There’s no doubt that a good joint of grass-fed beef is a hard roast to beat and the versatility of leftovers makes it a perfect choice for the festive season. Beef is very straightforward to cook and will rest for a decent amount of time before you need to serve it, leaving plenty of time to enjoy a drink or starter with your guests.

Our top ten trimmings for roast beef:

Gravy

Use all those marvellous cooking juices just as they are or turn them into the most perfect gravy.

Yorkshire puddings

These are best made with leftover dripping from your last roast. Make up the batter in advance and then cook the puddings at the very last minute in a very hot oven – the fat should be smoking hot before you add the batter to the pan.

Roast potatoes

Paboil even-sized floury potatoes and return to the pan to dry out, then give them a good shake before tipping them around your roast for the last hour of cooking. Unpeeled garlic cloves and fresh thyme sprigs are tasty optional extras.

Horseradish sauce

Make your own by mixing a little grated horseradish root into a bowl of soured cream or crème fraîche. Add a little English mustard, then season with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to serve.

Mustard

Whether you like your roast beef with a dollop of strong English mustard or a milder Dijon, is entirely down to personal preference – both are delicious.

Dauphinoise potatoes

Wafer-thin slices of potatoes layered up with cream, garlic and seasoning before being roasted in the oven until golden. If you’re cooking for large numbers, this dish is great – make it in advance and then cut into portions ready to be heated up for serving.

Crisp green vegetables

Purple sprouting broccoli, fine green beans, sugar snap peas or even frozen peas make excellent accompaniments for roast beef.

Roasted beetroot

Simply peel and cut into wedges, then toss in olive oil and season to taste before roasting until tender. A little balsamic vinegar sprinkled on top for the last five minutes of cooking makes a delicious glaze.

Onions

Put a thickly sliced onion or two underneath the beef joint to act as a trivet during cooking, then either chop them up and add to the gravy or serve just as they are to a lucky few guests…

Carrots cooked in a parcel

It’s always nice to have more than one vegetable but when cooking for a crowd this can prove tricky. A good solution is to make a foil parcel of carrot batons, which you’ve sprinkled with finely chopped shallots, thyme and seasoning. Dot with a little butter and drizzle over a couple of tablespoons of water. Seal tightly and roast in the bottom of the oven for the last hour of cooking.