The best tips for roasting silverside are to cook the meat for a long time in the oven, to cook it in stock, to braise the meat prior to cooking, and to season the meat prior to cooking. Depending on how the guests would like their meat cooked, the chef should cook it for different lengths of time depending on its weight. For rare, the meat should be cooked for around 11 minutes per pound (450 grams), and for medium, the time goes up to 14 minutes. Alternatively, slow-cooking the meat can provide a more tender result; a pound should be cooked for just over an hour at 275°F (140°C).
It's best to braise the meat prior to cooking it. The process of braising essentially seals the meat so the juices can’t escape. Chefs braise meat by coating it in a rub with flour, salt, and pepper and shallow-frying it in the baking tray until the meat is brown all over. This locks in all the fat and the flavor it contains, and results in a much more succulent joint of meat. Silverside roasts, like most cuts of beef, benefit from this process.
Seasoning is also important. Generally, the seasoning mixture can be added to the flour that coats the meat before braising. Salt and pepper are recommended, as are herbs such as thyme and parsley. These can enhance the flavor of the meat and should be added according to the tastes of the chef’s guests.
Roasting silverside while it is submerged in a stock can further add moisture to the finished dish. Using a beef stock can enhance the flavor of the meat, and it is often combined with a red wine for additional depth of flavor. Silverside submerged in stock will soak up a lot of moisture from the liquid and therefore turn out a lot juicier than a roast cooked without stock. In addition, keeping a lid on the pot during cooking prevents this moisture from being lost due to evaporation.
Slow-cooking can help prevent the silverside from becoming too dry. The best results come from cooking a joint over a low temperature for a longer period of time. Cooking the meat at 275°F (140°C) prevents it from drying out. A 2.5 pound (1.15 kilogram) silverside joint should be cooked for around three hours for the best result.
