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Balsamic Cranberry Beef

Featured in Delicious Main Dish Recipes for Every Occasion.

This tender ribeye roast has a sweet-tangy cranberry balsamic marinade. After marinating overnight, it’s roasted to create a flavorful masterpiece for any celebration.
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Updated on Wed, 16 Apr 2025 10:54:48 GMT
A beautifully cooked beef roast garnished with cranberries and thyme, sitting in rich, dark sauce. Pin it
A beautifully cooked beef roast garnished with cranberries and thyme, sitting in rich, dark sauce. | chefmelt.com

This DIY Cranberry Balsamic Beef Roast makes a stunning table centerpiece that's also super easy to put together. The meat's deep, savory taste works beautifully with the zingy, slightly sweet cranberry balsamic mixture. It's just right for your Christmas table or any big get-together where you want to wow folks without sweating in the kitchen for hours.

What Makes This Dish So Good

You'll fall in love with how the tangy cranberries play against the rich balsamic and tender beef in this roast. It's such a simple approach—the same mix works as both marinade and cooking sauce, cutting your prep work in half. You'll end up with a juicy, flavor-packed main that'll have everyone thinking you spent all day cooking when you really didn't break a sweat.

What You'll Need For Cranberry Balsamic Beef

  • Beef Roast: A 4-5 pound tenderloin or top round cut.
  • Fresh Cranberries: About 2 cups, cleaned and checked.
  • Balsamic Vinegar: Get 1 cup of the good stuff.
  • Honey: Just 1/4 cup to cut the sourness.
  • Garlic: Chop up 6 cloves finely.
  • Fresh Herbs: Grab 4 sprigs each of thyme and rosemary.
  • Olive Oil: 1/4 cup to brown the meat.
  • Salt and Pepper: 2 tablespoons of each for coating.
  • Butter: 4 tablespoons to make it extra juicy.
  • Red Wine: 1 cup if you want to scrape up those tasty bits (you can skip this).

Mixing Your Cranberry Balsamic Soak

Whip Up The Mix
Throw cranberries, balsamic, honey, chopped garlic, and whole herbs into your food processor and give it a few quick pulses until the berries break down a bit.
Get The Meat Ready
Wipe your roast with paper towels till it's dry. Rub salt and pepper all over, pushing it into the meat well.
Let It Soak
Drop your beef into a big glass container or sealable bag. Pour your cranberry mix all over it and make sure it's totally covered. Stick it in the fridge for anywhere from 4 hours to a full day, flipping it now and then.
Before You Cook
Take the beef out 1-2 hours ahead so it warms up to room temp. Don't toss that marinade—you'll need it later.

Cooking Your Beef

Get Ready To Cook
Turn your oven to 375°F. Put a big cast-iron pan on high heat with olive oil. Brown that roast on every side until it's got a nice dark crust, about 3-4 minutes each way.
Put The Mix Back In
Pour the saved marinade around your beef. Toss in the butter and some fresh herb sprigs too.
Cook And Drizzle
Put the whole pan in your hot oven. Let it cook about 20-25 minutes for each pound if you want it medium-rare (that's 135°F inside), and spoon the juices over it every 15 minutes.
Let It Sit Before Cutting
Pull it out and cover with foil for 15-20 minutes. While you wait, you can boil down the pan sauce if you want it thicker.
A juicy roast covered with cranberries and fresh thyme swimming in rich sauce. Pin it
A juicy roast covered with cranberries and fresh thyme swimming in rich sauce. | chefmelt.com

How To Dish It Up

You can bring the skillet right to the table with the roast beef sitting in that yummy cranberry balsamic sauce for a casual vibe. Or move everything to a fancy serving plate if you're going for elegant. It tastes amazing with roasted veggies, fluffy mashed potatoes, or good bread to mop up all that sauce. Throw some fresh thyme or rosemary on top to make it look extra special.

Tricks And Twists

Want an even richer sauce? Cook down the cranberry balsamic mix on the stove until it gets thick and glossy before you serve. If it's not sweet enough, just stir in more honey or some maple syrup. Don't like things too sour? Try using dried cranberries that you've soaked in warm water instead of fresh ones. Any leftovers will stay good in the fridge for up to 3 days if you keep them in a sealed container.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What’s the benefit of overnight marinating?
It lets the cranberry and balsamic soak into the meat for great taste. The acid also softens the meat for a better texture.
→ When’s the roast done cooking?
For medium rare, aim for 140°F internally. It’ll take about 20 minutes per pound. Rest it for 15 minutes to keep the juices inside.
→ Why should I sear the meat first?
Searing builds a tasty crust while locking in juices. It also boosts the flavor of any sauce you make afterward.
→ Can frozen cranberries work?
Absolutely! Fresh or frozen will do just fine. No need to defrost frozen ones before cooking.
→ How should I use extra sauce?
Drizzle it over the beef slices, roasted veggies, or even use it as a sandwich spread for leftovers.

Balsamic Cranberry Beef

Juicy ribeye marinated in cranberry balsamic overnight, roasted with thyme and cranberries. Perfect for a standout holiday meal.

Prep Time
5 Minutes
Cook Time
60 Minutes
Total Time
65 Minutes

Category: Main Dish Recipes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 8 Servings (1 roast)

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

Ingredients

01 3-5 lb ribeye roast.
02 1/2 cup beef stock.
03 6 fresh thyme sprigs.
04 1/4 cup sweet cranberry sauce.
05 2 garlic cloves, chopped.
06 1/2 cup tangy balsamic vinegar.
07 2 tbsp vegetable oil.
08 2 tbsp olive oil.
09 2 tbsp dark brown sugar.
10 2 cups fresh cranberries.
11 1 tsp crushed red pepper.
12 Salt as needed.

Instructions

Step 01

In a big resealable food bag, stir together balsamic vinegar, garlic, cranberry sauce, sugar, pepper flakes, salt, and olive oil. Save it for later.

Step 02

Poke the roast with a knife all over, toss it in the bag, seal it, and squish the marinade around to coat the meat. Chill overnight, flipping now and then.

Step 03

Heat the oven to 350°F. Take the roast out and pat it dry with paper towels to get rid of the extra marinade.

Step 04

Pour vegetable oil into a hot cast iron skillet on medium heat. Cook the roast in the pan until all sides are browned nicely.

Step 05

Pour the marinade and beef stock into the pan. Toss in the cranberries and thyme. Pop the pan in the oven to cook.

Step 06

Roast for 20 minutes per pound of meat or until the inside hits 140°F for medium rare.

Step 07

Pull it out of the oven, set it aside for 15 minutes, then slice it up and serve with the sauce from the pan.

Notes

  1. Plan ahead—it needs to sit in the marinade overnight.
  2. Cooking time depends on the weight (20 min per pound).

Tools You'll Need

  • Big resealable plastic bag.
  • Heavy cast iron skillet.
  • A meat thermometer to check cooking temperature.

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: ~