The Standard Roasters
These aren’t the only roasting joints you can get from a beef carcase (see under steaks for some extravagant special roasts) but they are ones we usually sell in this form. In general, starting with a higher heat then turning down to a lower heat, is the best way to roast. Sealing a joint on all sides in a pan with some hot oil is a great way to start the cooking. Be sure to use a flavourless oil though (never, ever use olive oil!) or ideally beef dripping (use a bit of fat from the meat or buy some beef dripping from us - it makes the most amazing roast potatoes too.) The most important thing to remember with roasting meat is to allow plenty of time for resting (the meat, not the chef!) - at least half an hour for a reasonable size joint of beef. This “relaxes” the meat ensuring it is tender and juicy; if you don’t do this you’ll find when you’ve carved and served the meat it may turn dry and chewy on the plate. Lastly, be sure to warm your dinner plates before serving.
Topside
A classic Sunday roast, topside is a lean cut (hence we wrap our joints with plenty of lovely fat from another part of the animal). Topside is quite tender, so can be cooked in a hotter oven, though in my opinion slow-roasting is nearly always better if you have the time. Best served rare to medium (definitely not cremated school dinner style.)
Brisket
Brisket has lots of lovely marbling and is extremely flavoursome but is not one for a quick mid-week roast. It needs several hours of roasting in a low oven to break down those muscle fibres and get all that tasty fat melting into the meat. If you have an Aga, after a quick blast in the roasting oven to start it off, brisket is awesome cooked in the simmering oven for four or five hours. Brisket is also a classic salt beef cut and there are lots of recipes on the internet for smoked / barbecued brisket.
Top Rump
Quite lean but still very tasty, this cut can be sliced into steaks and sold as “frying steak” or “minute steaks” but can also be a beautiful tender roasting joint, which can then be served in thick steak-like slices once cooked. Season with salt and pepper and start in a high oven or in a pan with some beef dripping to seal, then turn the oven right down and slow cook until it reaches around 55C in the middle, which will be rare, tender and juicy.
Silverside
Another classic Sunday roast joint, Silverside has a more open-grain texture and a bit more chew than topside, so definitely benefits from slower cooking or pot-roasting. It is also a wonderful cut to brine and make into salt beef. In my experience brisket makes the best hot salt beef but silverside is the best for slicing cold - it also keeps well for a couple of weeks in the fridge.