Last week I posted my Roasted potatoes with onions and bacon and mentioned that growing up, almost every Sunday we had a "Sunday Roast". It's a tradition that I think needs reviving - it's easy, delicious AND it provides leftovers for meals during the week - which makes up for the humble star of the show this Tender Eye of Round Roast with Herb Infused Oil.
Eye of Round roast isn't a popular cut (do a search of recipe databases and you'll see what I mean). It's a shame really, because if it's prepared well, its very good. Not only that, it is extremely lean, making it a great choice for those who are watching their saturated fat intake. It's also inexpensive, which makes it a great choice for those watching their food budgets too! Last, but certainly not least, is it's a meal that doesn't require a lot of tending or last minute work - which is perfect any time but for me, especially on Sundays when I really want to spend time catching up with my family.
This was my grandmother's roast of choice for Sunday Roast - back then she didn't "gussy it up" - she just roasted it with potatoes and made a simple gravy - a true testament to the fact that good cooking technique can turn even the simplest of ingredients into a delicious meal.
So, lets bring back the Sunday Roast!!!
Now that I have convinced you to make a Sunday Roast (with my potatoes of course!) what are you going to do with the leftovers?? Well, you could make roast beef sandwiches, use the meat in stroganoff or (my personal favorite), make a cottage pie!!!
This pie uses what my grandmother called a "hot water crust" - which amounts to melting butter with water in a saucepan and dumping in flour and salt. Stir it up and then roll it out - that's all there is to it. Easy.
Ladies and Gentlemen... I give you Sunday Roast and Cottage Pie!
My Grandmother’s Cottage Pie
Print Pin Rate Add to CollectionIngredients
- 7 Tbsp. canola oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 carrots peeled and sliced into ¼ inch slices
- 2 stalks of celery cut into ½ inch dice
- 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 cup red wine OR additional cup beef stock
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- 3 tsp. worcestershire sauce
- 2 21/2 cups Eye of Round roast cut into ½ inch pieces
- 2 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 - 3 Tbsp. flour
- Hot Water Pastry
- 10 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup water
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 egg mixed with 1 Tbsp. milk
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large saute pan, add canola oil. Heat over medium heat and add the onions and carrots. Cook for about 6 minutes and add the celery. Cook vegetables until onion is translucent and vegetables can barely be pierced with a fork. Add tomato paste and cook until paste turns brown - about 2 minutes. Add the wine and then the beef stock, stirring and scraping up bottom. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add worcestershire sauce and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until liquid is reduced to 1 ½ cups about 10 -15 minutes. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. of flour and cook until mixture thickens.
- In a separate saute pan, heat 1 Tbsp. canola oil over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until browned. Set aside.
- While the sauce simmers, make the pastry. In a large sauce pan heat the butter and the water. Bring to a boil. Add the flour and the salt and stir with a large spoon until a dough forms. Dump out onto a cutting board lined with parchment paper. Top with another sheet of parchment and roll out pastry to a 10 inch circle that is ¼ inch thick - I used a 9 inch pie plate but if yours is larger roll pastry out to give you a 1 inch overhang. This recipe makes enough for either two pies with just a top crust or one pie with a top and bottom crust!
- To assemble ( for a one crust pie): Combine the meat, sauce and sauteed mushrooms in the pie plate. Roll pastry up onto rolling pin and gently place over the top of the pie. Trim excess pastry, leaving a 1 inch overhang. Fold up pastry to form edge, pressing lightly to seal pastry to rim of pie plate. Using a small cookie cutter, cut a small whole in the center of the pastry to let steam escape. Brush pastry with the egg/milk mixture and bake pie for 30 - 40 minutes until pastry is nicely browned. Serve warm!
Recipe Notes
- I made this with only a top pie crust but the recipe makes enough dough to make a double crust pie if you wish!
- To make a double crust pie, simply roll out the dough, line the bottom of the pie dish and then continue on with the recipe!
- The yield on this depends upon how "hearty" your appetite is regarding the roast! If your family are big eaters, I'd recommend cooking two roasts - one for dinner and one for the pie!
- When thickening the sauce, start with two Tbsp.flour. If sauce is still too thin (doesn't coat back of spoon) add the additional Tbsp. of flour
Nutrition
Lucy Lean says
Hi Nancy - Loved seeing your version of cottage pie - in England we call cottage pie a shepherd's pie made with beef rather than mutton and topped with potato rather than pastry crust - so interesting how these recipes have developed over the generations.
Brooke @ Food Woolf says
Sounds delicious and absolutely perfect as the temperatures begin to drop. Thanks for the Sunday roast inspiration!
Lori says
You've got my vote for bringing back the Sunday roast! I have such fond memories of Sunday dinners at my grandparents' house with a big roast (usually prime rib) with mushroom gravy. And my mom used to pick up an eye of round roast which we had with mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans when Sunday dinner was hosted at our house. Not only was it a great way to spend time with the family, the food was heartwarming and good. And it meant there would be roast beef sandwiches with iceberg lettuce and salt and pepper in my lunch box the next week!
the urban baker says
reading this, it feels like fall. such a great alternative to beef pot pie! Personally, I am excited that the weather is changing and meals like this are going to be on my dinner table - thanks for this. also, that last photo is cook book worthy!
