Grilled Roast Beef (Reverse Sear)

Grilled Roast Beef. Do you want moist, tender, melt in your mouth, drool worthy roast beef? Then I have the recipe for you! 

Using the economical "top round" roast (the most common choice for deli roast beef) and simply seasoned with olive oil, salt, coarsely ground black pepper, paprika, granulated onion, minced garlic and fresh chopped rosemary. Then reverse-seared to a beautiful, blushing medium-rare

The key to this rave-worthy roast is indirect grilling. Where you will masterfully create a roast that magically retains all its moisture, while achieving that perfect, delectable crust on the outside with the quickest of sears. 

Indirect grilling is a must when cooking meats like this roast beef. It allows for more even cooking without the direct heat drying out the surface of the meat, while still infusing it with that distinct grilled flavour. Plus, by using indirect heat, you have more control over the cooking process, ensuring the roast reaches the desired internal temperature for perfect doneness. 

This incredibly delicious recipe is a relatively quick version of the process. But if you are more planned and thoughtful than I am, the roast only gets better cooked at a slightly lower temperature for a longer time. Not necessary, but when you have the time in the new year, give it a try. 

I recommend serving it with a Quick Horseradish Cream Sauce, a Make Ahead Beef Gravy – No Drippings, my go-to Bomba Potatoes and some grilled vegetables for the most amazing roast beef dinner and seriously addictive sandwiches.

Ingredients

• Top round (aka inside round) roast
• Kosher salt
• Olive oil
• Black pepper
• Paprika
• Granulated onion
• Garlic
• Fresh rosemary
• Onion slices

See the recipe card below for quantities.

What is Reverse Searing?

Instead of searing the meat at the beginning and roasting it, we do the exact opposite. By cooking the roast beef over low, indirect heat first, we bring the internal temperature up evenly from edge to edge (no grey, overcooked bands of meat!). We finish it with a quick, blazing-hot sear at the very end to lock in a gorgeous, flavourful crust.

Instructions

The Day Before

24 hours before you plan to cook the roast, rub 4 teaspoons of salt evenly over the meat. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Prepare the Roast & Grill

60 minutes before grilling, remove the roast from the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature

Preheat Grill to 300°F leaving a section for indirect cooking.

In a small bowl, combine the pepper, paprika, onion, garlic, rosemary and two teaspoons of salt. Mix to combine.

Pat dry the roast with paper towels, then lightly coat the meat with olive oil. Apply the seasoning to coat all sides of the meat and set on a sheet pan on top of thick slices of onion.

Time to Grill

Place the roast over the indirect zone on the grill.

Roast the meat until it reaches an internal temperature of 115°F (for medium-rare), turning the roast a few times throughout the cooking process to ensure even cooking.

Depending on the roast’s weight, shape, and thickness, the grill temperature, and how often the grill lid is opened, this could take between 1.5 and 2.5 hours.

➡️For best results use a wireless (or wired with a display on the exterior of the grill) thermometer that is inserted to the centre/middle and remains in the roast. It is important to go by the internal roast temperature, not the time.

➡️If the roast is cooking too quickly, lower the heat and if not quickly enough raise the heat a little at a time.

Sear the Roast

Remove the sheet pan from the grill and increase the burners to high (if using an infrared burner, set to medium) for the searing of the meat.

Once preheated, sear the meat on all 4 sides for 2 to 3 minutes per side (1 to 2 if using an infrared sear burner) until a nice crust forms and the roast reaches an internal temperature of around 122°F.

Rest the Roast

Remove from the grill and tent with foil. Let the roast rest for 15-20 minutes. The roast internal temperature will rise to about 130°F to 133°F.

Slice and Serve

Slice in thin cuts against the grain and serve.

For those who enjoy their beef a little more done, slice the outer pieces for them or add a little gravy to a skillet and heat the sliced pieces for 2 to 3 minutes.

I recommend serving it with a Quick Horseradish Cream Sauce and a Make Ahead Beef Gravy – No Drippings for the most amazing roast beef dinner and seriously addictive sandwiches.

Chef's Thought

This recipe and beef roast are delicious served at room temperature with hot gravy, so I aim to have it done a little earlier than I need rather than rushing it at the end.

📖 Recipe

Grilled Roast Beef (Reverse Sear)

Succulent top round roast seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices. Grilled to medium-rare and served with a Horseradish Cream Sauce and a Make Ahead Beef Gravy – No Drippings.

4.84 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Inactive time 1 day d 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 day d 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine North American

Servings 8 -12 People

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 5- to-7-pound top round aka inside round roast (as even thickness as available)
• 6 teaspoons Kosher salt divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon granulated onion
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• Onion slices to sit the roast on quantity varies based on size of roast & size of onions

Instructions

 

What is Reverse Searing? Instead of searing the meat at the beginning and roasting it, we do the exact opposite. By cooking the roast beef over low, indirect heat first, we bring the internal temperature up evenly from edge to edge (no grey, overcooked bands of meat!). We finish it with a quick, blazing-hot sear at the very end to lock in a gorgeous, flavourful crust.

The Day Before

• 24 hours before you plan to cook the roast, rub 4 teaspoons of salt evenly over the meat. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Prepare the Roast & Grill

• 60 minutes before grilling, remove the roast from the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature
• Preheat Grill to 300°F leaving a section for indirect cooking.
• In a small bowl, combine the pepper, paprika, onion, garlic, rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt. Mix to combine.
• Pat dry the roast with paper towels, then lightly coat the meat with olive oil. Apply the seasoning to coat all sides of the meat and set on a sheet pan on top of thick slices of onion.

Time to Grill

• Place the roast on the indirect zone on the grill.
• Roast the meat until it reaches an internal temperature of 115°F (for medium-rare), turning the roast a few times throughout the cooking process to ensure even cooking.

  Depending on the roast's weight, shape, and thickness, the grill temperature, and how often the grill lid is opened, this could take between 1.5 and 2.5 hours.
• For best results use a wireless (or wired with a display on the exterior of the grill) thermometer that is inserted to the centre/middle and remains in the roast. It is important to go by the internal roast temperature, not the time.
• If the roast is cooking too quickly, lower the heat and if not quickly enough raise the heat a little at a time.

Sear the Roast

• Remove the sheet pan from the grill and increase the burners to high (if using an infrared burner, set to medium) for the searing of the meat.
• Once preheated, sear the meat on all 4 sides for 2 to 3 minutes per side (1 to 2 if using an infrared sear burner) until a nice crust forms and the roast reaches an internal temperature of around 122°F.

Rest the Roast

• Remove from the grill and tent with foil. Let the roast rest for 15-20 minutes. The roast internal temperature will rise to about 130°F to 133°F.

Slice and Serve

• Slice in thin cuts against the grain and serve.
• For those who enjoy their beef a little more done, slice the outer pieces for them or add a little gravy to a skillet and heat the sliced pieces for 2 to 3 minutes.
• We recommend serving it with a Quick Horseradish Cream Sauce and a Make Ahead Beef Gravy – No Drippings for the most amazing roast beef dinner and seriously addictive sandwiches.

Love this Recipe?

• We'd really appreciate your feedback! Please take a moment to rate and review it below. Your thoughts help others and inspire us to keep creating delicious recipes. Thank you! -  James & Elaine 

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Notes

Chef's thought: This recipe and beef roast are delicious served at room temperature with hot gravy, so we aim to have it done a little earlier than  need rather than rushing it at the end.

Keyword grilled roast beef, grilled top round roast, inside round roast bbq, round roast recipe, top round roast on grill

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