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Help needed NOW......I have a lovely topside of beef and dont want to ruin it!

4 replies

dontdillydally · 08/03/2009 07:23

how do you cook your topside? I dont want to ruin it? Thanks

OP posts:
saultanpepper · 08/03/2009 11:21

Presuming it's a joint I'd do this:

Brown the joint on the top of the stove to get some colour (not to 'seal in the juices' - that's a complete myth). Season with plenty of salt and black pepper as you turn the joint in the pan - this will help your gravy later.

In a roasting tin put some roughly chopped onion, carrot, leek, celery (any or all of these) plus a clove or two of garlic, a bay leaf, and a sprig of rosemary and/or thyme. Toss this lot in a tbsp or two of oil.

Place the seared joint on the veg and put in a medium oven (gas 5/6, 190-200C). Time depends on how you want to eat it - rare, 15mins/lb plus 15 mins; medium, 20mins/lb plus 20 mins. Well done=ruined in my book but if you want it well done, cook for 25mins/lb plus 25 mins. Baste the joint every 30 mins or so with the juices in the pan.

When cooked, remove joint and put on a warm plate to rest for 20 mins, covered with foil. This will give you a chance to make your gravy - take a potato masher to the veg in the pan, and give it a good pounding. Before you add any liquid, mix in a tbsp or two of plain flour and put the tin on the top of the stove on a medium heat. Cook the roux you've just made for 5-10 mins, stirring often, and then add a glass of red wine, plus any water from veg you're serving (or stock, or just plain old water). Reduce by a third, check the seasoning, strain, and you're done. If you wanted to be really cheffy, you could put the strained gravy into a clean pan and finish it with a teaspoon or two of butter, which would give it a nice sheen and extra richness.

Hmmm. Hungry now...

Ronaldinhio · 08/03/2009 11:29

I'd pot roast it

It's a very lean meat that doesn't roast as well as it pot roasts or braises imo

Seal the meat
Put ot in a fairly well fitting pot with a lid.
Fill half the pot with some red wine thyme salt pepper
put on lid and cook on shimmer for about 3 hours
Take the meat out let it rest
Thicken the beefy winey sauce with some flour and butter

scrum

dontdillydally · 08/03/2009 19:46

saultandpepper - I followed this to a tee and it turned out FANTASTIC - Thank you soooo much!!!! You made my day I will always do my beef this way from now on!!

OP posts:
saultanpepper · 08/03/2009 21:48

DDD - you're welcome ;)

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