How to cook silverside beef

Beef is a juicy and flavourful meat that’s easy to cook with. Its great flavour and versatility mean you can use beef in a variety of dishes across many cuisines. Cooking full joints of beef can feel a little intimidating if you aren’t an experienced cook. Whether you’re worried about over- or undercooking, here you’ll find a variety of ways to cook silverside beef, as well as some easy and delicious beef recipes to try at home.

What is silverside beef?

Silverside beef refers to a large and lean cut of meat taken from the hindquarters of a cow. It is also sometimes called topside beef and makes an excellent cut for roasting, as it’s both lean and tender. Lean beef is ideal when creating a balanced meal plan for the family. If you’re cooking for two, you can also source smaller ‘mini’ silverside joints from your local supermarket or butcher. These joints also take less time to cook than bigger portions.

How to cook silverside beef

Roasting is the best way to cook silverside beef and retain the most flavour. It’s important to be aware of the timings for cooking beef. This depends on the size of your joint, the preparation method, and the resting time after cooking. 

How to prepare silverside beef

Before cooking your silverside joint of beef, it’s important to make sure it isn’t too cold, as this could affect the cooking process. Take it out of the fridge at least one hour before you plan to start roasting it. To get the best flavour out of your beef joint, you need to make sure to season the meat well. Drizzle the joint with olive oil and season with a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Rub and massage this into the meat to ensure all parts of the joint are covered and seasoned. 

How long to cook silverside beef

The cooking time will depend entirely on the size of your cut. For larger joints, expect a longer roasting time. You should also factor in the type of cooker you have and how well you want the meat cooked, such as whether you want your meat rare, medium-rare, or well done. 

When cooking a 1 kg joint of silverside beef, cook for the lengths of time below, according to your preferences: 

• 40 minutes (rare)
• 50 minutes (medium-rare)
• 1 hour, 5 minutes (medium-well)
• 1 hour, 20 minutes (well done)

Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your beef to ensure it’s safe for eating. If the core temperature (where the meat is thickest) reaches 60°C for 45 minutes, 65°C for 10 minutes, 70°C for two minutes, 75°C for 30 seconds, and 80°C for six seconds, then the beef has reached its perfect temperature and is safe to eat.

Roasting silverside beef

Several steps are necessary when roasting a silverside joint of beef to get the most from the meat. 

Firstly, if your beef joint comes wrapped in netting, leave this on while roasting to ensure it keeps its shape and cooks evenly. Fat helps keep the silverside beef joint juicy throughout the cooking process, too, so make sure to roast your meat with the thin layer of fat facing up. This allows the juice to drip into the meat, keeping it moist. 

It also helps to cover your joint of beef with tinfoil throughout the cooking process, as this ensures that the outer layers of the meat won’t cook quicker than the rest of the joint. This layer of foil also helps to lock in moisture and keep the meat tender.

After the beef is cooked to your preference, remove it from the oven and let it rest. This gives the juices time to spread throughout the meat. If you skip this process, you may find the meat tastes drier and is less tender to cut.

What to serve with beef

Beef can be paired with a range of side dishes. Of course, there is the classic roast dinner, with full trimmings of potatoes, vegetables and gravy. However, there are many alternatives when it comes to serving beef joints. This beef and mushroom stroganoff recipe makes for a tasty pairing, or for something different, try it in this silverside beef with noodle recipe or with rice instead.

To get the best flavour from silverside beef, pair it with rich ingredients, like garlic potatoes, shitake mushrooms or buttery greens. After roasting a large joint of beef, you can also enjoy the leftovers. Slices of beef are perfect in sandwiches like this sub sandwich recipe, as well as stir-fry or salad, making it great for a hearty lunch or quick dinner.

Beef recipes

Browse some mouthwatering beef recipes that will everyone will love:

• Aussie Beef & Roast Veggie Couscous
• Double Jerk-Spiced Beef Rump & Tomato Salad
• Double Beef Brisket Tacos & DIY Tomato Salsa
• Vietnamese-Style Beef & Veggies