The Top Round name is a little misleading. Looking at diagram of a cow and seeing the area labelled “Round”, your first thought might be that “Top Round” would be at the top of that area, and no one can fault your logic. It’s not, though: that spot would be the Rump. The Top Round is the portion of the round that is on the inside of the leg, with the bones and cartilage removed. There is a movement now to call this instead the “Inside Round”, which might be more helpful to consumers.
Though the Top (or “Inside”) Round is one of the more tender cuts available from the Round, it is still a Round cut, and therefore quite tough. With the right cooking method, though, you will have a very tender, flavourful piece of meat. Though there may be a layer of fat on one side of the roast (depending on whether it comes “cap on” or “off”), the meat itself is very lean with little marbling.
“Cap” refers to the layer of fat on one side. If you have bought one “cap on”, bonus: cook the roast with this fat layer on top, so that as the meat cooks the fat will render and baste the meat to help make it moister.
See also main entry for “Beef Round.”
Cooking Tips
Moist heat only.