Saucy Rossy BBQ
Beef

Grilled Lean Steak Rounds with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Lean steak rounds seasoned with Newfoundland Seasonings Steak and Burger blend, seared for crosshatch marks, then finished gently on the warming rack to medium-rare.

TimeHot & fast Prep10 min YieldServes 2–4 CategoryBeef Watch4:23
Grilled Lean Steak Rounds with Garlic Mashed Potatoes — watch on YouTube

Watch the full cook on YouTube

Method

  1. 1Season the steak rounds with Newfoundland Seasonings Steak and Burger Seasoning.Pat the steaks bone dry before seasoning. Lean meat gives up water quickly and any surface moisture stops the crosshatch marks forming.
  2. 2Sear hot and fast on the signature grates to lock in the juices and get crosshatch grill marks.Ripping heat on the signature grates, and do not move them until the marks have set. Rotating 90 degrees halfway through each side gives the crosshatch.
  3. 3Move the steaks to the warming rack and finish low and slow until they hit 135°F internal for medium-rare.The warming rack sits far enough above the burners to act as a gentle indirect zone — this is where the interior comes up without more direct heat hitting the outside.
  4. 4Rest the steaks, then serve with garlic mashed potatoes and a refreshing broccoli salad.135°F is the ceiling for round. Lean cuts have no marbling to render, so past medium-rare they go from firm to genuinely tough very quickly.

Watch it on YouTube

What each ingredient is doing

Lean steak rounds
From the hind leg, one of the leanest parts of the animal. Every technique in this recipe exists to compensate for that lack of fat.
Steak and Burger seasoning
A savoury blend. On a lean cut the seasoning carries more of the flavour than it would on a marbled steak.
Gas grill with a warming rack
The warming rack is doing real work here as an indirect zone — it is what lets the steak reach temperature gently after the sear.

Temperature guide

StageTempWhat it means
Medium-rare130–135°F / 54–57°CThe target and the ceiling on a lean round.
Too far140°F+ / 60°C+No marbling to render, so it goes firm to tough fast.
SearUntil marks setDo not move the steak or the crosshatch will not form.
Rest5 minutesThen slice thin across the grain.

Pitmaster tips

  • Round is one of the leanest parts of the animal — it is the hind leg, and it does a great deal of work. Every technique here exists to compensate for that lack of fat.
  • Sear-then-warming-rack is a reverse sear in reverse order, and it works because the rack is far enough from the burners to act as a gentle indirect zone. It gets the steak to 135°F without ever hitting it with more direct heat than it can take.
  • 135°F is the ceiling for round, not a preference. Lean cuts have no marbling to render, so past medium-rare they go from firm to genuinely tough very quickly.
  • Slice thin, across the grain, and do not compromise. On a lean round steak the slicing does more for tenderness than anything you can do over the fire.
  • Round takes a marinade well and benefits from one more than most cuts — its open, coarse structure lets acid and salt penetrate, and it needs the help.
  • Dry the surface hard before it hits the grates. Lean meat gives up water quickly, and any surface moisture stops the crosshatch marks forming.
  • Rotate 90 degrees halfway through each side for the crosshatch, and do not move the steak before the marks have set.
  • The warming rack is a gentle indirect zone, not a holding shelf. Check the temperature rather than leaving it there.
  • Slice thin across the grain. On a lean round this does more for tenderness than anything you do while cooking.
  • Consider a marinade. Round's open structure lets acid and salt actually penetrate, and it benefits more than most cuts.

If it goes wrong

It is tough
Overcooked or sliced thick. Round has no fat to forgive either mistake — 135°F maximum and slice thin across the grain.
No grill marks
The steak was wet or you moved it too soon. Dry it hard and leave it until the marks have set before rotating.
It dried out on the warming rack
Left there too long. The rack is a gentle finish, not a slow cook — check the temperature rather than the clock.
It tasted bland
Under-seasoned. A lean cut relies on the rub far more than a marbled one, and a marinade helps too.
The edges were grey
Too long over direct heat before moving up. Sear for marks only, then finish gently.

Ways to change it up

Marinated
Round's open structure lets a marinade actually penetrate, and it needs the help more than most cuts.
Steak sandwich
Sliced thin into crusty bread. A firm lean steak slices cleanly and suits a sandwich.
Compound butter
A slice of herb butter over the rested steak adds the fat the cut lacks.
Stir fry
Sliced thin across the grain and cooked fast. Excellent value for this.
Charcoal
Two-zone rather than grates-plus-rack. Same logic, more char.

What to serve it with

  • Garlic mashed potatoes and a broccoli salad, as in the video.
  • A sauce or compound butter to supply richness.
  • Something acidic — pickles or a vinaigrette salad.
  • Grilled vegetables.
  • A medium red or a cold beer.

Storage & reheating

Cooked round keeps 3–4 days refrigerated and is at its best used cold and sliced thin — sandwiches, salads, or a steak-and-egg breakfast. Reheating a lean cut that was pulled at medium-rare only pushes it toward well done, so if you must, do it fast in a very hot pan for seconds a side.

Raw round is inexpensive and freezes for 6–12 months wrapped airtight, which makes it a sensible cut to buy in quantity. Freezing it in a marinade works particularly well here, since it seasons as it thaws and this is a cut that genuinely benefits.

FAQ

Is round steak any good, or is it too lean?

It is good if you treat it like what it is. Cooked hot and fast to no more than medium-rare and sliced thin against the grain, round is genuinely tender and very beefy. Cooked to medium-well or sliced thick it is tough. It has no marbling to forgive mistakes, so it rewards accuracy.

Why finish on the warming rack instead of the main grate?

The warming rack sits far enough above the burners to act as an indirect zone. Searing on the grates builds the crust, then the rack lets the inside come up to 135°F gently without more direct heat — which on a lean cut would overcook the outside long before the middle arrived.

Should I marinate lean steak?

It helps more here than on a fatty cut. Round has an open structure that lets a marinade actually penetrate, and salt in the marinade helps the muscle hold on to moisture during the cook. A few hours is enough; overnight in a strongly acidic marinade will make the surface mushy.

What temperature should lean steak be cooked to?

130–135°F, medium-rare at most. This is the firm rule with lean cuts — there is no intramuscular fat to render and lubricate the meat, so every degree past medium-rare is moisture you do not get back.

Is round steak any good, or is it too lean?

It is good if you treat it like what it is. Cooked hot and fast to no more than medium-rare and sliced thin against the grain, round is genuinely tender and very beefy. Cooked to medium-well or sliced thick it is tough. It has no marbling to forgive mistakes, so it rewards accuracy.

Why finish on the warming rack instead of the main grate?

The warming rack sits far enough above the burners to act as an indirect zone. Searing on the grates builds the crust, then the rack lets the inside come up to 135°F gently without more direct heat — which on a lean cut would overcook the outside long before the middle arrived.

Know your cook

More information, cause recipe back stories are stupid

No 500-word life story — just the good-to-know stuff on what’s actually in this cook. Here’s the rundown on every real ingredient, health and nutrition wise.

Garlic
Garlic adds big flavour for almost no calories and contains sulphur compounds (like allicin) long studied for heart and immune benefits. It's one of the healthiest ways to season a cook.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable loaded with fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, and beneficial compounds like sulforaphane — a nutrient-dense way to round out a rich BBQ plate.
Potato
Potatoes are a satisfying source of potassium, vitamin C, and fibre (especially with the skin on), and they're naturally fat-free — it's the toppings and oil that add up.

General nutrition info only, not medical or dietary advice — portions, brands and add-ons change the numbers.

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