Silverside (Bottom Round)
Silverside is the lean, firm muscle on the outside of the hind leg, called bottom round or outside round in the US. Its name comes from the silvery membrane on one side. It is the classic cut for salt beef and slow pot roasts.
US: Bottom round · UK: Silverside · EU (NL): Platte bil · TR: Tranç
Quick facts
Primal: Round (hind leg)
Tenderness: Firm
Fat: Very lean
Price: Budget
Best: Pot roast, salt beef
What is silverside called in other countries?
| United Kingdom | Silverside; salt beef |
|---|---|
| United States | Bottom round; outside round (flat); the eye of round is attached |
| France | Gîte à la noix; rond de gîte (eye) |
| Germany | Unterschale; Schwanzstück (eye) |
| Netherlands | Platte bil; muis (eye) |
| Spain | Contra; redondo (eye) |
| Turkey | Tranç (trade usage varies) |
| Trade codes | IMPS 170 (bottom round), 171B (outside round, flat), 171C (eye of round) |
Names and cut lines vary by country and by butcher, so ask for the cut by description if the name doesn't match. Dutch and Turkish names are common butcher usage; there is no official Turkish retail cut standard. How we name cuts
Texture, fat and price
Silverside is very lean and has more connective tissue than topside, so it is tougher if roasted quickly. Long, gentle, moist cooking or curing suits it best. Sliced very thinly after roasting to medium-rare, it also works as cold roast beef for sandwiches.
How to cook silverside
- Pot roast
- Salt beef
- Slow cook
- Roast and slice thin
- Pot roast: brown the joint, add vegetables and liquid halfway up, cover and cook at 150 °C for 3–4 hours.
- Salt beef: cure in brine for 5–10 days, then simmer gently for about 3 hours.
- Quick roast: roast to medium-rare as for topside and carve wafer-thin.
- Rest and slice across the grain.
Silverside cooking temperatures
| Stage | Centre temperature |
|---|---|
| Rare roast | 49–52 °C (120–125 °F) |
| Medium-rare roast | 54–57 °C (130–135 °F) |
| Pot roast or salt beef | until tender, about 3–4 hours |
Take the meat off the heat 2–3 °C before your target; it keeps rising while it rests. The USDA's safe minimum for beef steaks and roasts is 63 °C (145 °F) with a 3-minute rest. Lower temperatures are common for steak but sit below that guideline.
Silverside nutrition facts
Per 100 g, raw. USDA description: “Beef, round, outside round, bottom round, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat, all grades, raw”.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | 142 kcal |
| Protein | 21.6 g |
| Total fat | 5.53 g |
| Saturated fat | 2 g |
| Cholesterol | 61 mg |
| Sodium | 62 mg |
| Iron | 2.53 mg |
Source: USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 173371. Cooking removes water, so values per 100 g of cooked meat are higher. Actual values vary with the animal, grade and trim.
Related cuts
Topside (the inside of the leg, a little more tender) · Brisket (the other classic salt beef cut) · Shank (the lower leg, for braising)
Sources
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart.
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications (IMPS), Series 100: Fresh Beef.
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central.