sides of the roast.
- Roast for approximately 45 minutes, then begin checking the internal temperature with an instant-read meat thermometer. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the roast and how cold it was when placed in the oven.
- When the roast is about 5 to 10 degrees below your desired final temperature, switch the oven to broil. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching it carefully, until the outside is browned and the roast reaches the desired internal temperature.
- Remove the roast from the oven and loosely cover it with foil. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. For the most tender results, slice the roast thinly against the grain.
Notes
For accurate results, insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the roast, making sure the tip reaches the center without resting in fat or connective tissue.
This recipe works best with eye of round roast. Top round, bottom round, or boneless ribeye roast may also be used, but the cooking time will vary depending on the cut, thickness, and fat content.
Freshly cracked black pepper can be left out for a stricter carnivore recipe.
Store leftover roast beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 weeks. For easier meal prep, slice the roast before freezing and separate the portions with parchment paper.
Beef Temperature Guide
Carryover cooking may raise the temperature of the roast by approximately 5 degrees while it rests. For food safety, the USDA recommends that whole beef roasts reach at least 145°F and rest for at least three minutes before slicing
- Rare Beef: 115 to 120 F
- Medium-Rare Beef: 120 to 125 F
- Medium Beef: 130 to 135 F
- Well-Done Beef: 150 F
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
7Serving Size:
1/7 of the recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 659Total Fat: 26.6gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 213mgSodium: 900mgCarbohydrates: 1.2gNet Carbohydrates: 1.2gSugar: 1.1gProtein: 96g
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