Topside of Beef

⭐ great taste® 2022

Cut from the hindquarter, Topside is a fantastic example of how whole carcass butchery delivers exceptional tasting, nutrient-rich beef*, for a fraction of the price. Dry-aged for at least 28-days in our Himalayan salt chamber, the naturally occurring Topside flavours develop depth and the texture begins to tenderise.

The marbling of our grass-fed beef not only boosts the flavour of topside, but helps keep it moist and succulent as its cooks. It's a versatile cut, so whether roasted as a whole joint, slow cooked until it’s fall-apart tender, or enjoyed as a cold cut the day after, our topside of beef is a crowd pleaser every time.

great taste® commented:
"A nicely presented joint, of even thickness. It has caramelised well on the outside. The flavour is gentle, with some sweetness and a little savouriness, alongside a pleasing absence of sourness. The tenderness impresses. Sound and, without doubt, great value. Cuts easily on the knife, very good beefy flavour."

Chef Valentine Warner inspires:
"Known as the poor man’s sirloin and such a joint should not be dismissed as it certainly makes for an affordable and very tasty roast, the meat being particularly flavourful for its lifetime of work. While I most enjoy my meat cooked to medium-rare this is a joint best cooked** to medium as it cannot be denied that it delivers slightly tougher meat. Tender rare is toothsome but tougher rare is better cooked that little longer. When roasting I would advocate it be sliced thinly.

To reiterate and this joint is certainly good for roasting delivering a fabulous family lunch but should definitely be considered for a pot roast too, cooked for a longer period that the meat pulls apart.

Wine with roots and maybe a little pearl barley would be a good way to go as would red wine with tomatoes basil and anchovies and eaten with a wet and cheesy polenta, the leftovers being broken down into a ragù for pasta.

Simmered in a broth with mushrooms such as ceps or yellow legs and then broken up and in the bowl with all the sum parts and liquor and this would be equally pleasing for its lightness and restorative feel.

Cubed into large bits and cooked in sumo wrestler's stew (chanko nabe) or hot pot style and served from the pot with perhaps squash and shiitake mushrooms and onion, all nestled amongst udon noodles, and this would be a fabulous winter serve.

Remember the joys of a cold roast beef sandwich weaponised with horseradish, mustard and gherkins and with a luxurious excess of butter on the bread."

*All Swaledale beef is heritage breed and raised on independent farms and smallholdings dotted around the wildly beautiful Yorkshire Dales. Slow grown and free to roam on the swath of green hills and valleys; the result is exceptional tasting beef with an umami taste - rich, dense and flavourful. Swaledale's topside of beef is Always Fresh Never Frozen®, butchered to order, vacuum packed, and shipped in recyclable packaging to arrive safely insulated and ready to enjoy.

**A detailed guide on how to cook a topside of beef is on our journal.