Rib of beef on the bone is probably our family favourite for a special Sunday roast! The bone adds such wonderful flavour to the meat and to the gravy you make from the delicious juices and the fabulous covering of fat and marbling throughout the meat ensure a tasty and tender result!

Cooking times are for a 2kg piece of beef rib  which should feed 8 adults amply. Of course if you choose to go smaller or larger adjust cooking times accordingly.

Ingredients

1 x 2kg joint of beef (you could use Rump, Silverside, Topside or boneless rib, whatever suits your preferences and budget)
About 6 garlic cloves, skin on but lightly crushed with the flat edge of a knife.
I red onion skin on but cut into ¼’s
1 stick of celery cut in half
1 carrot sliced in half vertically
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
English mustard

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 220c
Lay your prepared veg in a suitable roasting tray and pour in around an inch of water
Layer on a generous covering of the mustard (don’t worry it’s not going to blow your head off! During the cooking process the heat from the mustard will mellow out and also create a delicious crust on the outside)
Season generously with the salt and pepper and place on top of the veggies in the baking tray.
Place in the oven for 30 minutes then turn down the temperature to 180c for a further 1 hour and 30 minutes (add an extra 30 minutes for rib on the bone, the bone increases the cooking time)
Remove from the oven, place on a tray and cover with foil or a clean tea towel and leave to rest for a good 30 minutes before carving. This allows the meat the relax and the lovely juices to reabsorb into the joint so you can maximise of flavour and tender texture.

meanwhile pass all the veggies and lovely roasting juices through a sieve into a pan, smushing the veg to gain all the lovely flavour and skim off any excesss fat settling on the top. Return the pan to the hob on a medium heat, add 200ml boiling water ans in a cup add 1 tablespoon cornflour to a small amount and water and mix together, add this to the gravy and bring to the boil then let it simmer and reduce while your beef is resting, give it a taste to check the seasoning, adding more salt or pepper if needed.

When you’re happy with the flavour pour into a jug and serve alongside the lovely roast beef.