How to Cook Beef Eye Round Roast in a Crock-Pot

Beef eye round roast is an inexpensive yet tasty cut of beef that really lends itself to Crock-Pot cooking. With very little fat and ample connective tissue, the lean, boneless cut benefits from low, slow, moist cooking methods that keep the meat tender and enhance its flavor. Roasting an eye of round roast in a slow cooker is arguably the best cooking method for the cut, and it is straightforward as well as adaptable. You can augment the beef's flavor with countless seasoning options and add vegetables to create a one-pot meal complete with a tasty sauce.

As an optional first step prior to putting an eye of round roast in the Crock-Pot, sear the sides in a hot skillet. This gives the beef extra flavor but does take more time and effort as well as a second dirty pan, so it's OK to skip this step.

Select a skillet that's large enough to hold the roast and heat it over a medium-high setting with a little oil. Season the roast with salt and pepper or your choice of other seasonings and then sear it on every side until browned, rotating every three to five minutes.

If you choose to do this step, also take a minute to deglaze the pan after transferring the beef to the Crock-Pot. Pour a little stock or wine into the skillet while it's still hot, stir and scrape it around to loosen any stuck bits of beef and seasoning and then pour the liquid into the Crock-Pot along with the beef.

The basic method for cooking an eye of round roast in a Crock-Pot is very simple: Add the beef (seared or not) to the pot along with a choice of liquid and seasonings, cover it and then set it to cook on high for six to seven hours or on low for nine to 10 hours. The beef is done when a knife slips very easily into the center of the roast.

The liquid doesn't need to cover the eye of round roast in the slow cooker, but it should come at least a few inches up the sides. Add more liquid if you want extra sauce and check every now and then while the beef cooks to make sure there is still enough liquid in the pot.

It can be plain water or stock (beef, chicken or vegetable and store-bought or homemade), optionally with some wine, soy sauce, mustard, tomato paste, BBQ sauce or Worcestershire sauce. For seasonings, consider mixes such as Italian, Cajun or steakhouse seasoning or use your own favorite blend of herbs and spices.

Consider cooking vegetables along with the eye of round roast in the slow cooker for a one-pot meal. For slower-cooking vegetables like onions, potatoes, carrots and mushrooms, put them in the pot about halfway through the cooking time. For quicker-cooking vegetables such as green beans, kale and spinach, add them an hour or less before the end of the cooking time.