How To Cook Topside Beef

Cooking full joints of beef can feel a little intimidating. Whether you’re worried about over- or undercooking beef, here you’ll find a variety of ways to cook topside beef, as well as a range of delicious and easy beef recipes to try at home.

What is topside beef?

Topside beef refers to a large and lean cut of meat that is taken from the hindquarters of a cow. Topside or silverside beef cuts are excellent for roasting, as it’s both lean and tender. This means the beef roasts can be extra juicy and flavoursome. If you’re preparing a meal for two or just for yourself, you can also source smaller mini topside joints from your butcher. These joints also take less time to cook than bigger portions.

How to cook topside beef

The best way to cook topside beef and retain the most flavour is to roast it. However, it’s important to be aware of the different timings for cooking beef. The time you need to cook depends on the size of your joint, preparation methods, and the resting time after cooking. Read on below to find out everything you need to know about cooking topside beef.

How to prepare topside beef

Before cooking a topside joint of beef, it’s important to make sure it isn’t too cold, as this could affect the cooking process. Take it out of the fridge at least one hour before you plan to start roasting. In order to get the best flavour from your beef joint, you need to season the meat well. Drizzle the joint with olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Rub and massage this into the meat to ensure all parts of the joint are covered and seasoned. 

How long to cook topside beef

The cooking time for your topside beef is determined by the size of the cut. For larger joints, expect a longer roasting time. You should also factor in the type of cooker you have, as well as how well you want the meat cooked —for example, if you would like your meat rare, medium rare or well done. 

For a 1 kg topside beef joint, adjust the cooking time according to your preference: 

• 40 minutes (rare)
• 50 minutes (medium-rare)
• 1 hour, 5 minutes (medium-well)
• 1 hour, 20 minutes (well done)

Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the beef to ensure it’s safe for eating. The beef is perfectly cooked and safe to eat when the core temperature, thickest part of the meat, reaches the following:

• 60°C for 45 minutes
• 65°C for 10 minutes
• 70°C for two minutes
• 75°C for 30 seconds
• 80°C for six seconds

Best way to roast topside beef

When preparing a topside joint of beef for roasting, it’s important to follow specific steps to get the best flavour and create a delicious meal.

To begin, if your beef joint is wrapped in netting, keep it on during the cooking process. This ensures the joint will cook evenly and keep its shape while roasting. Also, fat helps keep the topside beef joint juicy throughout the cooking process, so make sure to roast your meat with the thin layer of fat facing up. By doing this, you enable the juice to drip into the meat, keeping it moist.

It also helps to cover the joint with tinfoil throughout the cooking process. Using foil ensures that the outer layers of the meat won’t cook quicker than the rest of the joint. This layer of foil also helps to lock in moisture and keep the meat tender.

After the beef is cooked to your desired preference, remove it from the oven and let the meat rest untouched for a while. This resting period allows the juices time to spread throughout the meat. If you skip this process, you may find the meat tastes drier or is less tender to cut.

What to serve with beef 

Beef can be perfectly paired with a range of side dishes. Of course, you have the classic Sunday roast dinner with full trimmings of potatoes, veggies and gravy. However, there are many alternatives when it comes to serving joints of beef. Beef and mushrooms make for a tasty pairing, or for something different, pair topside beef with noodles or rice.

Topside beef is a delicious, hearty meat that tastes beautiful with rich flavours, like in garlic potatoes or buttery greens. Intense flavours really complement the meat’s firm texture and earthy taste, so you don’t have to be afraid of going all out when making your beef meal.

Recipes with beef

You can find a wide range of recipes with beef to satisfy your whole family. To start your culinary adventure, check out these popular HelloFresh meals.

• Easy Garlic & Herb Beef Recipe
• Korean Beef Bulgogi Bowl Recipe
• Honey-Soy Beef Tacos Recipe
• Beef Rump & Peppercorn Sauce Recipe