Roast Rib of Beef

Roast rib of beef is really the king of all roasts and the perfect choice for special family occasions like Easter and Christmas.

Who can resist perfectly cooked meat, that is so tender on the inside, but still has those delicious crunchy bits on the outside?

Of course, it's also the perfect excuse to have a big pile of Yorkshire puddings, proper roast potatoes and your favourite vegetables.

And the best bit? It's really easy to prepare and cook. Even better, the base for the gravy roasts with the meat, meaning that you can make a delicious gravy from scratch, with hardly any effort.

Enjoy!

There's something so very British about a roast rib of beef. After all, the French have called us les rosbifs, since the 18th century. Originally, the term referred to the British way of cooking beef and laterly as a nickname for British people.

Of course, the British have called the French people 'frogs' for years too. However, it was originally the Dutch who were called 'frogs' to refer to the fact that they lived around the marshlands. Ironically, the people of Lincolnshire, which lies opposite Holland, often refer to themselves as 'yellowbellies'. There are many stories around this, but another possible connection is the reference to being a frog, like the Dutch.

A rib of beef is generally a more expensive cut, so it's natural to want to get the cooking absolutely right. I've based the instructions on a medium roast. I find that everyone has different tastes and this way your guests can have slices from the ends or middle, according to how rare or not they like it.

I've also included a section on how to cook a roast rib of beef, in case you preder a rar or well done roast.

For this recipe, the meat is cooked on a base of vegetables. This means that the juices drain away, so that the base of the roast isn't sitting in liquid. The vegetables roast and concentrate their flavours, which gives you the base for a delicious gravy too.

For extra flavour, this is a peppered beef roast, as black pepper goes so well with beef. Of course, you can use as much or as little pepper as you like.

Why you will love this recipe

• Easy to follow instructions
• Simple and delicious homemade gravy
• Perfect for a crowd
• Enjoy hot as a roast or slice cold for a buffet
• Great choice for Christmas, Easter and celebrations such as Mother's Day

Jump to:

• Why you will love this recipe
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🍽 Equipment
• 🔪 Instructions
• ⏲️ Roasting Time
• 🥗 Side Dishes
• Substitutions
• 📖 Variations
• Storage
• FAQs
• 📋 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

🥘 Ingredients

• Beef - boneless rib roast of beef is easier to carve and serve. I used a 2 kg piece.
• Onion - large brown onions.
• Celery - few stick of celery for flavour
• Carrots - any carrots.
• Oil - vegetable oil or standard olive oil. This keeps the meat moist and also helps the pepper to stick to the meat.
• Salt - flaked sea salt.
• Pepper - black peppercorns

For the gravy

• Stock - beef stock. I prefer to use stock made from Bovril as it's easy and rich.
• Wine - red or white wine, that you would normally drink to deglaze the roasting dish.
• Cornflour - also known as cornstarch - optional for thickening.

See recipe card for quantities.

🍽 Equipment

• Large deep roasting tray
• Sharp knife
• Pastry brush - for oiling the meat or just use clean hands or a piece of kitchen paper.
• Wooden spoon
• Pestle and mortar or spice grinder - you can even just use a tin to crush the peppercorns on a board.
• Blender - or sieve for the vegetables

🔪 Instructions

Peel the carrots, onion and wash and trim the celery.

Cut the carrots and celery into roughly 1 centimetre chunks and slice the onions into the same size slices.

Arrange the onion slices in the bottom of the roasting tin and pile the carrots and celery on top.

Grind the peppercorns quite coarsely with a pestle and mortar. Stir in the salt.

Grinding the peppercorns and using them straightaway gives the strongest flavour, but use ready ground black pepper if you prefer.

Rub the oil over the meat and sprinkle the seasoning all over.

⏲️ Roasting Time

How to cook roast beef

Preheat the oven to 220 C / 425 F / 200 FAN / Gas 7.

For a rare roast - Cook for 20 minutes then reduce the heat down to 180 C / 350 F / 160 FAN / Gas 4 for 15 minutes per 500g. The internal temperature should be 60 C or 140 F.

For a medium roast - Cook for 20 minutes then reduce the heat down to 180 C / 350 F / 160 FAN / Gas 4 for 20 minutes per 500g. The internal temperature should be 70 C or 160 F.

For a well done roast - Cook for 20 minutes then reduce the heat down to 180 C / 350 F / 160 FAN / Gas 4 for 25 minutes per 500g. The internal temperature should be 80 C or 175 F.

When the peppered beef roast is cooked to your liking place it on a carving rack, cover loosely with foil and allow it to rest for 20-30 minutes in a warm place.

💭 Top Tip

• Roasted meats and also steaks need to rest after cooking. This allows the juices to settle into the meat and make it easier to carve. If the meat isn't rested, the juices will flow out as it's cut and the meat won't be as succulent.

While the meat is resting, make the gravy.

Remove any excess fat with a spoon.

💭 Top Tip

• Spoon the fat into a container and leave to cool in the fridge until it solidifies. Scrape into the bin. Please don't be tempted to pour it down the sink as it will clog your drains and the sewers!

Add the wine and cook over a medium heat for a few minutes to allow the wine to reduce slightly.

While the mixture reduces, stir to remove any stuck on bits at the bottom of the pan.

Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and add the stock.

Blend to a smooth consistency.

Return the mixture back to the roasting dish and bring to the boil over a medium heat.

If you prefer a thicker gravy, mix a tablespoon of cornflour with a tablespoon of water and stir into the gravy.

💭 TOP TIP

• To use a stand blender it is best to fill it only half full if the liquid is hot. It has a tendency to increase in volume and spill over the top.
• If you don't have a blender you can use a potato masher, ( or a ricer), to squash the vegetables or pass them through a sieve with the back of a metal spoon.

The meat is now ready to carve.

I find it's easiest to place the meat flat and cut horizontal slices.

So succulent and delicious!

🥗 Side Dishes

• Yorkshire Puddings
• Easy Roast Potatoes
• Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
• Fried Cabbage with Bacon and Onions
• Leeks in White Sauce
• Cauliflower Cheese
• Celeriac Purée
• Cavolo Nero Kale
• Braised Red Cabbage
• Roasted Winter Vegetables
• Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Substitutions

• Vegetables - just use onions or shallots for the base if you prefer.
• Wine - omit the wine and use a little extra stock instead.

📖 Variations

• Vegetables - use chunks of celeriac or fennel in addition to the other vegetables and serve the vegetables as a side dish instead.
• Mustard or horseradish and herb - use 2 tablespoons of Dijon or English mustard or horseradish sauce and spread over the meat intead of the oil. Chop 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme and cover the beef in the herbs before roasting.

Storage

• Refrigerator - cool and cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Freezer - wrap well and freeze for up to 2 months.
• To reheat - slice the meat and wrap in foil then place on a baking tray. Place in the oven at 180 C / 350 F / 160 FAN / Gas 4 and cook for about 10 minutes or until hot.

FAQs

More roast ideas to try

• Pork Confit
• Roast Partridge
• Chateaubriand
• Picanha Beef
• Roast Rack of Pork
• Confit Duck
• Slow Roast Belly Pork
• Tuscan Roast Pork

📋 Recipe

Food Safety

• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
• Wash hands after touching raw meat.
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
• Always have good ventilation when using gas.

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