Make our Christmas Exclusive Topside of Beef the centre of a comforting festive feast. Gently pot-roasted with red wine, pancetta, shallots and herbs, the beef is served in generous slices with tender carrots, mushrooms and a rich gravy. Our Christmas Beef Stock and Beef Gravy make the sauce straightforward, while buttery garlic mash catches every delicious spoonful. Most of the cooking happens quietly in the oven, leaving you free to enjoy the occasion.
Heat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Remove the beef’s packaging, leaving any butcher’s string in place only if it is suitable for cooking. Pat the joint dry with kitchen paper and season lightly with salt and the Coarse Ground Pepper.
Heat the Beef Dripping in a deep, heavy-based, ovenproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Choose a casserole with a tight-fitting lid that holds the joint comfortably without excessive space around it. Brown the beef on all sides, including the ends, for approximately 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the Pancetta and cook for 3–4 minutes, then add the shallots and cook for another 5–6 minutes until lightly coloured. Stir in the tomato purée and Thyme, and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in the red wine, or the additional stock if using, and scrape up the browned juices from the bottom of the casserole. Simmer for 4–5 minutes. Add the 500ml Beef Stock and Bay Leaves, then return the beef and any juices from its plate. The liquid should reach approximately halfway to two-thirds up the joint; add a little hot water if necessary.
Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 hour 30 minutes. Carefully turn the joint over, add the carrots and mushrooms around it, and check the liquid level. Add a splash of hot water if needed, then cover and cook for another 1–1½ hours.
Start checking the beef after 2½ hours of total oven cooking. It should be tender enough for a skewer or small knife to slide into the centre with little resistance. If it is still firm, continue cooking, covered, in 20-minute intervals. This is a fully cooked pot roast, not a pink roast: check that the centre reaches at least 75°C for 30 seconds, and continue beyond this temperature if more time is needed for tenderness.
When the beef is nearly tender, put the potatoes into a saucepan of cold, lightly salted water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes until completely tender. Drain thoroughly and leave to steam-dry for 2 minutes. Warm 150ml milk with the Garlic Granules, then mash into the potatoes with 60g butter. Add the remaining milk gradually if needed. Season to taste, cover and keep hot.
Transfer the cooked beef to a warm board, cover loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the Bay Leaves from the casserole. Spoon off any excess fat from the surface, leaving the vegetables, pancetta and cooking liquid.
Stir the Beef Gravy into the casserole and simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes, until piping hot and thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. If the sauce is still thin, simmer a little longer; if too thick, add a splash of hot water. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 15g butter. Taste before adding salt, as the pancetta, stock and gravy already provide seasoning.
Remove any string from the rested beef and carve across the grain into slices approximately 1cm thick. Serve with the garlic mash, carrots, mushrooms and shallots. Spoon the pancetta and red-wine gravy over and around the beef, bringing any remaining sauce to the table for everyone to share.
