Pot-roast topside of beef with chimichurri

Name: Pot-roast topside of beef with chimichurri
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Vegetable oil; 900 g British beef topside; 1 red onion, finely sliced; 300 ml Malbec; 300 ml beef stock; 500 g carrots, peeled and cut into 4-5cm pieces; 1 medium tomato, quartered; 3 bay leaves; 15 g pack oregano

Topside is often used for fast roasting, but it also works well for slow braising. Here, the Malbec gravy makes an appropriately Argentinian foil for a herby, spicy chimichurri sauce, which cuts through the rich flavours brilliantly. If you can, make the chimichurri sauce a day ahead and keep it in the fridge – the flavours will mellow.

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Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare15 mins
Cook2 hrs 45 mins
Total time3 hrs
Pluschilling + resting

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2 tbsp Vegetable oil
900g British beef topside
1 red onion, finely sliced
300ml Malbec
300ml beef stock
500g carrots, peeled and cut into 4-5cm pieces
1 medium tomato, quartered
3 bay leaves
½ x 15g pack oregano

Chimichurri

½ x 15g pack oregano, leaves finely chopped
50g flat leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
1 clove/s garlic, crushed
½ tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp sea salt flakes, dissolved in 10ml water

First, make the chimichurri (ideally a day before). Mix all the ingredients in a jar, seal with a lid, shake and chill in the fridge.
Preheat the oven to 150°C, gas mark 2. Set a casserole dish or large saucepan with a lid over a high heat. Add the oil and, when hot, brown the meat all over (8-10 minutes). Transfer the meat to a plate, reduce the heat to medium, add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent browning. Pour in the wine, boil for 2 minutes, then add the stock.
Return the beef to the casserole with the carrots, tomato, bay and oregano sprigs; cover, transfer to the oven and roast for 1 hour. Turn the beef and recover, leaving the lid ajar, then cook for a further 11⁄2 hours until the meat is tender.
Pick out and discard the oregano. Transfer the vegetables, beef and bay to a platter; rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing the meat across the grain. Meanwhile, for the gravy, boil the cooking juices rapidly to reduce by 1⁄3-1⁄2. Spoon some gravy over the beef and transfer the remainder to a jug. Spoon the chimichurri over the platter and serve the rest in a bowl alongside. Discard the bay leaves and serve with celeriac and potato mash, braised red cabbage and sautéed kale, if liked.

Typical values per serving when made using specific products in recipe