Perfectly pink roast topside of beef, slathered in tarragon butter and served with buttery hasselback potatoes, together with pearl onions and woodland mushrooms braised in white wine, chicken stock and thyme. 

Temperatures

To cook the beef medium rare, we used the DOT Digital Oven thermometer to alert us once the meat reached an internal temperature of 48°C, allowing it to rise to 54-56°C during the rest. Once the DOT alarm sounded we double checked the beef had come to temperature throughout using the Thermapen.

Ingredients

For the tarragon butter

• 250g salted butter
• 3 tsp freshly chopped tarragon

For the beef

• 2k topside of beef, roughly 350g per person
• Salt and milled black pepper

For the hasselback potatoes

• 1k new potatoes
• 50g salted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp rock salt

For the pearl onions, and mushrooms

• 2 tbsp vegetable or rapeseed oil
• 300g pearl onions
• Splash of white wine
• 250ml chicken stock
• 25g butter
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 500g woodland mushrooms
• 1 lemon

Directions

To make the tarragon butter

• Leave the butter out of the fridge until it softens.
• Gently fold the tarragon into the butter and mix with a fork.
• Scoop the butter onto a piece of waxed paper
• Shape into a sausage, squeezing the ends, and twisting tightly to help shape.
• Refrigerate.

To make the beef

• Bring the meat to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 240°C/ 220°C fan / gas 7.
• Gently heat 2 tbsp of oil in an oven tray.
• Rub and massage the topside with oil, salt and ground black pepper.
• Cook the meat for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 200˚C/ 180˚C fan/ gas mark 4.
• For medium rare beef, cook the meat until the internal temperature reaches 48˚C (it will rise to a final temperature of 54-56℃ as it rests). If you would like your beef more done, aim for a final temperature of 60℃ for medium or 71℃ for well done.
• To rest the meat, loosely cover with foil and let it sit for around 20 minutes, allowing the temperature to rise further and the flavours to develop.

To make the hasselback potatoes

• Meanwhile prepare the potatoes and add to the oven once you have turned it down to 180˚C.
• Using a sharp knife slice the hasselback potatoes vertically, leaving the bottom part unsliced
• Put the potatoes in a large roasting tray.
• Mix the butter, oil, garlic and oregano and brush over the potatoes. Season with the salt and roast for 30 mins.
• Remove from the oven and baste with the melted butter from the tray. Roast for a further 20 mins and repeat the process once more, really making sure the butter goes into the cuts of the potato. Cook until golden.

To make the pearl onions and mushrooms

• Boil a small pan of water, remove from the heat and add the pearl onions.
• Leave to stand for up to 10 minutes. This process helps loosen the skin of the onion, making it easy to slip them out of their skins.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a shallow pan, add the mushrooms, keeping an eye so they do not stick. Then add the onions.
• Add the thyme and a splash of white wine.
• Use a wooden spoon or flick the pan to keep the onions and mushrooms moving whilst cooking
• Add the butter and the stock and allow the dish to simmer until the onions are cooked through. This should take roughly 15 minutes.
• Once all of the elements are ready, just before serving slice a piece of the herb butter and pop on top of the beef. The beef should still be hot so the butter will melt slowly.

Laura Tulloch

Thermapen Chef & Caterer

@laura_sussexfoodie

"I love my Thermapen, it really helps me cook with confidence. As a caterer the health and safety of everyone you cook for is paramount, but that doesn't mean you have to compromise with your cooking. A simple reassuring check with the Thermapen throughout the process is all that's needed to allow you to enjoy, and confidently serve what you've made."