This oven roasted Cross Rib Roast recipe creates tender, richly flavored roast beef with the most luscious gravy. A flavorful seasoning rub and easy method make turn this cut into a truly special meal.
Roast beef fans will also love my Tender Eye of Round Roast with Gravy.
When deciding which cut of beef to choose for a succulent, perfectly cooked roast, there are many options. So, if you find yourself standing at the meat counter scratching your head, you’re not alone. It can be a bit daunting.
This is precisely why I’ve been recipe testing my way through many of these different cuts of beef to determine the best methods for each.
This easy oven method for cooking a beef cross rib roast is perfection. It’s based on my Eye of Round Roast Beef recipe which has become a huge reader favorite with hundreds of 5-star reviews. Seriously, go read the glowing reviews!
The blend of seasoning and herbs on this roast is nothing short of amazing. The roast is brushed with balsamic vinegar that mingles with the spices as it roasts to create a really nice crust.
And, the gravy! You’ve got to try this gravy, friends. It is rich, flavorful, and perfectly smooth.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Cross rib roast: This cut comes from the upper chest and shoulder area of the cow. It’s known for it’s rich, beefy flavor. Some sellers may label it a chuck shoulder roast. It’s a far leaner cut of chuck than the well marbled cut typically used for pot roast, but don’t let that fool you! It becomes quite tender when cooked properly.
- Balsamic vinegar: Brushed on the exterior of the roast, it adds flavor and helps to caramelize the crust.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is combined with the spices listed below to create an incredibly flavorful rub.
- Seasoning: Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried crushed rosemary, dried thyme, granulated garlic or garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
The gravy is made with low-sodium beef broth, a little red wine (flavor!). It’s thickened with a paste made from softened butter and all-purpose flour. You can season it with a little salt and pepper, if needed. I like use Kitchen Bouquet Browning and Seasoning Sauce to richen and deepen the color of beef gravy. You should be able to find in most grocery stores near the packet mixes of gravy and other seasoning blends.
How to Make Cross Rib Roast
- Brush with vinegar: Pat the roast dry with paper towels and place it on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush roast with balsamic vinegar on all sides, using the entire amount.
- Season and chill: Combine the seasonings with the oil in a small bowl to make a paste. Apply it to all sides of the beef, coating all the surfaces. Cover with aluminum foil, tenting it a little so it won’t disturb the seasoning paste. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Rest and roast: Let the roast rest on the counter for 45 minutes to 1 hour to take the chill off. Then roast on a wire rack at 500 degrees F. for 15 or until nicely browned. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and continue to roast for another 40 to 55 minutes.
- Rest and slice: Remove from the oven and loosely tent a piece of foil over the meat. Allow it to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Then, transfer the roast to a cutting board and slice it against the grain. Transfer the sliced beef to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm.
Making Cross Rib Roast Gravy
- Butter/flour paste: Combine the softened butter and flour in a small bowl to create a paste.
- Deglaze the pan: Pour any juices that have accumulated on the cutting board into the roasting pan and place it over medium heat. Whisk in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Add broth: Add the beef broth, whisking to combine.
- Thicken: Finally, and the butter and flour mixture and whisk vigorously until the butter mixture is completely melted into the sauce. Add a very small amount of browning sauce for color and to richen the gravy and whisk to combine. Simmer until the gravy is thickened to your liking
Tips for Cooking Cross Rib Roast
Rest at room temperature before roasting: Remove the cross rib roast from the refrigerator and allow it to rest on the counter for 45 minutes to 1 hour before roasting to take the chill off. The roast will cook more evenly throughout if it isn’t very cold going in to the oven.
Start at high heat: Cooking the roast in a super hot 500 degree F oven for the intial cooking time helps create a nice crust on the exterior. Lowering the temperature to 300 degrees F slows down the cooking process and ensures a tender result.
Don’t overcook: For the most tender result, I don’t recommend cooking a cross rib roast beyond 135 degrees F with this method. Check the temperature by inserting a meat thermometer through the center of the roast from the side. Watch it closely because the temperature can rise quickly towards the end of the cooking time. The temperature of the roast will continue to rise a bit after it is removed from the oven.
