Top round beef is a popular and versatile cut of beef that has a different name in the UK compared to the US. Confusion over the name comes from the different butchery styles and naming conventions used on each side of the Atlantic. Let’s take a closer look at this tasty cut of beef, where it comes from on the cow, how it’s used and what it’s called in the UK.
What Part of the Cow Does Top Round Come From?
Top round is cut from the rear leg of the cow, specifically the inner thigh muscle. It sits above the bottom round primal cut along with the eye of round and gooseneck round. Top round is sometimes referred to as the inside round as it comes from the inner part of the rear leg.
Top round is a large cylindrical muscle with good marbling that provides great flavor. As a working muscle on the cow it can be slightly tougher than other cuts but is still relatively tender, especially when properly cooked.
Typical Uses for Top Round
This versatile cut can be roasted, braised, grilled or sliced for dishes like steak and sandwiches. Here are some of the common ways it is prepared and served:
-
Roasts – Top round makes an excellent roast when cooked slow and low The key is not to overcook it to keep it tender Roasting whole or half top rounds makes impressive centerpiece dishes,
-
Steaks – Cut into steaks and grilled or pan-seared, top round makes hearty, beefy steaks. Quick cooking at high heat is best. Serve with chimichurri or savory butter.
-
Stir fries and kabobs – Thinly slice across the grain for stir fries, Cut into cubes for kabobs or skewers Both quick cooking methods work well,
-
Roast beef sandwiches – Thinly sliced top round is perfect for roast beef sandwiches. The key is shaving it against the grain for tenderness.
-
Pastrami and corned beef – Brined and smoked, top round makes delicious deli-style pastrami and corned beef.
What is Top Round Called in the UK?
This cut goes by a few different names in the UK:
-
Topside – This is the most common UK name for the top round. Topside roast is a classic Sunday dinner option.
-
Inside round – Some butchers also use the American name inside round.
-
Silverside – While silverside can refer to other bottom round cuts, it is sometimes used for the UK top round as well.
-
Round – Generic round roast or steak may also come from the top round. Check with your butcher.
So if you’re looking for American-style top round, look for topside at a UK butcher. Inside round, silverside or round may also be options if topside isn’t used.
Why the Name Difference Between the US and UK?
There are a few reasons for the naming variations:
-
Butchery styles – American and British butchery breakdowns differ slightly, leading to different cut names.
-
History – Naming conventions evolved separately over time, cementing the different names.
-
Regional dialects – Different dialects and languages contributed to varied names.
-
Consistency – Standardized names were eventually adopted in each country.
While the names are different, it’s still the same great cut of flavorful, versatile beef! With some guidance from your butcher, you can easily find top round for your recipe regardless of what it’s called locally.
Buying and Cooking Tips for Top Round / Topside
When selecting top round / topside at the butcher shop, keep these tips in mind:
-
Choose roasts with good marbling for added moisture and flavor.
-
For steaks, purchase 1-1.5 inch thick cuts for best grilling or pan searing.
-
For stir fries, have the butcher thinly slice across the grain.
-
Check the color – it should be a bright cherry red. Avoid any brown or gray spots.
-
If roasting, allow 15-20 minutes per pound at 325°F, monitoring closely to prevent overcooking.
-
Don’t cook steaks past medium or they will toughen. Medium-rare to medium is ideal.
-
Thinly slice roasted or braised top round across the grain before serving.
With its excellent beefy flavor, reasonable price, and versatility, it’s no wonder top round / topside is such a popular cut on both sides of the pond. Now that you know what to ask for in the UK, you can enjoy delicious roast beef, steaks, sandwiches and more using this tasty cut.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/what-is-top-round-inside-round-995724-e0b94a474d7445d0904620c7797d12bb.png)
What Is Top Round?
Top round is very lean and tough, and thus its one of the less expensive cuts of beef. For a budget-friendly cut, top round roast is relatively flavorful. It can also be made into steaks, which taste better after being marinated or tenderized, but most people roast and slice top round for roast beef.
How to Cook Top Round
To make sure the top round is medium-rare, cook it slowly at a low temperature. This keeps what little tenderness the top round has to begin with. Its also important to slice it thinly. Roasted top round is ideal for making roast beef for sandwiches.
Top round can also be fabricated into steaks, usually referred to as top round steaks. There are many better steaks than top round to cook on the grill, so it might not be the first choice. But if you had a thick slab of top round and a grill, you could marinate it, cook it quickly over high heat, and then cut it thinly against the grain. This particular preparation is known as London broil.
You can also make Swiss steak by tenderizing top round steaks with a meat mallet and cooking them in a liquid rather than on a grill.
You can cook a top round roast on the grill and its surprisingly good. The key to grilling top round is to use indirect heat. That means building a two-zone fire in your grill. If youre cooking on a gas grill, thats easy. I turned on one of the burners and put the roast on the side away from it with the lid closed. But if you’re using a charcoal grill, you should put the coals on one side and cook the roast on the other side (again, with the lid on).
Keep the temperature of the grill to around 300 F. Again, this is easier to do with a gas grill, but the air vents and dome thermometer on a charcoal grill are useful. There’s no need to guess when a 3-pound top round should be done; a probe thermometer will do the work for you. Just set it to 125 F and take it off the grill when it beeps. After 30 minutes, let it rest while the temperature keeps rising until it reaches 135 F.
If youre smoking your top round, your smoker needs to be set at 225 to 250 F. At that temperature, the same 3-pound roast will take two to three hours to reach medium rare. And again, dont forget to rest the meat.
Ted the Butcher: Beef – Top Round Steak & London Broil Explained!
FAQ
What is top round beef in the UK?
What is the British equivalent of round steak?
What is top round steak in English?
What is the UK equivalent of beef tenderloin?
What is top round beef?
In the US, top round beef is a popular cut of meat that comes from the beef round primal cut. This large cut consists of well-exercised muscles from the leg and rump of the cow, making it leaner and less tender than other cuts. However, the top round is considered the most tender of the four round cuts because the muscles are used least.
Is top round a good cut of beef?
Top round is very lean and tough, and thus it’s one of the less expensive cuts of beef. For a budget-friendly cut, top round roast is relatively flavorful. It can also be fabricated into steaks, which are improved by tenderization or marination, but top round is most often roasted and sliced for roast beef. The Spruce / Joshua Seong.
What is a top round?
Top round is a cut of beef fabricated from the rear leg of the animal. It is a sub primal of the primal known as the beef round. Top round rounds name is derived from the fact that it is located above the bottom round. The beef round consists of the muscles of the leg and bottom of the animal.
What is a round steak?
A round steak is a beef steak from the “round”, the rear leg of the cow. The round is divided into cuts including the eye (of) round, bottom round, and top round, with or without the “round” bone ( femur ), and may include the knuckle ( sirloin tip ), depending on how the round is separated from the loin.