Roast Rib of Beef

5 from 1 vote

Rib of beef has to be my absolute favourite when it comes to a roast dinner. The beef has to be medium rare though, none of that overcooked carvery fare.

The cut cooked here is a forerib of beef. I know this isn't cheap but it's worth the treat once in a while. Talk to your butcher and make sure you get a lovely aged piece. My local butchers kept this one ageing in their fridge for 6 weeks for me, it was well worth it.

The technique in this roast beef recipe is a reverse sear. Essentially this method cooks the beef slowly under a controlled environment, then adds the sear to the outside of the meat at the end of the cook. The reason we do this is to achieve the same cook (doneness if that is even a word) from end-to-end and side-to-side. This is great if all of your family love their meat cooked the same way. If your family like their beef all cooked differently, this recipe isn't for you.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Resting Time 45

Total Time 6

Servings: 10 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

1 beef forerib
Salt
ground black pepper
Olive Oil

Equipment

Grill Temperature

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Surfaces

An icon of the Big Green Egg ConvEGGtor, which used to be called a plate setter

Method

Into a roasting tin, add the bones cut from the bottom of your forerib by your butcher.
Drizzle your forerib with olive oil and use your hand to wipe it all over.
Sprinkle Maldon salt and black pepper onto the forerib.
Place the forerib onto the ribs, using them as a trivet to lift the beef off the bottom of your roasting pan.
Set up your Egg to cook at 110°C indirectly (place your stainless steel grid on top of your ConvEGGtor).
Use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the middle of your cooking joint. I use a Meater+, it's probably the best and most convenient thermometer.
Cook your forerib until the internal temperature reaches about 5°C less than you're aiming for (see below). I cook to 50°C as I like my beef medium rare, 57°C. A 4Kg forerib will take between 4 and 6 hours.

Medium rare = 57°C

Medium = 62°C

Medium well = 67°C

Overdone badly = 72°C - please, please, please don't serve it like this

Take the forerib out of your Egg and wrap in quality foil to rest.
Take your ConvEGGtor out of your Egg. Replace the stainless grid. Now set your Egg for 250°C.
Remove your thermometer from the meat, 250°C is too hot for the majority of thermometers.
Once your Egg is at 250°C, sear the outside of your forerib, turning it every 2 or so minutes to get a crispy covering all over your forerib.
Once seared, remove the forerib from the Egg, wrap in foil and leave to rest for about 45 minutes.
Use a Thermapen to check the internal temp of your meat has reached the desired temperature.
Cut off the rib bones and then carve.

Notes

The easiest way to maintain the temperature of your Egg is with a forced air controller. Big Green Egg make the EGG Genius which is a great way of controlling any sized Egg from MiniMax to XL.