Herb Crusted Roast Beef (Printable)
Juicy topside beef coated with a fragrant herb crust, oven-roasted until tender and flavorful.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 3.3 lbs beef topside roast, trimmed
→ Herb Crust
02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
04 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
05 - 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
06 - 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
07 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
08 - 1 tsp sea salt
09 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ For Roasting
10 - 1 onion, thickly sliced
11 - 2 carrots, cut into large chunks
12 - 2 celery sticks, cut into large chunks
# How-To Steps:
01 - Remove beef from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking. Preheat oven to 400°F (gas mark 6).
02 - Combine olive oil, Dijon mustard, parsley, rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to form a paste.
03 - Pat beef dry with paper towels. Arrange onion, carrots, and celery in roasting tin to create a vegetable trivet. Place beef on top.
04 - Rub herb paste thoroughly over beef, pressing to adhere evenly.
05 - Roast beef at 400°F for 20 minutes.
06 - Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (gas mark 4). Roast for approximately 1 hour 10 minutes more, or until internal temperature reaches 130°F for medium-rare or 140°F for medium doneness.
07 - Remove from oven and cover loosely with foil. Allow beef to rest for at least 20 minutes.
08 - Slice beef and serve with pan juices and roasted vegetables as desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The herb crust locks in moisture while building a savory, aromatic exterior that makes people ask for the secret immediately.
- It's elegant enough for a dinner party but straightforward enough that you won't feel stressed the whole time you're cooking.
- Medium-rare beef with crispy herbs and sweet roasted vegetables feels like restaurant-quality food made in your own kitchen.
02 -
- The resting period isn't optional—cutting straight into the roast releases all those precious juices onto the plate instead of keeping them in the meat where they belong.
- A meat thermometer is your best friend; beef continues to cook while resting, so pull it out about 5°C before your target temperature so it finishes perfectly as it cools.
03 -
- Pat the beef dry and let the oven fully preheat before roasting—both small steps that make an outsized difference in the final crust.
- Keep a second meat thermometer handy as backup; the difference between perfect medium-rare and overdone is just a few degrees.