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Ask Dr. Gourmet

What is a "Baron of Beef?"

I am from Vancouver, Canada and I am curious to know what Americans call a "baron of beef inside round." I find it very difficult to find recipes for this cut on the Internet due to the fact that I am not sure what this cut of meat is called in the U.S. It is a boneless lean cut and I was wondering if I should cook it pot roast style or can I cook it 20 min. a lb. and still have a nice tender roast.

Dr. Gourmet Says...

a beef roast or baron of beef

A Baron of Beef is alleged to have originated when Henry VIII was served a spit roasted double sirloin of beef and was so taken by the roast that he dubbed it Sir Loin, the Baron of Beef. Whether this is true or not, the term has come to refer to the large joint of beef that includes the loins and both legs. Baron of Beef is a British term and in the U.S. the designation has come to be synonymous with any cut of beef that it well suited to roasting or braising such as top round, inside round, bottom round or the steamship round.

You could cook any of these in the style of a pot roast and serve it to your guests, telling them that it is a Baron of Beef. The name "pot roast" is a misnomer because the meat is actually braised or allowed to cook gently for a long period of time in its own juices. Because top round is lean, the cut would be considered a healthier choice.

Thanks for writing,

Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS
Dr. Gourmet