Vitel Toné: Roast Beef with Silky Tuna-Caper Sauce

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 8 servings
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Total Time: 4 hours (includes chilling)

Quick Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) eye-of-round roast, tied
• 1 tbsp neutral oil; 2 tsp kosher salt (divided)
• 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 2 garlic cloves
• 2 bay leaves, 8 peppercorns
• 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine; 6 cups (1.4 L) water
• 1 cup (240 ml) mayonnaise
• 1 can tuna in olive oil (5 oz/140 g), lightly drained
• 6 anchovy fillets; 2 tbsp capers, plus more to garnish
• 2–3 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp Dijon; 1 small garlic clove
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm cooking broth; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Fresh parsley, lemon zest or thin slices, black pepper

Do This

• 1. Pat roast dry, season with 1 tsp salt. Sear in 1 tbsp oil over medium-high, 3–4 minutes per side.
• 2. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay, peppercorns, wine, and water. Bring just to a simmer.
• 3. Simmer gently (barely bubbling) 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, until 145–150°F (63–66°C) in the center. Salt broth with remaining 1 tsp salt.
• 4. Let roast cool in broth 30 minutes. Strain, reserve broth. Chill beef and 1 cup broth at least 2 hours.
• 5. Blend sauce: mayo, tuna, anchovies, capers, lemon, Dijon, garlic, olive oil + 1/2 cup warm reserved broth. Adjust thickness with more broth; season to taste.
• 6. Slice beef very thin across the grain. Shingle on a platter, blanket with sauce.
• 7. Top with extra capers, parsley, lemon. Chill 30 minutes to meld, then serve cold.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ultra-silky, punchy sauce of tuna, anchovy, lemon, and capers that tastes like sunshine and umami in one bite.
• Make-ahead friendly: the flavors get even better after chilling.
• Elegant but easy: one pot for the beef, one blender for the sauce.
• Perfect for holidays, yet light and refreshing enough for warm-weather entertaining.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 3 garlic cloves, 1 lemon, flat-leaf parsley
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Eye-of-round roast (about 3 lb), mayonnaise, canned tuna in olive oil, anchovy fillets, capers, Dijon mustard, olive oil, neutral oil, dry white wine, bay leaves, black peppercorns, kosher salt

Full Ingredients

For the Beef and Broth

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) eye-of-round roast, tied with kitchen twine
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (such as canola)
• 2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion (8 oz/225 g), halved
• 1 medium carrot (3.5 oz/100 g), chunked
• 1 celery stalk, chunked
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 whole black peppercorns (plus a few extra to taste)
• 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine
• 6 cups (1.4 L) water (or enough to cover by 1 inch)

For the Tuna–Anchovy–Caper Sauce

• 1 cup (240 ml) mayonnaise
• 1 can tuna in olive oil (5 oz/140 g), lightly drained
• 6 anchovy fillets (in oil), drained
• 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
• 2–3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (30–45 ml), to taste
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm reserved beef cooking broth, plus 2–4 tbsp more as needed
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of kosher salt, to taste

For Serving

• 2–3 tbsp capers, drained (for topping)
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Lemon zest curls or very thin lemon slices
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for a light drizzle

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Tie and season the roast

Pat the eye-of-round dry and tie it in 2–3 places to keep a neat shape. Season all over with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. This helps the surface brown and seasons the meat throughout.

Step 2: Sear for flavor

In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil over medium-high until shimmering. Sear the roast 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown. Browning boosts the beefy notes and enriches the eventual broth.

Step 3: Build the broth and gently simmer

Add the onion, carrot, celery, smashed garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits. Add enough water (about 6 cups) to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a bare simmer, then lower the heat to maintain gentle bubbles (about 180–190°F / 82–88°C). Partially cover and cook 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, until the roast is easily pierced and the center reads 145–150°F (63–66°C). Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon salt to season the broth.

Step 4: Cool in broth, then chill

Turn off the heat and let the roast cool in the hot broth for 30 minutes (this keeps it moist). Strain the broth, discarding solids, and reserve at least 1 cup for the sauce. Refrigerate the roast and 1 cup of broth, uncovered until cool, then covered, for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Step 5: Blend the tuna–anchovy–caper sauce

In a blender or food processor, combine mayonnaise, tuna, anchovies, capers, lemon juice, Dijon, and garlic. With the motor running, stream in 1/2 cup warm reserved broth, then the olive oil, until the sauce is silky. It should be thick yet pourable, like heavy cream. Add more broth (1–4 tablespoons) to loosen if needed. Season with black pepper and a pinch of salt to taste. The flavor should be bright, savory, and lemony.

Step 6: Slice and plate

Unwrap the chilled roast and slice very thinly across the grain (1/8 inch / 3 mm is ideal). Shingle the slices on a large platter. Spoon or ladle the sauce generously over the top, letting some beef peek through at the edges for a classic look.

Step 7: Garnish and chill to meld

Top with extra capers, chopped parsley, and lemon zest or ultra-thin slices. Drizzle with a thread of olive oil and a few cracks of black pepper. Chill 30–60 minutes before serving; vitel toné is traditionally served cold and tastes best once the flavors mingle.

Pro Tips

• Keep the simmer gentle; a rolling boil can toughen this lean cut. Aim for barely-bubbling broth.
• Chill the meat thoroughly before slicing for paper-thin cuts. A long slicing knife or deli slicer works wonders.
• Use tuna packed in olive oil for a more luxurious, silky sauce.
• Adjust sauce thickness with warm broth; the sauce will also thicken slightly as it chills.
• Reserve leftover broth—it makes excellent soup or risotto stock.

Variations

• Classic veal: Swap beef for 2.5–3 lb veal eye-of-round and simmer 60–75 minutes to 140–145°F (60–63°C) for a traditional vitello tonnato vibe.
• Lightened sauce: Replace 1/4 cup mayonnaise with 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt for a tangier, lighter finish.
• Roasted method: Instead of simmering, roast the seasoned beef at 275°F (135°C) to 125°F (52°C) internal, cool, then use store-bought low-sodium stock to thin the sauce.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Best made ahead: You can cook the beef and make the sauce up to 24 hours in advance. Store them separately, covered, in the refrigerator. Once plated and sauced, keep chilled and serve within 6–8 hours for the freshest look. Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge. Do not freeze (the sauce can split). Keep everything cold (below 40°F/4°C) and avoid leaving the dish out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approx. 580 calories; 39 g protein; 44 g fat; 4 g carbohydrates; 1.5 g fiber; 900 mg sodium. Values are estimates and will vary based on exact ingredients and portion sizes.