Topside Beef Roast (Top Round Roast)

A sliced roast beef with a pink center sits on a wooden cutting board, with several thin slices fanned out in front of the main cut.

4.84 from 6 votes

Topside Beef Roast (Top Round Roast)

Topside Beef Roast – learn how to cook the PERFECT topside of beef with just a handful of ingredients. This moist and tender beef joint makes an excellent Sunday roast, sliced thinly and served with gravy and your fave sides.

Prep Time5

Cook Time50

Resting30

Total Time1 25

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Keyword: Topside Beef Roast

Servings:

Calories: 461kcal

Author: Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Beef

3 lb (1.4kg) topside beef joint (top round)
salt and pepper – freshly ground , a few turns of the mill
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard (such as Maille)
1 tbsp olive oil , or as needed
1 rosemary sprig

For the Gravy

all of the beef juices including any released during resting
1 tbsp flour or see notes
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp red wine , or use port or marsala (optional)
1 cup (240ml) beef stock or as needed made with a beef stock cube
1 tbsp soy sauce or Tamari, if needed

Instructions

Prepare the Joint

Take your beef joint out of the fridge an hour before you cook it so it can come to room temperature and cook more evenly. The joint may be tied with string or have netting over it – leave that on.
3 lb (1.4kg) topside beef joint
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), or 400°F (200°C) fan.
Pat the beef dry using paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper (a good 10+ turns of the salt and pepper mill). Rub with the wholegrain mustard and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary.
salt and pepper – freshly ground, 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 rosemary sprig

Cook the Beef

Place the joint on a rack set over a roasting tin, fat side up. If you haven’t got a suitable roasting tin you can create a trivet by placing thick rounds of sliced onions at the bottom of the tray.
Roast for 20 minutes (set an alarm), then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C), or 325°F (160°C) fan.
Roast for a further 12–15 minutes per 1 lb (500g), or until the core temperature reaches a minimum of 125°F (52°C) for medium rare when checked with an instant-read thermometer (see notes).

Rest Your Beef Joint

Transfer the beef to a warm platter and cover loosely with foil. Leave it to rest for 20–30 minutes before slicing and serving. The temperature will continue to rise slightly as the joint rests.

Make the Gravy

Add all the pan juices (including any released during resting and slicing) into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir in the butter.
all of the beef juices, 2 tbsp butter
Add the flour once the butter melts to make a paste, then gradually add the wine, stock and soy sauce, stirring all the while, until all has been added.
1 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp red wine, 1 cup (240ml) beef stock or as needed, 1 tbsp soy sauce
Strain the gravy to remove any lumps and serve with the beef and your choice of sides.

Video

Notes

Cooking Time for Topside Beef Roast

The cooking time will differ depending on the size of your joint and how you like it cooked. I can’t recommend using a meat thermometer like this Thermapen highly enough – follow the temperature chart below, checking a bit sooner than the recommended cooking time.

COOKING GUIDE

Medium rare – 20 minutes per 1 lb (500g)
Medium – 25 minutes per 1 lb (500g)
Well done – 30 minutes per 1 lb (500g)

Beef Roast Temperature Chart

Doneness	Fahrenheit	Celsius
Rare	120–129°F	49–54°C
Medium Rare	130–134°F	55–57°C
Medium	135–144°F	58–62°C
Medium Well	145–154°F	63–67°C
Well Done	155–164°F	68–73°C

Gravy Thickener

You can use 1-2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) diluted in 2 tbsp cold water to thicken the gravy instead of adding flour if you prefer.

Nutrition