Use a slow cooker to make this beef topside for Sunday lunch – the whole family will love it. Slow cooking makes the meat so tender and gives it a real depth of flavour
Prep:20 mins
Serves 6
1 tbsp black peppercorns1 tbsp English mustard powder2 tbsp chopped rosemary1 tsp celery seeds15g dried porcini mushrooms4 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil1.6kg beef topside, cut into 12 slices600ml hot beef stock1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped1 large onion, roughly chopped2 sticks celery, roughly chopped2 tbsp tomato purée200ml red wine1 tbsp cornflour (optional)
STEP 1Crush the peppercorns with the mustard, rosemary, celery seeds and a little salt using a pestle and mortar. Blitz the mushrooms to a fine powder in a food processor, then stir them in with 2 tbsp oil and rub all over the beef. Cover and chill for at least 1 hr, but overnight is best.STEP 2Heat the slow cooker to high and pour in the stock. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan and brown the beef, then put in the slow cooker skin-side up. Fry the carrot, onion and celery in the same pan over a medium-high heat for about 10 mins. Stir in the tomato purée and wine, scraping the bits off the bottom of the pan, then add this to the slow cooker.STEP 3Cook on low for 6 hrs, then strain the liquid into a pan. Keep the meat and veg covered with foil so they stay warm. Bring the liquid to the boil, then simmer until reduced by a third and season. For thicker gravy, mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp water and whisk into the boiling liquid. Serve the beef with the gravy, along with some mash and greens.
