Mustard and thyme-crusted rib of beef recipe

By Anna Burges-Lumsden

Serves 8
Takes 20 minutes to make, 2¼ hours to cook, plus resting
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Serve this special herby hunk of beef to your guests as a change to turkey on Christmas Day, or to feed a rabble on a wintry afternoon.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
2 large onions, roughly chopped
3 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves
Bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked
Three-rib (about 3.5kg) of beef, at room temperature (see tip)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard, plus 1 tsp
100g fresh white breadcrumbs
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
300ml red wine
50ml port
500ml beef stock
1 tsp redcurrant jelly

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Mix the oil, chopped veg, garlic and half the thyme in a large roasting tin and place the beef in the centre.
2. For the crust, mix 1 tbsp of the Dijon mustard with the breadcrumbs, rosemary and remaining thyme, and season. Brush 1 tbsp mustard over the fat of the beef, then press the crust onto it. Cover with well-oiled foil and roast for 20 minutes.
3. Add half the wine and a good splash of water to the tin, turn down the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4 and roast for 1 hour 20 minutes, adding more water occasionally.
4. Take off the foil and roast for a further 20 minutes to brown the crust. To check it is cooked, insert a skewer into the thickest part for 30 seconds, then lay it against the back of your hand. If it feels cool, the meat is rare; if warm, it is medium-rare; if hot, it is medium. Remove from the tin and rest, covered with foil, for 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, place the tin on the hob, add the port and remaining wine and bubble for a few minutes. Add the stock, 1 tsp mustard and the jelly and bubble for 5-10 minutes, stirring in the sticky bits and squeezing out the flavour from the veg. Strain into a gravy boat, allow to settle and skim off the excess fat from the surface.
6. Carve the beef and serve with the gravy, Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, horseradish sauce and peas.

Nutritional info

Per serving: 654kcals, 28.1g fat (10.5g saturated), 78.9g protein, 18.5g carbs, 7g sugar, 1.5g salt

Chef's tip

Ask your butcher to remove the chine bone from the rib of beef but to tie it back on. It then acts as a trivet, keeping the beef nice and juicy, but still easy to carve. The cooking times in this recipe are for medium-rare beef. If your joint weighs more or less than 3.5kg (or you prefer the meat more well done) adjust the cooking time accordingly.