We show you how to roast topside beef joint to perfection. Plenty of flavours are added during cooking with beef stock used to create a delicious beef gravy to serve with your slices of tender roast beef and all the sides.
Cooking time calculations and tips given for rare, medium and well done, for different size beef joints.
Makes great tender beef slices to serve for Sunday roast dinner or an alternative to turkey for Christmas.
How to roast topside beef joint
The best way to cook topside beef is by roasting it in the oven. See the quick slideshow below for an example of how to roast
Or continue reading so you can see calculations for other sizes or want it cooked rare or well done?
What is topside beef?
Topside beef is a fairly cheap joint that works well for roasting. Fairly lean with some fat left on the top to help keep it moist during cooking.
Your topside joint may be supplied with an extra layer of basting fat which helps keep it more tender. The one we have used in this blog post didn't. It is hit and miss!
Preparing beef roasting joint
It’s best to remove the roasting joint from the fridge and keep it at room temperature for about an hour before cooking it. This prevents uneven cooking and aids juicer roast beef
To prevent too much heat coming from the bottom of the roasting tin, we use onions and carrots which act as a trivet to sit the beef on top. We also add garlic and thyme and finally water.
The vegetables and herbs are not wasted, they add flavour to the water which also gathers the beef juices during cooking.
This will later be used for re-basting the topside roasting joint halfway through cooking and then later used as the base for a homemade beef gravy.
Do you cook a beef joint with netting on?
If your beef roasting joint has a netting or string around it this should be kept on during cooking, to keep the joint in shape helping to cook evenly.
Fat side up or down?
The thin layer of fat should be facing up to allow the fat to melt into the joint.
For extra flavour and colour, we like to make a paste to rub over the beef. This simple paste is made out of olive oil mixed together with a stock cube.
Rub this all over the topside beef. It’s easiest to use your hands to rub it in. Then finally add a good grind of pepper.
Should I cover roast beef during cooking?
Cook topside beef covered with foil, this helps prevent the outside from cooking quicker than the inside and locks in the moisture in a similar way that pot roasting does during slow cooking.
Cooking time for roast topside beef?
Time will differ depending on two factors, the weight of the joint you are cooking and how you like it cooked rare, medium or well done.
Preheat the oven temperature to 160°C Fan / 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4 before roasting. See our Oven Conversion table for more help.
I have also included the roasting time for a few common-sized beef joints, to help you work it out.
| Topside Roasting Joint | Rare Very pink and bloody | Medium - Rare Blushing pink as seen on blog. | Medium - Well Only very slightly pink | Well - Done Brown, no pinkness at all! |
| Oven temperature 160°C Fan 180°C 350°F Gas Mark 4 | Remove foil for final 10 minutes | Remove foil for final 10 minutes | Remove foil for final 15 minutes | Remove foil for final 20 minutes |
| 800 g | 34 minutes | 42 minutes | 55 minutes | 1 hour 8 minutes |
| 1 kg | 40 minutes | 50 minutes | 1 hour 5 minutes | 1 hour 20 minutes |
| 1.2 kg | 46 minutes | 58 minutes | 1 hour 15 minutes | 1 hour 32 minutes |
| 1.5 kg | 55 minutes | 1 hour 10 minutes | 1 hour 30 minutes | 1 hour 50 minutes |
| 2 kg | 1 hour 10 minutes | 1 hour 30 minutes | 1 hour 55 minutes | 2 hour 20 minutes |
Is your size joint not shown? Use the below chart to work out the cooking time for roasting a topside beef joint, multiply the weight of your joint by cooking time for your desired doneness.
| Degree of Doneness Cooking time Oven set to 160°C Fan / 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4 | Multiply below time for each 100g of beef. | + additional time to brown outside without foil |
| Rare | 3 minutes | 10 minutes |
| Medium - Rare | 4 minutes | 10 minutes |
| Medium - Well | 5 minutes | 15 minutes |
| Well Done | 6 minutes | 20 minutes |
Basting
Halfway through cooking give the beef a quick basting using the liquid from the bottom of the tray.
Browning
Take the foil off for the final 10-25 minutes (depending on doneness), give another quick baste and allow the topside beef joint to brown.
Resting Beef
For best results once cooked, remove the netting and rest the beef after removing from the oven, for at least 30 minutes covered loosely with foil.
The remaining heat will finish cooking whilst allowing the juices to cool and redistribute through the topside beef joint. Leading to juicy tender slices of roast beef.
One of the biggest reasons for dry tough slices of beef is from carving too early.
When carved to early, the juice flows out, so before carving allow the beef to rest. I normally cook my roast dinner side dishes during this resting time. So it has about 50 minutes to rest before carving and is still warm.