Rest before slicing: Lightly tent the cooked roast with aluminum foil and allow it to rest on the rack in the roasting pan for 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t skip this step, more drippings will accumulate in the roasting pan for the gravy as it rests.
Utilize the juices: This is a lean cut so there will not be a large amount of liquid left in the roasting pan after cooking. But, when you slice the roast, juices will accumulate on the cutting board. Make use of those flavorful juices by adding them to roasting pan with the meat drippings for a flavorful gravy.
Storage Tips
Cross Rib Roast: Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Leftovers should stay fresh and tasty for 3 to 4 days. It is delicious cold from the fridge on its own or in sandwiches. Or, reheat slices very briefly in the microwave, just until warmed though.
Gravy: Transfer the cooled gravy to an airtight container and keep refrigerated. To reheat, warm it in the microwave, or in a small saucepan on the stove. You may need to add a little additional beef broth or water as needed to thin it a bit. Leftover gravy is best used within 2 to 3 days.
More Cross Rib Roast Recipes You’ll Love
A cross rib roast will have a completely different texture and flavor profile depending on the method used to cook it. This oven roast method is best for cooking it to a perfect medium-rare for a classic roast beef dinner.
I also love to use this cut for my Instant Pot Pot Roast. It’s leaner than other cuts of chuck and creates a clean, luscious gravy.
My Slow Cooker Green Chile Beef recipe was created specifically for a cross rib roast. This is an absolutely delicious way to create tender, versatile shredded beef with a ton of flavor.
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Cross Rib Roast
Ingredients
- 2 ½ to 3 ½ pound cross-rib roast
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
- 2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
Roast Beef Gravy
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup red wine, like cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, or merlot
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon browning sauce, like Kitchen Bouquet
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Pat the roast dry with paper towels and place it on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush roast with balsamic vinegar on all sides, using the entire amount.
- Combine the seasonings with the oil in a small bowl to make a paste. Apply it to all sides of the beef and spread it around with your hands or the back of a spoon, covering all surfaces. Cover with an additional sheet of foil, tenting it a little so it won’t disturb the seasoning paste. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Remove the cross rib roast from the refrigerator and allow it to rest on the counter for 45 minutes to 1 hour to take the chill off.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F. Transfer the roast to a wire rack in a roasting pan with the fat cap side facing up. (It may have a very small fat cap – it’s a pretty lean cut.)
- Transfer to the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes until nicely browned. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and continue to roast for another 40 to 55 minutes or until internal temperature reads 130 and no more than 135 degrees F. (medium rare). Begin checking temperature after 35 minutes by inserting an instant read thermometer through the center of the roast from the side. Watch it closely because the temperature can rise quickly towards the end of the cooking time. I don’t recommend cooking this roast beyond 135 F degrees for the most tender, delicious result.
- Remove from the oven and loosely tent a piece of foil over the meat while still on the rack in the roasting pan. Allow to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. (Don’t skip this step, more drippings will accumulate in the roasting pan for the gravy as it rests.)
- Transfer the roast to a cutting board and set the roasting pan aside (you will need the pan and drippings to make the gravy later). Use a sharp knife to slice it against the grain about ¼-inch thick slices. Transfer the sliced beef to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Pour all of the juices that have accumulated on the cutting board into the roasting pan with the drippings.
For the Gravy
- Combine the softened butter and flour in a small bowl, mixing until it is completely combined (should be a smooth paste). Set aside.
- Place the roasting pan with the beef drippings and accumulated juices over MEDIUM heat and add the red wine. Whisk, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, for several minutes to cook off some of the wine. Add the beef broth and the butter and flour mixture. Whisk vigorously until the butter mixture is completely melted into the sauce. Add a very small amount of browning sauce (a little goes a long way) and whisk to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce heat as needed to keep the gravy at a low simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until thickened, whisking occasionally. Taste and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper, only if needed (there is so much flavor in this gravy you might not need to add any additional seasoning).
