How to Marinate a Beef Round Tip Roast

Everyone tends to get stuck in a recipe rut when cooking a beef round tip roast. After all, it's so easy to rely on grandma's decades-old roast beef marinade rather than take a chance and try something new. But if you're ready to let your roast soak in a new rub, consider these tips.

First things first: What is a beef round tip roast? The short answer is, it's a cut from the hindquarters or back of the cow that is typically leaner and slightly tough, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Marinating a roast for roast beef is easier than you think, Yankel Polak, head chef at ButcherBox, tells LIVESTRONG.com. Whether you use a rub with plenty of coarse salt and dried spices or a liquid base for a roast beef marinade, the key is to make sure the marinated meat sits long enough before cooking. To ensure maximum taste, follow these steps from Polak:

1. Place the marinated beef in a ziplock bag or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to two days.
   
2. When ready to cook, remove the roast from the plastic bag and leave uncovered in the fridge for one to two hours before cooking. This will dry the surface, which results in a brown crust during the roasting process.
   

Read more: A Roast Beef Recipe That Makes for the Perfect Entree and Next-Day Sandwiches

Once you understand how to marinate a roast, it's time to experiment with some ingredients and recipes. For a simple roast marinade recipe, the American Heart Association recommends mixing together chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and paprika. Then, rub it on the roast before cooking.

When it comes to using liquid for a marinade, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says you can choose an oil-based liquid or one that contains an acid such as wine, vinegar or lemon juice. Both the rub and liquid-based ingredients work for a bottom round roast marinade.

If you're in the mood for a sweet marinade, give our Fresh Mango Marinade recipe a try. The combination of orange juice, ginger root and fresh mango not only tastes delicious, but is also packed with vitamins and minerals. After mixing all of the ingredients, simply rub the marinade into the meat, cover and leave in the refrigerator for a minimum of two hours.

Read more: How to Cook a Chuck Roast Perfectly

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) guidelines for safe handling, preparation, serving and storing of beef state that you can marinate beef in the refrigerator for up to five days. Make sure to boil used marinade before brushing on cooked beef and discard any uncooked leftover marinade.

If the leftover marinade is not boiled before being used again, it will contain harmful bacteria. When possible, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says to plan ahead by setting aside some fresh sauce strictly for this purpose.

Before serving a beef roast, the USDA FSIS also recommends checking the internal temperature for safety, rather than doneness. A beef round tip roast is considered safe and ready to eat when it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit as measured with a food thermometer.

Heating beef to this temperature can help kill harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness. If you have leftovers, place them in a container with a lid and store in the refrigerator for three to four days or two to three months if storing in the freezer.