Roast Beef

• • 1.5kg topside of beef

  • 2 medium onions

  • 2 carrots

  • 2 sticks of celery

  • 1 bulb of garlic

  • a small bunch of fresh thyme, rosemary, bay or sage, or a mixture

  • olive oil

Prepare

• 1. Take your beef out of the fridge 30 minutes before it goes into the oven

  2. Preheat your oven to 240°C/475°F/ gas 9 

  3. There’s no need to peel the vegetables – just give them a wash and roughly chop them 

  4. Break the garlic bulb into cloves, leaving them unpeeled 

  5. Pile all the veg, garlic and herbs into the middle of a large roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil 

  6. Drizzle the beef with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper, rubbing it all over the meat 

  7. Place the beef on top of the vegetables

To cook your beef:

When cooking a 800g joint needs more than 30min at 180C

• 1. Place the roasting tray in the preheated oven, roast for 20 to 30mins

  2. Turn the heat down immediately to 200°C/400°F/gas 6 and cook 15 mins per 500g 

  3. If you prefer it medium-rare, 10 mins per 500g 

  4. For well done, 20 mins per 500g 

  5. Baste the beef halfway through cooking and if the veg look dry, add a splash of water to the tray to stop them burning 

  6. When the beef is cooked to your liking, take the tray out of the oven and transfer the beef to a board to rest for 15 minutes or so

  7. Cover it with a layer of tinfoil and a tea towel and put aside while you make your gravy