Roast

Slow-roasted reindeer topside on root vegetables

A big cut of reindeer topside rubbed with salt and cranberry, roasted slowly on a bed of root vegetables, with the pan juices reduced into the sauce.

Instructions

Pat the topside dry and rub it all over with half the sea salt and a little olive oil.
Mix the rest of the salt with the cranberry jam into a thick paste and rub that over the surface. Spread the root vegetables and onion wedges across a large roasting pan and set the meat on top of them.
Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F) and cover the pan tightly with foil.
Roast for about 3½ to 4 hours, until the centre reads 63°C (145°F). Cooking it this slowly is what makes the meat tender and lets it take on the flavour of the vegetables underneath.
Lift the meat out, cover it and let it rest 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, strain the pan juices into a saucepan and simmer them until reduced and slightly thickened. Stir in a little more cranberry and taste for seasoning. Carve the rested meat into thick slices, lay them on a platter with the roasted vegetables and spoon the reduction generously over the top.

Tips

Searing the topside in a hot pan on all sides before it goes in the oven builds a much better crust.
For a more intense glaze, reduce the cranberry jam with a little beef or chicken stock until it's syrupy.

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