Roast beef with mustard and thyme crust

Heat oven to gas mark 6/200°C.

Put the beef into a roasting tin (on a roasting rack if you have one).

In a bowl, mix together the mustard and sugar, and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spread this all over the top of the beef, covering the outside layer of fat.

Pour the whisky into the roasting tin. Transfer to the oven for 20 mins, then reduce the temperature to gas mark 5/170°C and cook for 1 hr for medium rare or 1 hr 15 mins for well done.

Sprinkle the beef with the thyme for the final 15 mins of cooking time.

Leave the meat to rest for at least 15 mins before carving.