Rib of Beef

Roast Rib of Beef* is an iconic roasting joint, with a depth of flavour and marbled texture that sets it apart from the crowd. Our team of specialist butchers cut this joint from the fore-rib of the beast, trimming and removing the chine bone, so that it's ready to roast and easy to carve.

All of our beef is from native breed cattle that spend their lives free roaming the Yorkshire Dales, enjoying a naturally foraged diet of lush green grass, wild flowers, herbs and berries. This is beef of the highest quality and provenance.

Rib of Beef is dry-aged in our Himalayan salt chamber, which intensifies the natural flavours, and tenderises the texture. Add to that expert seam-butchery, and the generous layer of grass-fed fat that provides perfect natural basting during the cooking process, and you have yourself a sensational joint of meat and a stunning centrepiece.

Chef George Ryle inspires:
"Roasting really is the only way to cook this beautiful joint of meat. Because of its size, you’re best off roasting** it slowly to a blushing pink – somewhere between medium and medium-rare, depending on your preference.

The secrets to success that are often overlooked, are to pull the joint out early and give it time to come up to room temperature before cooking, and then allow at least an hour for the meat to rest post roasting.

Of course, the classic roast beef accoutrements would be a good way to go; potatoes roasted in beef fat, roasted onions, a punchy fresh horseradish cream, etc. However, if you want to treat yourself, why not indulge in this recipe for roast rib of beef with baked onions in parmesan and cream. Or maybe it’s the moment for the time-honoured classic of gratin dauphinoise to join the party. Sometimes you can’t beat the classics…"

Chef Val Warner has a go too:
"A rib of beef is a grand treat for any Sunday lunch. I tend to season the fat and meat with a dried rosemary and black pepper, heavy salt, perhaps with the finely grated zest of a lemon. When putting the beef in the oven, include a whole onion, slashed down the sides, as its leakings will help make a better gravy when that time comes. 

Chances are however that those gathered around will all prefer a different doneness, as medium-rare is not to everyone’s liking. For me though, when the core temperature reads 52 °C on the thermometer that is when I’d be inclined to remove it from the oven and give it a good long rest (no less than 20-minutes). 

My go to gravy is to pour off most of the fat from the tray (please keep for fried dripping toast…most excellent with mince beef and carrots on top) and then fry a couple of cloves of garlic with some thyme in the fat - by the way I put the roasting tray straight over the hob. Leave the roasted onion in the tray whilst making the sauce. Then add a good spoon of tomato purée to the caramelised juices sticking to the base that you have lifted with a scratch from the spoon. Whilst stock will always produce a meatier richer sauce it is not necessary.  Simply add a good slug of sherry vinegar then three quarters of a bottle of red wine and a good slug of additional sherry, Madeira or Masala. Reduce this and season well whilst remembering that the gathered juice from the resting meat should be added. Flouring the fat is an option but I find this produces a rather old school and unnecessarily thick gravy.

Mushrooms such as rehydrated ceps (porcini) can add a wonderful extra layer to the sauce. Once the mushrooms have been browned add the mushroom water with the wine etc and then reduce it. 

If tired of roast potatoes, then cube the potatoes to a medium-dice and par boil. Drain and fry them in a mix of beef fat and olive oil until crispy. Toss them up with a lot of finely chopped raw garlic, lots of finely chopped parsley and salt. Tip them in a mountain onto a plate and serve with the beef.

Cold roast beef is epic on rye bread with butter, hot mustard, horseradish cream, gherkins and dill."

*All Swaledale beef is heritage breed and raised on independent farms and smallholdings dotted around the wildly beautiful Yorkshire Dales. Slow grown and free to roam on the swath of green hills and valleys; the result is naturally marbled, exceptional tasting beef with an umami taste - rich, dense and flavourful. Our beef fillet is aged on the carcass to intensify its natural grass-fed character. Rib of Beef is Always Fresh Never Frozen®, butchered to order, vacuum packed, and shipped in recyclable packaging to arrive safely insulated and ready to enjoy. We also sell Trimmed Rib of Beef.

**To achieve the best results, we've created a detailed guide on how to cook a rib of beef.