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Cranberry Balsamic Roast Beef

Featured in: Family-Friendly Dinners Everyone Will Love

This showstopper gives ribeye beef a cranberry balsamic bath. The long marinade and patient roasting keep it soft and totally tasty—perfect for celebrations.
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Updated on Tue, 13 May 2025 17:01:47 GMT
Sliced roast with shiny cranberries and thyme sitting in a deep, tasty sauce. Pin it
Sliced roast with shiny cranberries and thyme sitting in a deep, tasty sauce. | cookingkitchn.com

Cranberry Balsamic Roast Beef makes a striking, easy-to-throw-together main dish. This juicy cut of beef gets drenched in a zippy cranberry glaze with a little sweet kick. Pop it in the oven for a chill holiday showstopper that doesn't ask much work. Great for Christmas parties or when you want to wow a full table.

Why This Will Be Your Go-To

The flavors here pop—tangy cranberries, silky balsamic, and beef that stays tender. You just mix up the marinade and it turns into the sauce while the meat roasts, so it's a hands-off time-saver. Your guests will rave, but you won't be tied to the stove all day.

What Goes In the Cranberry Balsamic Roast Beef

  • Red Wine: 1 cup, totally optional, just for a splash while deglazing.
  • Butter: 4 tablespoons, melt it in for basting goodness.
  • Olive Oil: 1/4 cup, gets the sear going.
  • Salt and Pepper: 2 tablespoons each, rub 'em all over the beef.
  • Honey: 1/4 cup, tones down the tart vibe.
  • Balsamic Vinegar: 1 cup, best if it's the fancy kind.
  • Roast Beef: 4-5 pounds, tenderloin or top round are both perfect.
  • Fresh Herbs: 4 sprigs each rosemary and thyme—use whole in the marinade.
  • Minced Garlic: 6 cloves, mince it fresh.
  • Cranberries: 2 cups, rinse and pick out any duds.

How To Mix The Marinade

Get Ready to Cook
Pull the beef out of your fridge one or two hours before roasting, so it chills out to room temp. Save some of that marinade for drizzling later.
Coat the Meat
Set the meat in a big glass dish (or zip bag). Slather on the marinade till the beef is smothered. Tuck it in the fridge anywhere from 4 up to 24 hours, flipping it now and then.
Make Your Marinade
In a food processor, blitz together fresh cranberries, balsamic, honey, chopped garlic, and those herbs till the berries look chunky.
Season the Beef
Dry off the roast with paper towels first. Then rub all sides with lots of salt and pepper so it sticks well.

Easy Roasting Steps

Let it Rest and Slice
Take out of the oven. Tent it with foil for 15 to 20 minutes, then slice. Simmer the juices on the stove a bit if you want a thicker sauce.
Get Your Pan Sizzling
Turn your oven to 375°F to start heating. Pour olive oil into a big cast iron skillet, crank the heat, and sear every side of the roast for 3 to 4 minutes till it's brown and crusty.
Pour On the Marinade
Put the saved marinade in the skillet all around the beef. Drop in butter and a few fresh herb sprigs too.
Time to Roast and Baste
Move the skillet right into your oven. Plan on 20 to 25 minutes per pound for a nice pink center (temp about 135°F). Spoon the pan juices over the beef every 15 minutes.
A juicy beef roast covered with cranberries and herbs, sitting in a deep red sauce. Pin it
A juicy beef roast covered with cranberries and herbs, sitting in a deep red sauce. | cookingkitchn.com

Ideas for Plating and Pairing

Spoon loads of cranberry sauce on your beef and set it right in the skillet for that cozy, homey vibe. Or move it to a platter if you want to go fancy. Roasted veggies, creamy mash, or big slices of crusty bread all team up well to soak up the pan juices. Sprinkle with some extra fresh herbs for a pop of color.

Swaps and Hacks

Want a thicker sauce? Let the cranberry balsamic glaze bubble on the stovetop so it gets syrupy. If you love things sweeter, stir in a bit more honey or swap in maple syrup. Not a fan of that sharp cranberry zing? Use dried cranberries soaked in warm water instead. Store leftovers in the fridge (airtight, please) for up to three days.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Why marinate overnight?
Letting it soak all night helps those cranberry and balsamic flavors sneak right into the meat. The acid also makes the beef really tender.
→ How do I know when the roast is done?
For a nice pink center, aim for 140°F inside, which takes about 20 minutes for each pound. Wait 15 minutes before cutting so the juices don’t all run out.
→ Why sear the roast first?
Searing makes that outside crust so tasty. It also keeps the meat juicy and gives more flavor to your final sauce.
→ Can I use frozen cranberries?
Fresh or frozen both work! If yours are frozen, toss them straight in without thawing. No worries.
→ What can I do with leftover pan sauce?
The cranberry-balsamic goodness is awesome on sliced beef, but it’s great on roasted veggies or beef sandwiches, too.

Cranberry Balsamic Roast Beef

Tender ribeye spends the night in cranberry balsamic goodness, gets roasted with cranberries and thyme. Makes an awesome main for your holiday table.

Prep Time
5 Minutes
Cook Time
60 Minutes
Total Time
65 Minutes
By: Sophia


Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 8 Servings (1 roast)

Dietary: Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

Ingredients

01 Salt, as much as you need.
02 A half cup of beef broth.
03 Two garlic cloves, finely chopped.
04 Six thyme stems.
05 1/4 cup of cranberry jam.
06 Two cups of fresh cranberries.
07 Two tablespoons of olive oil.
08 Two spoons of brown sugar.
09 A third teaspoon of crushed red pepper.
10 A half cup of balsamic vinegar.
11 Two tablespoons vegetable oil.
12 Three to five pounds of ribeye roast.

Instructions

Step 01

Toss the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, cranberry jam, brown sugar, chopped garlic, crushed red pepper, and salt into a big resealable bag. Stir it all around and save it.

Step 02

Use a knife to jab little holes all over the roast. Drop the roast into the bag, zip it closed, and rub the marinade into the meat. Pop it in the fridge overnight and flip the bag now and then.

Step 03

Crank up the oven to 350°F. Pull the roast out of the bag and use a paper towel to pat off any extra marinade clinging to it.

Step 04

Heat up vegetable oil in a heavy cast iron pan over medium flame. Toss the meat in the hot pan and sear it all over until the outside is a rich golden brown.

Step 05

Pour the marinade you saved into the same pan with a half cup of beef broth. Throw in the cranberries and thyme. Slide the whole pan into the oven.

Step 06

Let it bake for close to 20 minutes for every pound, or until a thermometer stuck in the middle hits 140°F if you like medium rare.

Step 07

Take it out of the oven and don’t touch it for 15 minutes. Then slice it up and serve with the pan drippings as sauce.

Notes

  1. Meat needs to soak in the marinade overnight.
  2. Bake time depends on how big the roast is (20 min per pound).

Tools You'll Need

  • One big cast iron skillet.
  • A food-safe resealable bag.
  • A thermometer for checking meat.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: ~
  • Total Fat: ~
  • Total Carbohydrate: ~
  • Protein: ~