It's only a small one

[Stella Tortoise]

Looking for a small bit of beef, I'm the only one who will eat it, and the butcher persuaded me to buy a thin round piece of well matured topside or maybe silverside I forget.
Anyway I have to cook it now, any ideas?
Butcher said wrap in foil, put in liquid and roast for 20 mins.
I'm thinking dear on a pan, add some stock and cover in foil, roast for 20.

Or I could have chicken like everyone else.

[21TonyK]

Just go with chicken. It's possible to cook a small piece of beef but not a "thin" bit of top/silver side. You'll just end up with a tough, chewy lump of grey meat.

[grumbledoak]

Go with the advice above.

Next time, get yourself a decent steak and fry that. Like this:
https://www.thepauperedchef.com/article/the-butter...

[Stella Tortoise]

It wasn't great meat, however, very dark and flavoursome and the gravy was lovely.

Thinly sliced and heated up with onion/mushroom/peppers/chilli tonight and then stuffed into a wrap with some blue cheese sauce.

Must get my money's worth.,

[cbmotorsport]

Topside/silverside is a cheap roasting cut...I've never had a bit that I've actually liked.

If you don't mind spending the money, get a small bit of sirloin. Much Nicer.

[prand]

cbmotorsport said:

Topside/silverside is a cheap roasting cut...I've never had a bit that I've actually liked.

I've had plenty of good topside. We get rolled topside joints from my local decent butcher. It's good value (I pay 10.99 a kilo) so goes a long way and it's also good flavour and texture. I reckon the trick is to not overcook it and aim for medium/medium rare. I roast (well seasoned) at 200-220C for 20 mins, then turn down to 160 till the internal meat temp (with a thermometer) reaches 45-50C, then and leave to rest for a bit. Carves very juicy like this.

As above say, if you're cooking for one then a steak may well be just as easy, but I'd imagine a 4-500 gramme joint would give you enough for a nice roast and delicious leftovers for a bit more than a fiver.

[dazco]

Cook it for 1o minutes in a pressure cooker, it will be tender as a cake

[21TonyK]

As prand describes the only way I like topside cooked is rare, sliced very thinly and served in a sandwich with horseradish sauce.

I use topside at work as its the only way I can get a roast beef lunch in on budget, unfortunately school dinners do quite stretch to a rolled rib

I normally have 3 x 4-5kg joints, oil and season, blast at 275 for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and cool the oven down, then cook at 120 until a core of 55. Chill overnight and carve.

[soad]

Feed leftovers to a dog.

I wouldn't bother with a piece of joint, a steak or two is the way forward.

[prand]

soad said:

Feed leftovers to a dog

Ok then...

[Sway]

Ox cheek is a great cut for one - as low and slow as you possibly can.

Not quite 'roast beef', but crikey the flavour is incredible...

[Ratski83]

Not quite beef but with easter coming up a nice bit of rolled lamb rump makes a decent roast for one or two and quite a cheap cut. My butcher usually chops the end off a leg and never more than £9-10. Keep the fat cap on as that helps
make it alovely tender cut.

Sear it in a pan to get some colour on it then I lay it on top of some halved shallots & bulb of garlic and thyme or rosemary and in to the oven 180c for 30-40mins or until done (58c for pinkness) then rest it under some foil while you make a gravy from the shallots and garlic.

Goes well with dauphinois.