Carving
Topside beef is so easy to carve, with no bones and not much fat, it can be carved into thick or thin slices easily with a large sharp knife.
The joint seen in these pictures is 1.5kg Topside beef from Tesco’s, we cooked it for 1 hour 15 minutes for a medium-rare result.
How to make gravy from beef juices
With the beef removed you now have a delicious stock created from the water, beef juices, vegetables, garlic and herbs.
Pour the cooking juices through a sieve into a saucepan. You can skim off some fat from the top if wanted.
To thicken the beef stock, mix cornflour and water together before whisking into the liquid. Next, crumble in a beef stock cube and bring to the boil.
Add browning to the gravy to give it a richer deeper colour. This is optional and the gravy will taste fine without it!
Once boiling, it will still look runny, simply turn heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally until it has thickened.
You may need to add more cornstarch depending on how thick you like it?
For extra richness, you can add 100ml of Red wine to the gravy too or alternatively why not try out our Red Wine Jus which goes perfectly with beef.
What to serve with Roast Topside Beef
When serving beef for your Sunday roast dinner you should also make our Yorkshire puddings, honey roast parsnips and roast potatoes, broccoli, carrots and mustard or horseradish sauce.
Roast topside beef makes a Christmas alternative to turkey, serve with our red cabbage and roasted brussels sprouts, carrots and parsnips.
Storage
Leftover beef can be stored safely in the fridge in an airtight container, foil or cling film for up to 3 days.
Slices of leftover beef are perfect for adding in sandwiches or used for a cold meat platter the next day
Reheating
For best results when reheating beef, I suggest slicing first and heating for long enough to heat through.
When reheating in the microwave the best way is to reheat the beef slices in gravy, to keep the slices moist. Try not to overheat them as it will dry the meat out.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Roast Topside Beef Joint
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large Onion - Halved
- 1 Large Carrot - Chopped into 3
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Stock cube - Oxo or Knorr
- 1.5 kg Topside Beef
- 500 ml Water
Gravy
- Juices from the roasting tray.
- 3 tablespoon Cornflour
- 3 tablespoon Water
- 1 Stock cube - Oxo or Knorr
- 6 drops Browning (optional)
Instructions
How to roast 1.5 kg Topside Beef medium-rare
- Remove beef from the fridge 1 hour before roasting.After 1 hour remove the packaging, if it has netting or string this should be kept on during cooking.Pat the beef dry with a few pieces of kitchen roll. Preheat oven to 160°C Fan / 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 41.5 kg Topside Beef
- Add vegetables and herbs to the roasting tray1 large Onion, 1 Large Carrot, 4 cloves Garlic, 4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- Crumble the stock cube into the oil and stir into a paste1 Stock cube, 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Pour the stock paste over the beef joint.
- Use your hands to rub the stock and oil all over the roasting joint. Top, bottom and sides. Place beef with fat side up on top of the vegetables. So it is not touching the base of the roasting tin.Add some black pepper on top.1.5 kg Topside Beef
- Add 500ml of cold water to the roasting tin- Do not pour over the beef.500 ml Water
- Cover the whole tray with kitchen foil. Cook in the preheated oven at 160°C Fan / 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4 For 1 hour 10 minutes.The cooking time stated here is for 1.5 kg cooked medium-rare.See blog post for smaller or larger beef joint cooking times or for rare, medium or well-done roasting time.
- Baste the joint with the juices from the tray halfway through cooking time.Juices from the roasting tray.
- Remove foil baste again and roast uncovered for the final 10 minutes. (Times may differ depending on how well you want your beef done?)Juices from the roasting tray.
- Remove beef from the tray, cut away any netting or string.
- Wrap beef loosely with foil. It is important to allow the beef to rest for at least 30 minutes or longer.
- Whilst resting, cook all the other side dishes and gravy.
Making gravy from beef cooking juices
- Pour the liquid from the baking tray through a sieve into a saucepan.Juices from the roasting tray.
- Mix cornflour and water together, then whisk the liquid into the saucepan.3 tablespoon Cornflour, 3 tablespoon Water
- Crumble in a stock cube1 Stock cube
- Optional- Add some browning for a richer colour.6 drops Browning (optional)
- Bring to the boil whilst whisking turn heat down to simmer until it thickens.
Video
Nutrition
Hope you have found everything you need to know about roasting a topside of beef. Leave us a comment below if there are any questions or just to let us know how delicious and tender the beef came out.
Other Roast Dinner Recipes
Take a look at other roast dinner recipes you might like, such as our Boneless Rolled Rib of Beef, Slow Roast Lamb Leg or Lamb Shoulder. We also have recipes for Roast Gammon or a Small Roast Turkey, it's not just for Christmas you know!
