Roast Beef Deli meat, made at home, is a weekday lunch packer’s dream!
Why yes, beef isn’t just for dinners.
Here is how to make your own roast beef deli meat, and what to do with it for weekday lunches for kids and adults!
This post was sponsored by the Alberta Beef Producers . The language and recipes are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands I love.
You know I am a fan of anything I can prep on Sunday and grab all week.
Homemade roast beef deli meat is just that.
As a born and raised Alberta girl, growing up, beef was a large part of our dinners.
Hello Sunday roast beef dinner.
Now, we have incorporated beef into our lunches too!
I am so fortunate to live about 10 minutes away from not 1, but 2 local ranches (Long Run Ranch & Your Local Ranch) that I can buy my beef from directly.
Our current favorite way to use beef as a lunch food, is to make our own homemade roast beef deli meat and create simple no microwave lunches with it.
Making your own roast beef deli meat is much easier than you think!
Which cut of beef should I use for homemade roast beef deli meat?
You want a 2-3 pound eye of round roast for this recipe.
This is a fairly economical cut, and is quite lean. In the store it will look like a tenderloin in appearance.
If you can’t find eye of round in your local store, inside round and outside round are good substitutes.
What if I don’t have a meat slicer?
No problem! You don’t need one to make deli meat at home.
The key to getting nice thin cuts is to cut the roast against the grain, but most important, you cut it COLD. I leave mine in the fridge overnight before slicing it.
How long does it last?
Your home made roast beef deli meat won’t have any preservatives in it, so you want to keep it in the fridge for no more than 4 days, and freeze anything beyond that.
You can then thaw it for lunches in the future, or make things like a beef dip for a future dinner!
How long do I cook it for?
Always determine doneness with a meat thermometer.
120 F = rare
126 F = medium-rare
134 F = medium
150 F = medium-well
This is a lean cut of meat, and cooking it above medium well is going to result in a very dry roast beef.
What can I do with it for lunches?
Beef and cheese sticks are a super simple way impress your kids.
No formal recipe required. Slide some meat, cheese and pickles on a stick, and bam. Lunch made!
Roast beef deli meat pinwheel wraps are another super simple way to use up your roast beef in a fun and simple way. Ending up with bite size pinwheels makes this a perfect kid friendly packable lunch as well.
For my pinwheels, I use mustard, roast beef, and spinach!
Roll up your ingredients in a tortilla, and then slice into bite sized rolls!
Are you ready to put in effort on Sunday to make your homemade roast beef deli meat, and have your lunch game done for the week?!
If you make this, I want to see what you made! Tag me @mealplanaddict on Instagram so I can see and share your creation.
Homemade Roast Beef Deli Style Meat {& how to use it for lunches}
Ingredients
- 2 lb eye round roast beef you can use any size roast, you will just need to adjust cook time.
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 2 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 425°F
- Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard all over the roast. This is what will bind your seasonings.
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper and oregano.
- Season the roast with the spice mixture.
- Place a rack (like a baking cooling rack) on top of a cookie sheet and place the roast on the rack.
- Roast at 435°F for 20 minutes, then drop the oven temperature to 300°F for 30 minutes.
- Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness. 120 F = rare
126 F = medium-rare
134 F = medium
150 F = medium-well - When at desired doneness, remove from oven, cover and allow to rest and cool.
- Do not try and slice your roast while hot or warm. You won't get that deli meat slice.
- Cool your roast in the fridge for a few hours before slicing.
- Slice against the grain when making your slices.
- Add your homemade roast beef deli meat to lunches for your family for the week!
- Use within 4 days, and freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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