Topside Roast Beef

Beef Type: Topside Roast
Origin: NI / Ireland
Fermentation: Wet
Packaging: Vacuum

Traditional Topside Roast

Serves 10

Beef

2.5kg of topside beef
1 large onion
8-12 cloves of of garlic
Half a head of celery
2 large carrots
4 fresh bay leaves
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Olive oil

Gravy

1 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp blackberry jam
125ml red wine
1 litre beef stock

Method

1. Remove from fridge 60 minutes before cooking, to make sure it’s at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 180ºC / 350ºF / Gas 4

2. Drizzle olive oil over the beef (4 tbsp), season with plenty of salt and three pinches of black pepper, rub the oil and seasoning all over the meat

3. Place your large roasting tray on the hob over high heat, add 1 tbsp of oil, then sear the topside beef until browned all over

4. Chop the celery and carrots into chunks, chop the onion into big wedges and smash or chop the garlic cloves

5. Put all the vegetables into the roasting tray with the beef, add the bay leaves and rosemary, mix the vegetables to coat them in the juices from the meat

6. Roast the meat and veg together for 1 hour and 15 minutes for medium or 1 hour 30 minutes for medium/well, or cook to your liking

7. Baste the beef halfway through and if the veg looks dry, add some water to stop them burning

8. Remove the beef (leave the veg) and place on a large serving plate, cover with foil and leave it to rest for 45 minutes

Gravy

1. Place the large roasting tray (the one used for the topside beef) on the hob over a medium heat

2. Sprinkle the flour over the roasted vegetables and mash everything, including all the juices from the base of the tray

3. Stir in the blackberry jam, pour over the wine and let it bubble away for two minutes then pour the stock in

4. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally

5. Pour the gravy through a sieve into a pan, pushing all the goodness through with the back of a spoon

6. Keep warm over low heat until you’re about to serve, skim off any excess fat that comes to the surface, then pour into a hot gravy boat

7. Carve the beef into lovely thin slices, and serve with traditional trimmings: roasties, Yorkshire puds and horseradish