Christmas is the one time of year that I manage to get all six of our children in the same place at the same time.
The one thing they all request when they come home is a roast dinner and the roast of choice is beef rather than turkey.
My husband did a butchers course a few years ago and our joint of choice is Roast Beef Topside, a more affordable and often underrated cut, which is taken from the hindquarter of the beast.
We have recently discovered Swaledale Butchers, who properly dry-age the beef, from heritage breeds reared on lush Yorkshire pasture, to ensure the meat delivers superb flavour at exceptional value.
Heritage breeds have more intramuscular fat (aka marbling) – this fat melts and helps keep the joint moist as it roasts.
To get the best flavour from your joint, take it out of the fridge and allow it to rest for an hour at room temperature. My younger three are not keen on too much seasoning, so I keep it basic with some pepper and salt.
To cook:
Heat oven to 190° C/170° C fan / gas 5 and sit the joint in a roasting tin. Roast for 12 mins per 450g/1lb for medium-rare, or 15 mins per 450g/1lb for medium-well done. I always add my potatoes to the roasting tin and use the juices to baste them, for that extra crispy taste.
Remove from the oven, lift onto a carving board and cover with foil and rest for 30 mins before serving.
Whilst the beef is resting, you can pop in your pigs in blankets and Yorkshire puddings into the oven, and prepare your vegetables for the perfect Christmas roast.
Swaledale Online Butchers is a strictly whole-carcass, nose-to-tail butchers based in Yorkshire, who supply native, livestock breeds of Britain to homes and businesses throughout the UK.
This Christmas they have a whole host of Christmas special deals, to provide households with all their meat needs over the festive period. All orders received before 9am are freshly prepared and shipped by DPD for next day delivery.
Disclaimer: We were invited to try the Swaledale butchers service for the purpose of a review. All thoughts and opinions are our own