Nancy says
Awww.. thanks Susan!!! I am pretty excited too about the change in weather. Of all the seasons, fall is my absolute favorite - don't know if it's the weather, the food, or both but I love it!!!
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says
Eye of round is such a nice, lean cut. I should use it more often, too. Your pie looks delicious. I'm especially interested in trying the hot water crust since pie crusts and I have such a contentious relationship. I think I might be able to manage that one 🙂
And I'm all for bringing back the Sunday roast. Beef, chicken...whatever, so long as you have your family together enjoying a meal. I have such sweet memories of big Sunday dinners (that's the noon meal in the South) with aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents all gathered together. So much talking all at once! And so much good food. And, of course, there was always a roast.
Nancy says
Hi Lana!!
This crust is incredibly easy to make and is perfect for savory pies (it would be great on Chicken Pot Pie!) Also thinking it would be great with some herbs added as well... ah... don't get me started!!! It's amazing to me that with all of our supposed "time saving appliances" we manage to have less time for things like Sunday Dinner... what is up with that??
Sippitysup says
I have finally mastered the crust where all the ingredients are very cold, and now you throw a hot water crust at me? oy... GREG
Nancy says
Hey, it's my job!! But the best part is that this crust requires NO SKILL whatsoever - think "play dough"!! LOL!!
Mary Ann says
What comfort food and I would imagine the kitchen smells heavenly while baking. I am going to suggest this to Howard for this weekend...he needs to add Grandma's Cottage Pie to his repertoire!!!
Nancy says
I truly love these kind of pies in the fall - hope all is well with you guys!
Barbara | Creative Culinary says
OK, sometimes I kid but you know I just told you on Twitter how HUNGRY I am and this is not helping. I would eat this whole thing. In a heartbeat. Love the darker, fall feel. My idol.
Nancy says
Aww.... you are too nice... truly wish we lived closer .. I'd have dropped one of these by!!
Allison [Girl's Guide to Social Media] says
This looks like the perfect fall dish! Yum.
Nancy says
Thanks Allison! Definitely a great way to stretch a roast!
Esi says
Looks like such a warm, comforting dish
Nancy says
It definitely is Esi!!
Diane {Created by Diane} says
comfort food at it's best!
Nancy says
Hi Diane! I have to agree... when it's cold and wet this is what I want...
Geez Louise says
I think that is Carl Hall's recipe too- mix it up... that crust looks like dinner to me on it's own.
Nancy says
I love doing this in the winter - roasting chicken, pork or beef and then making another meal from the leftovers!
Jamie says
I love it! Funny thing is I almost never make savory pies but for some strange reason I have been in the mood to make one. Nostalgia? Autumn? Who knows, but this is a wonderful change from the usual chicken pot pies. Love it!!
Linda @ Lemon Drop says
this looks amazing. What a perfect fall pie. I cannot wait to try this!
Linda @ Lemon Drop
Nancy says
Hi Linda!! I hope you enjoy it - it's a great way to use up leftovers and nothing beats it on a cold and damp day!
Anna says
I love the idea that this recipe is budget friendly. Times are hard and every homemaker values every penny to be spent, of course without sacrificing nutrition and taste of every dish. You just don't know how a recipe like this can help moms (like me!) all over the world...
Nancy says
Hi Anna!!
Awww... thank you - that comment means a lot to me.
Alli says
I live in Kent, just south of London and we still have roast dinner on a Sunday as soon as the weather is cold. The weather just turned this week, so it's our first Sunday lunch - turkey, stuffing, crispy roast potatoes, carrots, peas and broccoli all smothered in gravy and maybe if my son asks nicely, I'll make him some Yorkshire puddings 🙂
And like Lucy, a cottage pie to me is ground beef and vegetables in a gravy with a mashed potato topping, but that beef and vegetable pie looks amazing, my hubby would accept an invite to dinner with you in a heartbeat!
Nancy says
Hello Alli!!
So jealous - love London and Kent!! I can tell you my sons would love to be at your table - especially if there is Yorkshire pudding!!! I love the traditional cottage pie and my grandmother would make those as well - I honestly don't know where this version came from - all I know is that it is good!! Thanks so much for stopping by the Table!!
Linda from NJ says
This looks delicious! and I appreciate and like eye roast. I'm saving and looking forward to making this in the very near future. Thank you for sharing!
Nancy says
Hi Linda!
I hope you enjoy the roast - it is very lean so the key is to not overcook it and to slice it thin - about 1/4 of an inch so make sure you are using a very sharp knife!!!
Marla says
I love cottage pie, such a comforting fall & winter recipe 🙂 The perfect aprés ski food!
Nancy says
Definitely Marla! You can also make a vegetarian version - swap out the meat and beef stock for mushrooms and veg. stock!