This is the hip and hind leg of the animal. About the same size as the chuck primal, but leaner. Like the chuck, muscles from this primal do a lot of work moving the animal around and develop a lot of connective tissue.

The round is divided into the top and bottom round -- bottom round is on the outside of the musculature, nearer the skin, and gives the rump roast, Manhattan roast, and eye round steak among others. The top round is on the inside of the primal, further from the hide, and gives us cuts like the inside round, the minute steak, and the round tip steak. 

Regardless of the cut, low and slow in moist heat is your friend in most cases. Low and slow, because of the plethora of connective tissue; moist because these cuts don’t have a lot of fat, and dry heat will dry them out.

Not everything need be braised, however – top round tenderized with a jaccard, then breaded and fried becomes chicken fried steak. Eye round sliced thin and poached quickly in blistering hot broth becomes pho.

Just be aware that round cuts will by dry if cooked hot and fast without added fat, and its connective tissue will need to be dealt with in some way.  

In other news, shall we talk about sirloin?