I have a joint of organic beef to cook today. I didn't buy it and as it's Topside there's very little fat in it so i'm thinking of roasting it long and slow on a bed of root vegetables. Do you think that'll work? If I just roast it normally I fear it may be tough, on the other hand, if I do it long and slow i'm afraid it may be too dry. I suppose I could pot roast it. Decisions decisions!

I would roast it slow but with foil or a lid like pot roast to keep the moisture in, my mouths watering now.

Yeh, that's the conclusion i've come to. I'll do it on a bed of carrots, parsnips and onions with a sprig of fresh Thyme, and a few glugs of red wine. Should get a nice drop of gravy from that lot! Then serve with roast spuds, yorkies, broccolli, glazed carrots, peas and horseradish.

I would stick a couple of uncrushed/unpeeled cloves of garlic in ith it.
Can I come round?
Alan

I did the garlic thing and the gravy was lovely! The meat however, wasn't. I covered with foil and cooked on low for 7 hours and it was still a bit tough so I had to carve it really thin. That's what happens when you let a wife who can't cook buy the meat.
I knew I should've pot roasted the bugger!

If slow cooking in the over, I would sear (hot frying pan, no oil) the outside of the meat first before placing in the oven. That way you are sealing the meat, which hopefully keeps all the moisture in. A little water wouldn't hurt either, before covering the meat. Take the foil/lid off an hour before serving to crisp the outside a little.

Of course there is a little trick if your beef comes out tougher than expected, slice it nice and thin, lay in an oven proof dish and cover with the gravy, pop a foil lid on, put it back in the over for 15/20 minutes, surprising how it tenderises.