Ingredients

2 tbsp mustard powder

1 tbsp sea salt

2 tsp brown sugar

1 tbsp sunflower or light olive oil

1.2 kg British grass-fed topside of beef

Gravy

150 ml madeira, red wine or port

2 tbsp plain flour

500 ml beef stock

Method

1. Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan. Put the mustard powder, salt, sugar and oil in a bowl, and mix to a thick paste. Rub the paste over the beef, then put it in a roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 170°C/150°C fan and roast for about 40 minutes, basting with the juices occasionally, until a digital probe thermometer (pushed into the centre of the meat) reads 50°C (medium-rare). Remove from the oven and rest on a carving board for 20 minutes.
2. Put the beef roasting tin on the hob to heat, then pour in the madeira/wine/port. Scrape the bottom of the tin with a wooden spoon to loosen and dissolve all the caramelised sticky bits. Pour into a jug and leave to settle for a minute, then skim off the fat from the top with a spoon and put in a medium size pan (you should have a couple of tablespoons of fat; if not add some butter or beef dripping).
3. Set the pan over a medium heat, then stir in the flour to make a thick paste. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Pour in the madeira/wine/port juices, turn up the heat and bubble until thickened to a paste. Over a high heat, slowly add the warm beef stock, stirring continuously, until you have a thick, glossy gravy. Stir through any resting juices from the meat, add an extra splash of madeira/wine/port, then taste and season. Keep warm over a low heat.
4. Thinly slice the meat. Serve with roast potatoes and gravy, and green veg.

Serves 4