Roast prime rib of beef with yorkshire puddings and onion gravy

The resting rib roast

Pretty much the classic English roast dinner. I’ve tried roasting beef before but it just didn’t come up to the standard of ones I’d had in England (the best I have ever had was at Simpsons in the Strand in London) and the allure of crackling roast pork and the ease of roast chicken always won over wanting to attempt a roast beef again.

Until recently.

My dinner plate with medium rare roast beef, yorkshire puddings and duck-fat roasted rosemary potatoes (before the gravy)

I watched a Masterclass episode of Australian Masterchef (which is by far the best of the UK, Australian and American versions) where Gary Mehigan made this with his mum, and the next thing I knew I was looking up the recipe from Delia Smith and researching the best recipes for the most voluminous Yorkshire puddings (which ended up being Delia’s again – although I added an extra egg and made six muffin-sized ones instead of one huge one).

My yorkies !!

Here they are.  Looks lengthy but all it takes is a little bit of planning.  And it’s a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Ingredients

1. Rib-in beef.  I bought two ribs for the two of us and there was plenty leftover.  Don’t let your butcher cut off the layer of fat on the edge.  That will help to keep the meat moist and also crisps up well in the oven.
2. salt and pepper
3. 1/2 tsp mustard powder mixed with 1-2 tbl plain flour

For the yorkshire puddings (makes six)

1. 75 g plain flour
2. 2 eggs
3. 75 ml milk
4. 55 ml water
5. Salt and pepper
6. 6 tbl oil that has a high smoking point – I used macadamia oil and added a teaspoon of duck fat

For the gravy

1. Beef stock
2. tbl plain flour

Method

1. Make the Yorkshire pudding batter first
2. Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre
3. Break the egg into it and beat, gradually incorporating the flour, and then beat in the milk, 2 fl oz (50 ml) water and seasoning (an electric hand whisk will do this in seconds)
4. Set aside while you prepare the beef
5. For the beef:
6. Make sure the beef is at room temperature by taking out of the fridge two hours before it needs to go into the oven
7. Preheat your oven to gas mark 7, 425F, 220C
8. Season the beef all over with salt and pepper
9. Dust the fat with the mustard powder/flour mix to give that extra crispiness
10. Pop into the oven for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to gas mark 5, 375°F, 190°C and cook it for 15 minutes to the pound (450 g) – this will give you rare beef. Add 15 minutes to the total cooking time for medium rare and 30 minutes for well done.
11. While the beef is cooking, lift it out of the oven from time to time, tilt the tin and baste the meat really well with its own juices – this ensures that the flavour that is concentrated in the fat keeps permeating the meat, and at the same time the fat keeps everything moist and succulent. While you’re basting, close the oven door in order not to lose heat.
12. Once the beef has been roasting to your desired “doneness”, remove from oven and let it rest for at least 30 minutes for all those yummy juices to go back into the meat
13. Turn up the heat to gas mark 7, 425°F, 220°C and get your Yorkshire pudding done while the beef is resting
14. For the Yorkshire puddings:
15. Add the oil/fat to six cups of a muffin tray and place that in the oven
16. After 15 minutes remove the muffin tray ***it’s important that the fat be smoking hot***, then place the tin over direct heat while you pour the batter into the sizzling hot fat. The batter should start to fry in the fat immediately
17. Return the tin to the baking sheet on the highest shelf for 20 minutes until they are crisp and golden
18. Take out of the oven, turn the puddings upside down and pop back into the oven so that the bottoms crisp up as well and don’t go soggy
19. For the gravy:
20. Take the beef out of the roasting tray and while it’s resting, pop your roasting tray over your stove and add the beef stock to deglaze the pan and release all those yummy bits stuck to the bottom of the pan
21. Sprinkle flour over the stock and bring to boil, stirring all the time to avoid lumps.  It will thicken a little as it cools
22. You can make fancy gravy by throwing some onions in to roast with the beef.  These will cook down and will add a delicious flavour to the gravy.  You can even use them as a trivet for the roast.
23. Serve all three with rosemary roast potatoes