A roast dinner centrepiece of rib of beef – superb served with Yorkshire puddings and gratin dauphinois, and horseradish of course.
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 or 3-bone rib of grass-fed British beef, trimmed of any excess fat and fat reserved.
Classic beef gravy
- The fat and juices from the beef roast
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- Fresh herbs such as fresh rosemary and bay leaves
- 400-500ml beef stock
- Heat the oven to 170°C/150°C/gas 3½. Put the carrot and onion in a roasting tin with any fat trimmings.
- Season the beef well with salt and pepper, then rub in well. Sit it on top of the veg and cook for 30 minutes. Pour in 600ml water and cook for 1½-2 hours until a digital probe thermometer pushed into the centre of the meat reads 50-55°C (take the beef out of the oven when it reaches 50°C when probed in the thickest part for medium-rare and 55°C for medium.) Remove from the oven, put joint on a board and rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours – the internal temperature will rise as it rests.
- Scrape up all the caramelised bits and juices from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon (if you need to, heat the tin briefly). Pour the fat and juices from the roasting tin into a jug and allow to settle and separate, then spoon 2 tbsp of the fat back into the roasting tin. Discard the remaining fat, so that you are left with just the pan juices.
- Add plain flour and herbs to the roasting tin. Use a wooden spoon to briskly mix it with the fat over a medium heat for a few minutes until you have a smooth brown paste, then stir in the pan juices.
- Gradually add stock, stirring for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Season, pour in the juices from the resting meat, then strain through a sieve into a warmed gravy jug.
