Pesto-Stuffed Rolled Oven Roast

Roast beef with an impressive presentation –a spiral stuffed roast with a flavourful pesto stuffing. When purchasing the Eye of Round roast, ask for the centre cut that is not tapered and one that is 4 inches (10 cm) or less in diameter. This will make it easier to cut into an even thickness and form a rectangle that is easy to stuff and roll. For convenience, you can ask the butcher to roll-cut (or spiral-cut) the roast for you and purchase prepared pesto.
Yield 6 Servings Prep. Time 30 min Cooking Time 120 min Total Time 150 min

Ingredients

Here are the following ingredients:

  • 2 slices bread, crusts removed
  • ⅓ cup (75 mL) prepared basil pesto
  • 1 cup (250 mL) fresh Italian parsley leaves
  • 2 lb (1 kg)Beef Eye of Round Oven Roast, well trimmed
  • Salt and fresh ground pepper
  • Olive oil

Shopping List

Here are the following shopping items to buy:

Method

Follow these cooking methods/directions:

  1. Tear bread into chunks and place in small food processor. Add pesto and parsley; process to form paste. Set aside.

  2. Place roast on a cutting board with one round end toward you. Starting on one side at the top, with the knife parallel to the cutting board, cut horizontally into ½-inch (1 cm) thickness, while slowly rolling the roast in the opposite direction, cutting as you “unroll” from the centre to form a flat, rectangular strip. Pound gently with a jagged side of the meat mallet to even thickness, about ¼ inch (5 mm). Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Set aside.

  3. Spread paste evenly over meat, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) border around edge. Starting with a short side, roll up like a jelly roll. Tie tightly in 1-inch (2.5 cm) intervals with butcher’s twine to secure. Brush with olive oil; season with salt and pepper to your taste.

  4. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Insert oven-safe meat thermometer into centre of roast, making sure tip is in meat, not stuffing. Roast, uncovered, in preheated 300°F oven for about 2 hours for medium-rare, removing from oven when 5°F (3°C) below desired finished temperature (145°F/63°C for medium-rare, or 160°F/71°C for medium, or 170°F/77°C for well-done).

  5. Transfer to cutting board, cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Cut across the grain into ¼-inch (5 mm) thick slices.