This Roast Topside of Beef is a tender and juicy recipe, which is made with a savory vegetable trivet and a rich, homemade pan gravy. It’s the perfect centerpiece for a Sunday roast, ready in about 2.5 hours.
Roast Topside of Beef Ingredients
For the Beef & Vegetables:
- 3kg topside of beef
- Olive oil
- ½ a head of celery, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped into wedges
- 1 bulb of garlic, broken into cloves
- 3 fresh bay leaves
- 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Gravy:
- 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
- 1 heaped tablespoon blackberry or blackcurrant jam
- 125ml red wine
- 1 litre organic beef stock
How To Make Roast Topside of Beef
- Prep and Sear the Beef: Take the beef out of the fridge 1 hour before you want to cook it to let it come up to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Drizzle the beef with 1½ tablespoons of oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and rub it all over the meat.
- Create the Trivet: Place a large roasting tray on the hob over a high heat. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of oil, then carefully sear the beef for a few minutes on all sides until browned. Add the chopped celery, carrots, onion wedges, and garlic cloves to the tray with the bay leaves and rosemary. Jiggle the tray to coat the vegetables in the pan juices.
- Roast the Beef: Place the seared beef on top of the vegetables. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes for a perfect medium and blushing result, or cook to your liking. Baste the beef halfway through cooking.
- Rest the Meat: This is a crucial step. Remove the beef to a platter, cover it loosely with tin foil, and let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes while you make the gravy.
- Make the Gravy: Place the roasting tray with all the vegetables and juices on the hob over a medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour, then use a potato masher to mash everything together, scraping up all the delicious browned bits from the bottom of the tray.
- Finish the Gravy: Stir in the jam, then pour over the red wine and let it bubble away for a minute or two. Pour in the beef stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, or until thickened and reduced.
- Strain and Serve: Pour the gravy through a sieve into a clean pan or gravy boat, pushing all the goodness through with the back of a spoon. Keep it warm. Carve the rested beef into thin slices and serve with the vegetables and the rich, homemade gravy.

Recipe Tips
- How to get the most tender roast? The two most important steps are bringing the beef to room temperature for an hour before you start, and, most importantly, letting it rest, covered, for at least 20-30 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a tender, juicy result.
- What is a “trivet” of vegetables? The layer of chopped vegetables on the bottom of the roasting tray acts as a natural rack. It elevates the meat so it roasts evenly, and as the vegetables cook in the beef drippings, they create an incredibly flavorful base for your pan gravy.
- How to get the most flavorful gravy? Don’t skip searing the beef in the roasting tray, and be sure to scrape up all the browned bits (the “fond”) from the bottom of the pan when you start the gravy. Mashing the roasted vegetables into the gravy base also adds a huge amount of flavor and body.
- How do I know when the roast is done? The time given is a guideline for medium. The most accurate way to check for doneness is with a meat thermometer. For rare, aim for an internal temperature of 125°F (52°C); for medium-rare, 135°F (57°C); for medium, 145°F (63°C).
What To Serve With Roast Beef
This is the centerpiece of a classic British Sunday roast. It is perfectly served with all the traditional trimmings:
- Crispy roast potatoes
- Fluffy Yorkshire puddings
- A dollop of fiery horseradish sauce
- Steamed seasonal greens like cabbage or broccoli
How To Store Leftover Roast Beef
- Refrigerate: For the best results, store the sliced beef and the gravy in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Gently reheat the gravy in a saucepan on the stove. The leftover beef is best enjoyed cold for sandwiches, or you can gently warm slices in the hot gravy just before serving to prevent them from overcooking.
Roast Beef Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1 serving (1/10th of recipe)
- Calories: 720 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Protein: 65g
- Fat: 40g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Sodium: 950mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
What is topside of beef?
Topside is a lean and tender cut from the inner thigh of the cow. It has very little marbling, which makes it a great choice for a classic roast that you want to carve into neat, thin slices.
Do I have to sear the beef first?
Yes, it is an essential step for flavor. Searing the beef over a high heat creates a deep, brown, caramelized crust through the Maillard reaction. This is where the rich, u0022roastyu0022 flavor comes from, which then flavors the entire pan of vegetables and the final gravy.
Can I make the gravy ahead of time?
No, a true pan gravy like this is made using the delicious, caramelized drippings and roasted vegetables left in the roasting tray after the beef has been cooked. This is what makes it so flavorful.
Try More Recipes:
- Johnny Vegas’ Fillet Steak Flambé Recipe
- Warwick Davis’ Steak & Stilton Pie Recipe
- Vietnamese Beef Pho (Pho Sure, It’s Good Recipe)
Roast Topside of Beef Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy12
20
minutes1
hour45
minutes720
kcalThe perfect centerpiece for a Sunday lunch, this tender roast topside of beef is cooked on a savory bed of vegetables and served with a rich, homemade red wine and jam pan gravy.
Ingredients
Roast: 3kg topside of beef, ½ head of celery, 2 carrots, 1 onion, 1 bulb of garlic, 3 bay leaves, 3 rosemary sprigs, olive oil, salt, pepper.
Gravy: 1 tbsp plain flour, 1 tbsp blackberry/blackcurrant jam, 125ml red wine, 1 litre beef stock.
Directions
- Bring the beef to room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF.
- Sear the seasoned beef in a hot, oiled roasting tray on the hob until browned on all sides.
- Add the chopped vegetables and herbs to the tray to create a “trivet,” then place the beef on top.
- Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes for medium.
- Remove the beef to a platter, cover, and let it rest for at least 20-30 minutes.
- Make the gravy in the roasting tray on the hob: mash the vegetables, stir in the flour and jam, then deglaze with wine.
- Pour in the stock and simmer for about 30 minutes until thickened. Strain the gravy.
- Carve the rested beef and serve with the vegetables and hot gravy.
Notes
- The most important tip for this recipe is to rest the cooked beef for at least 20-30 minutes before carving; this is the secret to a juicy roast.
- Don’t skip searing the beef and creating the vegetable trivet; these steps are essential for a flavorful result.
- Using a meat thermometer is the most reliable way to cook your roast to the perfect temperature.
- For a perfectly smooth gravy, be sure to pour it through a sieve, pressing on the mashed vegetables to extract all their flavor.