How to Smoke a Beef for Deli Style Roast Beef

Eye of round roast beef is smoked just until cooked through, keeping the beef tender and juicy. Great for Sunday dinner or a holiday meal!

Y'all, the smoked roast beef sandwiches we make from the smoked eye of round roast are STUPID GOOD!

When you take a bite into this sandwich, the crisp crunch of the onion collides with the creaminess of the swiss cheese and tiger sauce that blankets the warm and tender smoked eye of round roast beef on a toasted bun. It's absolute sandwich heaven!

David and I were inspired by Baltimore pit beef sandwiches we learned about on an episode of Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Foods America. The roast beef sandwiches are made of fire-roasted beef shaved and stacked high on a bun with sliced onion and Baltimore Tiger Sauce.

The Baltimore Tiger Sauce is of German origin, a creamy horseradish sauce made with mayonnaise, sour cream, and mustard. I'm not sure where this sauce has been all these years, but we plan on using it for a lot more beef recipes and maybe even prime rib.

This easy, inexpensive sandwich recipe may be that certain holiday meal you're looking to serve your friends and family this season.

Let us show you how!

Watch Our Video On How to Smoke Eye of Round

What Is Eye of Round Roast?

Eye of round roast, also known as round eye pot roast, is a primal cut from the cow's hind legs, between the rump and rear shank. The roast is cut from the elongated muscled located in the center of the round. This is why the cut gets the name "eye of round." This muscle is used a lot, therefore, making it very lean and tough.

The eye of round needs to be cooked very low and slow to become tender. It's perfect for roast beef!

Is The Eye Of Round Roast Expensive?

It's a very economical cut of meat leaner than a chuck roast and brisket, which contains more fat and is very similar to the beef tenderloin without the expense.

The average cost will vary greatly depending on where you live. I got lucky and found this whole eye of round on sale for $2.99 a pound. This roast would typically be $35, but I purchased it for just under $15. A steal, given the skyrocketing meat prices nowadays.

What If I Can't Find An Eye Of Round Roast?

If you cannot find an eye of round, top round and bottom round are suitable substitutes. All three cuts are taken from the rump and hind leg of the steer (round primal). Each is pretty lean and becomes tough if overcooked. Slow cooking is ideal for making them tender and smoking low and slow!

How To Prepare Whole Eye of Round Roast For Smoking

Our whole eye of round roast weighed 4.715 pounds before trimming and cutting.

1. Remove Fat and Silverskin: On this particular cut of meat, you want to trim off all of the excess silver skin. The roast can come with patches of fat which generally is where the flavor is, but on this particular cut, there is silverskin between the fat and lean meat, which is chewy and will not render, so trim as much off as possible.
2. Trim the Tapered End: You also want to make this roast as uniform as possible so that it will cook evenly. Trim off the tapered end and reserve for soups or stews later.

What Seasoning Works Best?

For this recipe, we used a vibrant and flavorful Brazillian Steakhouse Seasoning. It adds a savory depth of flavor to beef with deep, earthy notes and pungent aromatics like onion and garlic. We also used Worcestershire sauce as a binder for the rub.

Substitutes: If you don't have any on Brazillian Steakhouse Seasoning on hand, use your favorite beef dry rub or use equal parts salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.

Worcestershire sauce doesn't add much taste to the meat. You can substitute with oil or mustard or refrain from using a binder at all.

What Wood Is Best for Smoking Eye of Round

This is our first recipe using hickory smoke on beef, and it certainly won't be our last!

We chose hickory wood chunks because it provides a rather pungent but sweet taste to the meat. Since the beef is not smoked for very long, it can take all the smoke you can give it in a short amount of cooking time.

Other wood options for smoking beef:

• Oak
• Mesquite
• Cherry
• Maple
• Pecan
• Apple

How Long Does It Take To Make Smoked Eye of Round Roast?

It should take between 1.5-2 hours at 225-225 degrees F to smoke a 3-pound eye of round roast until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. Remember, it is more important to concentrate on the internal temperature than the time.

Use the chart below to help you determine when to pull the roast off the grill or smoker.

Beef Temperature Cooking Chart

Preferred Doneness	Pull Temp(After Smoking)	Target Temp(After Searing)
Rare	115-125°F	120-130°F
Medium rare (recommended)	125-130°F	130-135°F
Medium	130-135°F	135-140°F
Medium well	140-150°F	145-155°F
Well done	NA	NEVER!

