An exploratory approach to handling partial recrystallization in multi-pass hot rolling where the heterogeneity of steel microstructures is inherent is presented. The proposed model is based on a modification of the conventional model in which the microstructure of deformed austenite at each pass is simply taken as homogeneous during the multi-pass rolling. The usefulness of the modified model is demonstrated by applying it to a four-pass oval-round (or round-oval) rod rolling sequence. The pass-by-pass recrystallized fraction and austenite grain size (AGS) computed from the modified model are compared with those from the conventional model. The result showed that in multi-pass rolling at higher rolling speed, the recrystallization behavior and evolution of the austenite grain size at a given pass was strongly influenced by the modeling method of the partial recrystallization attributed to microstructural heterogeneity.