Answer to Roast Beef Eye of Round Question - What is the difference between a boneless eye round and a rib eye?

Question: What is the difference between a boneless eye round and a rib eye? And can it be marinated in marsala wine before cooking? Any recipes will be appreciated.

The eye of round is a cut from the round steak section of a beef hind quarter.

A round steak actually has 3 different "cuts" in it that you can buy at the grocery store. The bottom round (which can be labeled a London Broil roast, the top round (usually a steak), and the eye of round (sold either as a roast or a steak).

Of the 3 parts of a round steak, the eye of round is the most tender. (BUT, it is NOT as tender as a rib eye).

The rib eye, either roast or steak (both are always boneless) come from the front quarter of the beef, from the area of the backbone. It is often considered one the best and most tender cuts of beef, along with the Porterhouse steak, T-Bone steak, and the filet mignon (beef tenderloin).

I personally like a porterhouse or filet mignon better than a rib eye.

I assume you are cooking either the rib eye or eye of round as a roast, so I included one recipe for both as a roast. (I don't think a rib eye steak needs to be marinated personally, because it is very tender to start with.)

All of the recipes I have seen using a Marsala wine marinade have been for veal or poultry, but I think it could be used for either one of these beef cuts.

Marsala Wine Marinade:

1 cup 8 fl.oz. Marsala Wine
one fourth cup 2 fl.oz. olive oil
Grated rind of 1 lemon
one fourth cup 2 fl. oz. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic - crushed
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or marjoram
or
1 tsp of dried thyme or marjoram
1 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped green onion
one half tsp fresh ground black pepper

Recipe for Eye of Round Roast:

3 to 5 lb. eye of round roast

Place roast in 9 X 13 inch baking dish, pour marinade aver roast and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Place roast in skillet and sear meat, browning well on all sides

Place eye of round roast back into baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 1 and one-half hours

Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before slicing

Recipe for Rib Eye Roast

4 lb. Rib Eye Roast

OPTIONAL: For flavoring, marinade in Marsala wine marinade for 30 minutes in refrigerator

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Heat olive oil in heavy skillet over high heat, Sear the beef roast on each side, about 3 minutes each

Transfer rib eye roast to roasting pan and roast in oven for 10 minutes at 450 degrees.

Turn heat down to 375 degrees, baste with drippings and roast for 1 and one-half hours
(for medium to medium-rare doneness)