Roast Beef with Onion Gravy

1. Prepare the Marinade

• In a pestle and mortar, crush together the black peppercorns, mustard powder, dried thyme, celery seeds, and a pinch of salt.
• Stir in the olive oil to create a paste.

2. Marinate the Beef

• Rub the marinade all over the topside beef joint.
• If time allows, cover the joint and refrigerate overnight. If not, bring the beef out of the fridge 1 hour before roasting to reach room temperature.

3. Preheat the Oven

• Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan) or gas mark 5.

4. Roast the Beef

• Place the beef joint in a snug roasting tin.
• Roast for 12 minutes per 450g (1 lb) for medium-rare (about 55 minutes for a 2 kg/4 lb 8 oz joint) or 15 minutes per 450g (1 lb) for medium-well (about 1 hour 10 minutes).

5. Rest the Beef

• Once done, remove the beef from the oven and transfer it to a platter.
• Cover with foil and let it rest for 30 minutes.

6. Make the Gravy

• Pour the roasting juices from the tin into a jug and let them separate.
• Spoon 2 tbsp of the fat back into the roasting tin (if no fat is present, use 2 tbsp of butter).
• Discard any excess fat.
• Place the roasting tin on the hob, and stir in the plain flour, beef stock cubes, caramelized onion chutney or marmalade, and Marmite.
• Cook for 1 minute, stirring well to loosen any bits stuck to the tin.
• Gradually add 750 ml of hot water from the kettle, stirring to combine.
• Allow the gravy to bubble and thicken to your desired consistency. Keep warm until ready to serve.

7. Serve

• Carve the beef into slices and serve with the warm gravy.