Garlic and Herb Smoked Bottom Round Roast

On April 20, 2022 (Updated October 24, 2023)

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This smoked bottom round roast is smoked while being slathered in a garlic and herb butter to fill the meat with savory flavor. It’s an affordable Sunday roast that will please your friends and family with feel-good beefy deliciousness.

Melted garlic herb butter being drizzled on a smoked and sliced bottom round roast with text overlay - Smoked Bottom Round Roast.

What is Bottom Round Roast?

Bottom round roast is also known as bottom round rump roast or round tip roast. It is a very lean cut of meat from the rump and hind legs of the cow. These muscles are nice and lean, and without added fat, it can be tough meat if not cooked correctly.

Bottom round roast is best left to a slow roasting or cooked in a braise to help it become more tender and flavorful. This garlic and herb recipe is delicious and makes for an affordable Sunday roast that will feed the entire family.

Can You Smoke Bottom Round Roast?

You can most definitely smoke a bottom round roast, but you must take care to cook it correctly and for just the right amount of time to ensure the meat doesn’t dry out and become tough. Remember fat = flavor and moisture, and without a lot of fat in this cut, it is easier to overcook a bottom round roast. Take care to follow the instructions in this post.

With the right temperature and time spent in the smoker the bottom round roast will be tender and juicy. Select a nice hardwood like oak or hickory for this roast to added some extra smokey flavor. I guarantee this one will be a big hit!

Garlic Herb Butter for Bottom Round Roast

The garlic herb butter is the magic element in this smoked bottom round roast recipe. Here’s what you’ll need to make this butter.

4 ounces softenened butter
4 cloves minced garlic
1 sprig rosemary
2 sprigs thyme
2 teaspoons Beef Rub (or equal parts salt and pepper)

Plan ahead for this recipe and make sure you use the Beef Rub for this roast. It’s an amazing salt and pepper-based rub with the perfect ratio of onion, garlic, and other simple spices that work together to add the perfect flavor to beef.

To make this butter, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. I like to use a rubber spatula when mixing my compound butters, as it makes it easier to mix and then spread.

Pro tip: You can also sprinkle a little extra Beef Rub on the meat prior to adding the butter if you really want an extra kick of flavor.

How to Smoke a Bottom Round Roast

Let’s walk through the entire process of smoking this bottom round roast.

Prep. Before we put this roast on the grill, we need to do a little prep work. Begin by preheated your smoker to 225 degrees F. Next, trim excess fat off the roast and season on all sides with Hey Grill Hey Beef Rub. If you don’t have any Beef Rub, you can season the roast with equal parts kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
Spread the butter. Spread the butter over the entire roast. Don’t be shy now! Layer that goodness on!
Smoke. Place the buttered roast on a resting rack over a baking sheet on the grill grates of the smoker. Close the lid, and smoke for 35 minutes per pound or until the roast reaches 120 degrees F for rare, 125 degrees F for medium-rare, or 130 degrees F for medium.
Rest. Once the meat has reached the correct internal temperature, remove the roast from the smoker to a large cutting board. Strain the butter and drippings into a separate bowl and set aside. Rest the meat for 10 minutes. While the meat is resting, turn up the temperature on the smoker to 400 degrees F.
Sear. Place the roast on the grill and sear for a few minutes until the roast reaches its final temperature (130 degrees F for rare, 135 degrees F for medium-rare, or 140 degrees F for medium).
Rest again. Remove the roast from the smoker and rest for 15 minutes.
Slice and serve. Slice the roast thinly and drizzle each slice with the reserved butter. Enjoy your delicious smoked bottom round roast!

How Long to Smoke a Bottom Round Roast

It will take approximately 30-35 minutes per pound to smoke a bottom round roast to rare. Plan on additional time to cook your meat to medium-rare or medium.

Rather than looking at the clock while cooking this beef, keep an instant-read thermometer handy instead. Remove the roast when it reaches your target temperature and you’ll be sure to have a perfectly cooked roast.

Tips for Smoking Bottom Round Roast

Here are some tips for ensuring your bottom round roast comes off the smoker cooked to perfection and full of flavor.

Soften your butter. The softer your butter is, the easier it will be to spread onto your hunk of beef with a rubber spatula.
Slice thin! Bottom round roast is best cooked to medium-rare and sliced thin, against the grain.
Don’t cook past medium-rare. Bottom round roasts are lean and easily dry out when overcooked. Use an internal thermometer to track your temperatures and shoot for 135 degrees F.

More Smoked Roast Recipes

There’s something about Sundays that are just begging for a delicious roast. I have a handful of smoked roast recipes on my site that make for the most beautiful and tasty centerpiece at your next family dinner. Check them out at the links below.

Smoked Bottom Round Roast Recipe

Once you finish smoking and enjoying this roast, be sure to come back to this post and leave us a comment letting us know how it turned out. Hey Grill Hey is dedicated to creating an environment of supportive and backyard-friendly BBQers that are here to help you become a backyard BBQ hero.

You can also join in on the ongoing BBQ conversation on social media. Just search “heygrillhey” on your favorite site.

Sliced smoked bottom round roast on a wooden cutting board.

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