How To Cook Topside Beef Food

ROAST BEEF WITH CARAMELISED ONION GRAVY

Steps:

• Crush the peppercorns, mustard powder, thyme and celery seeds together with some salt, using a pestle and mortar. Stir in the oil, then rub it all over the beef. (If you have time, cover and chill the joint overnight to marinate. Bring the beef out of the fridge 1 hr before roasting.)
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and sit the joint in a snug-ish roasting tin. Roast for 12 mins per 450g/1lb (about 55 mins for a 2kg/4lb 8oz joint) for medium-rare, or 15 mins per 450g/1lb (about 1 hr 10 mins) for medium-well.
• Remove from the oven, lift onto a platter, cover with foil and rest for 30 mins. If you're making the Yorkies (p90), increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
• For the gravy, pour any juices from the roasting tin into a jug. Let the juices separate, then spoon 2 tbsp of the fat back into the tin - if there is no fat, use 2 tbsp butter instead. Discard any other fat. Sit the roasting tin on the hob and stir in the flour, stock cubes, onion chutney or marmalade and Marmite. Cook for 1 min, stirring well to scrape up any beefy bits stuck to the tin, then gradually stir in 750ml hot water from the kettle. Bubble to thicken to a nice consistency, then gently keep warm until ready to serve with the beef, carved into slices.

FALL-APART-TENDER BRAISED TOPSIDE OF BEEF

Steps:

• Preheat slow cooker.
• Heat oil in a large pan (I find a wok is best), and carefully brown beef on all sides, turning with two wooden spoons. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Add the vegetables and garlic to the pan and, stirring regularly, cook for 5 mins until the onions are beginning to go soft.
• Transfer the vegetables to warmed crock pot and place the beef on top, push the beef down so it nestles among the vegetables.
• Dissolve the stock cube in the just boiled water, add the wine, oregano, mixed herbs and pepper.
• Pour over the beef, add the bay leaf and cover. Cook on auto for 8-10 hours or low for 10-12 hours.
• Once the beef is cooked, carefully remove from the crock pot and place on a warmed serving platter. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and arrange around the beef. Cover and keep warm.
• For the gravy, ladle the liquid left in the crock pot into a saucepan, stir in the gravy granules and bring to the boil, simmer for 2 minutes.
• Serve with mashed potatoes and savoy cabbage.

SLOW COOKER BEEF TOPSIDE WITH RED WINE GRAVY

Steps:

• Crush the peppercorns with the mustard, rosemary, celery seeds and a little salt using a pestle and mortar. Blitz the mushrooms to a fine powder in a food processor, then stir them in with 2 tbsp oil and rub all over the beef. Cover and chill for at least 1 hr, but overnight is best.
• Heat the slow cooker to high and pour in the stock. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan and brown the beef, then put in the slow cooker skin-side up. Fry the carrot, onion and celery in the same pan over a medium-high heat for about 10 mins. Stir in the tomato purée and wine, scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan, then add this to the slow cooker.
• Cook on low for 6 hrs, then strain the liquid into a pan. Keep the meat and veg covered with foil so they stay warm. Bring the liquid to the boil, then simmer until reduced by a third and season. For thicker gravy, mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp water and whisk into the boiling liquid. Serve the beef with the gravy, along with some mash and greens.