- Transfer to a gravy boat and serve with the roast beef.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
More Beef Recipes
This is the second time I’ve made this. My sister gets a half a cow every year and always gifts me some of the meat. I had never heard of this cut. The first one was SOOO good, I didn’t have balsamic vinegar that time and I chilled the roast about 3 hours, followed the cooking instructions EXACTLY, I couldn’t believe how flavorful this roast and the gravy were! The second one I made tonight, I DID have balsamic vinegar and this time I chilled it in the fridge for 24 hours and oh my goodness this was next level! The flavor of the meat, the gravy..the drippings were so rich all I needed was beef broth and cornstarch. I will make this over and over again!
We are cooking this now and while it smells great, I’ve run into the same issue as Heather. We let it sit on the counter 45 minutes, followed the time and temperature to a T, and our 2.75 lbs roast is only 95 degrees after an hour. I feel like we’re looking at least another 30-45 minutes of cooking time to get this to temperature.
This was a decent recipe but I found the cook time way off. My roast took at least an hour longer than stated in the recipe to get up to 130 and I followed every step exactly. Kind of frustrating to have everything else timed to the recipe and then having to try and keep it all warm while we wait for the meat.
Hi Heather. To cook a 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pound roast to the ideal medium-rare temp it should not take much longer than a total cook time of between 55 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. If you had to keep yours in the oven an additional hour, I’m wondering if you might have skipped the step of allowing the roast to rest at room temperature before putting in the oven or had a much larger roast? In any event, I’m glad you were happy with the result.
No I followed the steps exactly, it rested at room temperature for well over an hour prior to cooking.
This recipe turned out perfectly! Such great instructions and the roast was juicy, tender and flavorful!
I’m happy to hear it worked out so well for you! Thanks so much for your comment. 🙂
Next time I’m leaving the balsamic vinegar out. It mixed in with the meat juices and got such a dark caramelization I couldn’t make gravy with it.
We loved this so much. I have never heard of a Cross Cut Beef. We received 3 in the quarter of a grass fed beef we purchased. Followed the recipe very closely, I do have some fresh grown herbs but opted to use the quantity of dried in the recipe. It was cooked to perfection for how we like our beef, rare. What a fitting way to try something new. Tomorrow a second cut will come out of the freezer for Christmas day. Since the size is only 4 pounds we will be doing a taste test with a prime rib 5 bone-in roast. I have done the prime rib recipe from Pioneer Woman for about 10 years on Christmas 2024. I hope it’s ok that I mentioned another chef on the review. We will be doing a deep fried turkey as well. I cannot wait for the family of Foody’s to give reviews.
The roast came out great! Did not change anything except for not adding thyme as i ran out. Husband loved it, and he wants me to make it again soon. Thank you!
So happy to hear this! Thanks so much for your comment and rating. 🙂
I wanted to love this recipe and this cut of beef, but it just didn’t work out. The recipe was disorganized with the ingredient amounts at the very end of the method. I didn’t even find that until the beef was done…and dry and stringy. Check out Marcella Hazan’s treatment of the same cut — pushing pancetta into the roast to create moistness and flavour with the borrowed fat. That said, I don’t think I’ll bother with this cut again.
Hi Janette. Your comment leads me to believe that you didn’t locate the recipe card at the end of the post. I don’t recommend attempting to cook a recipe from the brief overview given in the post – there are more detailed instructions provided in the printable recipe card. The ingredients for both the roast and gravy are listed above the step-by-step instructions both in the post and the recipe card so I’m not sure of what you are referring to there. It’s crucial that you don’t overcook this cut so if the result was dry and stringy, I’m sure that must be what happened. So sorry it didn’t work out for you.
The first time I tried this recipe, it was a bit too salty for me, so the 2nd time, I cut the salt in half, and it was great. I really like the combination of spices. This is definitely one of my go to recipes.
Your instructions were excellent. It turned out great! This is the first time I’ve commented on a recipe on Pinterest. My roast beef is always overcooked and dry. This was really good.Thank you!
Hi Anne. I’m happy Pinterest sent you my way. 🙂 Thanks so much for your comment!
I am not sure if you roast it covered with the foil that you used when you put in the oven or you removed it.
The roast is cooked uncovered.