Annette says
Wanted a top recipe for topside and this is it!
Thankyou so much, only difference was used flour instead of cornflour.
Gravy and beef was restaurant quality!!
Luke and Kay says
Thank you for choosing this roast topside beef recipe, Annette! We are delighted to hear that it met your expectations and produced restaurant-quality results.
Your substitution of flour instead of cornflour is a great option for those with dietary restrictions or personal preferences. Thank you for sharing your tip and we hope you continue to enjoy our recipes in the future.
Happy cooking! 🙂
Susan says
Probably me but confused by oven temp fan 160/180? Which one?
Sharon says
The recipe says 160°C fan forced / 180°C electric so, it depends on whether your oven is fan forced or not.
Lisa says
Hi there, I don't have any fresh thyme and only have some dried mixed herbs will this be ok to use instead? I am just about to cook it so please can I have a quick response. Kind thanks Lisa .
Luke and Kay says
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for reaching out to us and choosing our Roast Topside Beef Joint. We apologize for the delay in our response as we were away but are happy to hear you have chosen our recipe.
Our Roast Topside Beef Joint is versatile and can be prepared with dried herbs if fresh thyme is not available. We hope you enjoyed your meal and look forward to any future feedback or inquiries.
Helen O says
Having had a couple of disastrous experiences trying to cook a 500g joint of topside I had nearly given up.
Your recipe was a revelation! I finally managed to produce a beautiful succulent and flavoursome roast which was rare and not overcooked like a bit of leather sole.
I'm normally quite a good cook and this has restored my confidence, which is an additional bonus.
I can't thank you enough!!
Luke and Kay says
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review, Helen. We're very happy to hear that our recipe was able to turn your previous negative experiences into a positive one! It's always great to hear when our customers are able to successfully recreate our recipes. We hope this restored confidence will encourage you to continue experimenting in the kitchen and try other dishes as well. Thank you again for choosing our recipe and we look forward to providing more delicious recipes for you in the future! 🙂
Louise says
Had just about given up on being able to make rare tender roast beef but I followed this recipe and it was perfect - thank you!
Luke and Kay says
Thank you for trying our roast topside beef recipe, Louise! We're thrilled to hear that it turned out perfectly for you. Your feedback means a lot to us and we appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. Happy cooking! 🙂
Lala says
I’ve been roasting a 1 kg beef in my convection oven for nearly two hours and the meat thermometer shows rare. Does covering the beef in foil after removing it from the oven result in it continuing to cook?
Luke and Kay says
Hey Lala!
If your 1kg beef joint is still rare after 2 hours of cooking, there are two possible explanations: either your oven temperature isn't set correctly, or your meat thermometer isn't working accurately. However, it's important to note that the heat will continue to rise when the joint is covered in foil. Let's make sure everything is set right so your meat turns out perfectly cooked!
Sarah says
This was delicious and came out perfectly. Will definitely do this again. Best roast beef we have ever eaten. Gravy was out of this world with a splash of red wine! My family all agreed it was the best roast dinner I have cooked for them!
Luke and Kay says
Thank you so much for taking the time to review Roast Topside Beef Joint, Sarah! It’s wonderful that your family all agreed it was the best roast dinner you’ve cooked for them and we appreciate that you will definitely do it again. We could not be more thrilled to hear that your roast beef turned out perfectly and the gravy with red wine added an extra special touch! We are delighted to send our heartfelt gratitude for helping us spread the word about our recipe 🙂
Claire says
This was the best recipe I have ever found for roast topside, tried to work out the cooking times for medium rare at .724 kg, rested in loosely wrapped in foil and covered in a tea towel to keep it warm for almost an hour. I think it came out rare (which is how I prefer it) my husband has just called his daughter to say it’s the best roast dinner I’ve ever cooked. Very happy, roast potatoes cooked in the extra fat my farm shop gave me with the beef added to the extra fat that cooked on top of the beef (will be asking for more for the Christmas roasties) gravy was awesome, the onions were a little undercooked, I’ll save onions for my
slow cooked belly pork
Luke and Kay says
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a glowing review, Claire! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the roast topside beef joint - and even bigger cheers for preparing a dinner that your husband called his daughter about! 🙂
Stuart Gwilym MacMillan says
The instructions are clear and give good results
Luke and Kay says
Thanks for the great review on our roast topside beef recipe, Stuart! We're so glad to hear you enjoyed your cooking experience and the results. In making our recipes, we strive to provide clear instructions, ingredients that anyone can find, and delicious meals that everyone is happy to eat. 🙂