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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Ingredients

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

Method

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.