Roast
Reindeer topside roast with herb jus
A big cut of topside studded with garlic and cooked low in stock with thyme and rosemary, then the pan juices reduced into a jus.
Instructions
Heat the oven to 125°C (250°F) and pat the roast dry with paper towels.
Rub it all over with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Cut several deep slits across the surface with a sharp knife and push a halved garlic clove into each one.
Set the roast in a large roasting pan and pour in the stock so it comes halfway up the sides.
Add the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf, cover the pan tightly with foil and roast 1½ hours, spooning the pan liquid over the meat every 30 minutes.
After 1½ hours, turn the oven up to 175°C (350°F) and take the foil off.
Keep roasting and basting every 30 minutes for another 2 hours, until the centre reads 55–60°C (130–140°F). That long, slow start is what keeps the meat moist.
Take it out and let it rest in the pan, covered, for at least 20 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, tip the pan juices into a saucepan and reduce them into a glossy jus. Carve the roast, pour the jus over and serve with roasted root vegetables or mash.
Tips
- Searing the roast in a hot pan with butter and shallots before the slow cook adds another layer.
- If the jus needs body, whisk in a little cornstarch slaked in cold water once it's off the heat.
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