Ingredients Needed To Make the Sandwiches:

For the Smoked Eye of Round:

• Eye of round roast: 3-4 pounds trimmed. Can use a beef bottom round roast or a rump roast if you cannot find eye of round.
• Binder: (optional) Although a binder does not add any flavor to the meat, we love Worcestershire sauce and used it for a binder to adhere the rub to the meat. You can use prepared yellow mustard or oil instead.
• Brazilian Steakhouse Seasoning: We use McCormick's but your favorite dry rub.

For the Sandwiches:

• Steak Rolls: Any type of buns or sandwich rolls you prefer. Toast with cheese for the ultimate sandwich!
• Cheese: We use lacy Swiss cheese because it melts well and adds creaminess. Feel free to you cheddar, mozzarella, or provolone for even more cheesiness.
• Onion: thinly sliced sweet onion provides a little crunch and melds the flavors of the sauce and meat.
• Sauce: Baltimore Tiger Sauce. Use the recipe to follow or use another favorite.

Baltimore Tiger Sauce:

• Mayonnaise
• Sour Cream
• Horseradish: Use prepared horseradish. The ingredients on the jar should only be horseradish, vinegar, and salt. Not horseradish sauce which already contains cream, such as mayonnaise or sour cream.
• Mustard Powder: Mustard powder is pure without the addition of vinegar. Can use prepared yellow mustard to taste.

How to Make Smoked Eye of Round Roast Beef Sandwiches

1. Set up the grill or smoker for indirect heat. Preheat to 225-250 degrees F.

   David used his Weber kettle grill set up with a 3-Zone Fire, using grill baskets on each side to hold the charcoal and wood. Each basket should have about 8-10 hot briquettes with a chunk of smoking wood on each side. Setting up the grill this way allows the roast to cook evenly without having to flip it around. If your heat source is one-sided, flip the roast when the temperature reaches between 60-90 degrees F internal, turn the meat around, so both sides of the roast spend equal time towards the hot coals.

2. Place the prepared beef on the grill in the center of the grill or away from direct heat. In a probe thermometer into the thickest portion of the roast. Close lid on grill and monitor temperature. Add more unlit coals and wood as needed to maintain the temperature and smoke.
3. Meanwhile, make the Baltimore Tiger Sauce – whisk all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
4. When the internal temperature is between 125-130 degrees F for medium rare, remove roast from the grill. Wrap in foil for at least 30 minutes and allow it to rest.
5. During the last few minutes of resting the meat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the buns open (if not presliced). Place the buns open-faced on a sheet pan. Cut the slices of cheese in half and lay a slice of cheese on the top and bottom of each bun. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese just begins to melt. Remove and build your sandwich.
6. Slice the meat and serve curled on a toasted steak roll with sliced onions and Baltimore Tiger Sauce.

Tips For Smoking Eye of Round Roast

• Trim the Fat: Remember there is silver skin under the fat, so everything comes off. You don't want to have chewy meat.
• Use A Binder: Using a binder like Worcestershire sauce to ensure the rub sticks to the meat is a good idea, but not always necessary.
• Use a thermometer: Small cuts of beef cook quickly, so use a reliable probe meat thermometer from Thermoworks or Meater when cooking this roast. Well done beef is never good.
• Lots of Smoke: This is a very short cook, so pump that beef with lots of smoke. It can take it!
• Make Tiger Sauce Ahead: For best results, make the Baltimore Tiger Sauce at least 30 minutes ahead to allow the flavors to meld.
• Resting Before Slicing: Remove and wrap the beef for no less than 30 minutes before slicing thin. This ensures it is tender and juicy.
• Slicing: A meat slicer works best, but if you don't have one, use a very sharp knife, take your time and slice the beef as thin as possible. For best results, store leftover roast beef whole in the refrigerator and slice the next day. Cold beef slices are much easier to cut than warm!

How To Store Homemade Roast Beef?

Allow the beef to cool to room temperature. Wrap the entire roast beef in foil or plastic wrap and place it inside an airtight container.

How Long Does Cooked Roast Beef Keep In The Fridge?

Properly stored, roast beef will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Freeze after 4 days wrapped tightly in a freezer bag.

How Do I Reheat the Roast Beef?

It's almost inevitable that the pink rare roast beef will turn gray and cook even more when warming it back up. To reduce doneness, fill the bottom of a skillet with a small amount of water. Heat until it steams over medium-low heat and steam the meat warm; about 3-5 minutes. It may turn gray but will be just as tasty and tender. You can also eat it cold if you prefer.

