Roasted Australian Beef Topside

Topside of beef, also know as silverside and top round, is a second-class cut of beef from the top of the hind leg. Topside is a lean, boneless piece of meat best suited for casseroles, stews and roasting. It can be a difficult cut to cook correctly because of its low fat content, and when prepared incorrectly, it tends to be very tough and chewy. Roasting the meat, however, showcases the flavor and creates a tender and juicy piece of beef. By Marie Price, eHow Contributor

I’m always intimidated to cook beef especially the best cuts that are most likely expensive cuts because, I tend to overcook it.  Someone is not happy with a well done beef.

When I saw a nice piece of beef on the rack in Carrefour, I didn’t hesitate to grab one not knowing what to do with it.  Thanks to loads of ideas on the internet, I couldn’t get the perfect ingredients that are mentioned but as usual I have to settle what is in the pantry.  This time, I am proud to say “I did it” in medium rare.  Ohh, the secret? Its in the massage ;-)

Happy that I pleased someone. 

Ingredients:

650 g. Australian Topside beef

marinade:

5 Tablespoons   Jack Daniel Barbeque Sauce

1 glass   Merlot wine 

4 cloves garlic

1 onion

pepper

In a zip lock bag, place the piece of topside, add all the marinade ingredients and do a gentle massage onto the meat by squishing gently the bag of goodness.  (Using this method you keep your hands free from the marinade mixture). Chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, giving it a gentle massage every now and then.

Drain the marinade and put it aside, dry the meat by patting it with a kitchen paper.  Add some more freshly ground pepper. Pat it again so the pepper would stick to the meat. Drop some few drops of olive oil and gently massage it into the meat. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees C. at the same time, preheat a pan (with heavy bottom) over the stove until it becomes very hot.  Remembering not to oil the pan, but oil the meat. Once heated, gently place the beef in wait for at least 3 minutes on each side to brown the outside of the beef before turning it to another side, until all the sides have browned.  At this stage, you can feel that the meat is still juicy on the inside, but browned outside.

Place it on a roasting rack. Here, i put on cooling rack and place it over a pan of potatoes, carrots, onions and garlic.  Roast for 2 hours at 250 degrees C.  After 2 hours, let the meat rest for 5minutes before cutting for serving.  Serve immediately while still warm.  The roasting time should give enough time to prep the table, so just put the cutting board on the table so it will be on the plate right away, ready for the hungry carnivores. ;-) 

To prepare the gravy, on the same pan used with the beef, add the marinade and let it simmer .  Ad a cube of beef broth until it becomes a little bit sticky like a gravy consistency. Drain with a sift and discard the residue. Serve gravy warm with the beef. 

 This how it should look to achieve tenderness..  pink and juicy inside. Serve it with the potatoes.