Please let us know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! Your feedback keeps us going, and we are always interested to hear what you think about our recipes.

Smoked Eye of Round – Roast Beef Sandwiches

Eye of round roast beef is smoked just until cooked through, keeping the beef tender and juicy. A great recipe for Sunday dinner or a holiday meal!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Resting Time 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 930 kcal

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going to sleep

For the Meat:

• 3 pound eye of round roast
• Worcestershire Sauce as a binder (optional), can use mustard or oil instead
• 2 tablespoons Brazilian Steakhouse Seasoning or beef rub of choice

For the Sandwiches:

• 4 Steak Rolls
• 4 Swiss Cheese slices
• ¼ Onion thinly sliced
• Baltimore Tiger Sauce recipe to follow

Baltimore Tiger Sauce:

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder

Prepare the Roast For Smoking:

• Trim any excess silver skin and fat off of the eye of the round roast. Cut off the tapered end so that the roast is uniformly shaped – reserve for later use.

• Sprinkle the roast liberally with Worcestershire sauce, then add the rub.

Fire Up The Grill Or Smoker:

• Set up the grill or smoker for indirect heat. Preheat to 225-250 degrees F.

  David used his Weber kettle grill set up with a 3-Zone Fire, using grill baskets on each side to hold the charcoal and wood. Each basket should have about 8-10 hot briquettes with a chunk of smoking wood on each side. Setting up the grill this way allows the roast to cook evenly without having to flip it around. If your heat source is one-sided, flip the roast when the temperature reaches between 60-90 degrees F internal, turn the meat around, so both sides of the roast spend equal time towards the hot coals.

• Place the prepared beef on the grill in the center of the grill or away from direct heat. In a probe thermometer into the thickest portion of the roast. Close lid on grill and monitor temperature. Add more unlit coals and wood as needed to maintain the temperature and smoke.

• Meanwhile, make the Baltimore Tiger Sauce. Whisk all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

• When the internal temperature is between 125-130 degrees F, remove roast from the grill. Wrap in foil for at least 30 minutes and allow it to rest.

Toast the Bread:

• During the last few minutes of resting the meat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the buns open (if not presliced). Place the buns open-faced on a sheet pan. Cut the slices of cheese in half and lay a slice of cheese on the top and bottom of each bun. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese just begins to melt. Remove and build your sandwich.

Slice and Serve:

• Slice the meat and serve curled on a toasted steak roll with sliced onions and Baltimore Tiger Sauce.

Trim the Fat: Remember there is silver skin under the fat, so everything comes off. You don't want to have chewy meat.

Use A Binder: Using a binder like Worcestershire sauce to ensure the rub sticks to the meat is a good idea, but not always necessary.

Use a thermometer: Small cuts of beef cook quickly, so use a reliable probe meat thermometer when cooking this roast. Well done beef is never good.

Lots of Smoke: This is a very short cook, so pump that beef with lots of smoke. It can take it!

Make Tiger Sauce Ahead: For best results, make the Baltimore Tiger Sauce at least 30 minutes ahead to allow the flavors to meld.

Resting Before Slicing: Remove and wrap the beef for no less than 30 minutes before slicing thin. This ensures it is tender and juicy.

Slicing: A meat slicer works best, but if you don't have one, use a very sharp knife, take your time and slice the beef as thin as possible. For best results, store leftover roast beef whole in the refrigerator and slice the next day. Cold beef slices are much easier to cut than warm!

Storage:  Allow the beef to cool to room temperature. Wrap the entire roast beef in foil or plastic wrap and place it inside an airtight container.

Properly stored, roast beef will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Freeze after 4 days wrapped tightly in a freezer bag.

Reheating: It's almost inevitable that the pink rare roast beef will turn gray and cook even more when warming it back up. To reduce doneness, fill the bottom of a skillet with a small amount of water. Heat until it steams over medium-low heat and steam the meat warm; about 3-5 minutes. It may turn gray but will be just as tasty and tender. You can also eat it cold if you prefer.

Calories: 930 kcal | Carbohydrates: 37 g | Protein: 87 g | Fat: 46 g | Saturated Fat: 13 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13 g | Trans Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 240 mg | Sodium: 746 mg | Potassium: 1247 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 6 g | Vitamin A: 232 IU | Vitamin C: 4 mg | Calcium: 245 mg | Iron: 19 mg

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