Serves 8-10
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For the crust:

For the gravy:

  1. Preheat the oven to 230˚C/210˚C fan/gas mark 7.
  2. Pat the rib of beef dry with kitchen paper and season all over with salt and black pepper. Place in a large roasting tin, fat-side up, and roast for 30 minutes until browned.
  3. In a bowl, stir together all of the ingredients for the crust to form a paste. Season well.
  4. Remove the beef from the oven and reduce the heat to 160˚C/140˚C fan/gas mark 3, holding the door open for a few seconds to speed up the drop in temperature. Spread the paste over the beef.
  5. Roast for one hour and 10 minutes longer for medium-rare (see tip) or until a meat thermometer pushed into the centre of the beef reads 55˚C. The temperature will rise quickly towards the end, so keep checking.
  6. Meanwhile, place the porcini in a heatproof bowl, pour over 300ml boiling water and set aside to soak for 30 minutes. Drain well, reserving the liquid. Finely chop the mushrooms and set aside.
  7. When the beef is cooked to your liking, transfer to a board or plate, tent loosely with foil and cover with a clean tea towel. Set aside to rest for 30-45 minutes.
  8. Pour the juices from the roasting tin into a heatproof jug. Skim off two tablespoons of the fat and place in a saucepan. Skim off the rest of the fat and discard (or save for making roast potatoes or chips another day!).
  9. Place the saucepan with the fat over a medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and stir for 2-3 minutes until it smells toasted.
  10. Add the port and allow to bubble for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Strain in the reserved juices from the roasting tin and the reserved porcini liquid. Stir for 4-5 minutes to form a thick, glossy gravy that coats the back of a spoon.
  11. Stir in the chopped porcini, vinegar and tarragon or thyme. Season to taste.
  12. Carve the beef and serve with the porcini gravy and your favourite sides.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving: 589kcals, 30g fat (0.6g saturated), 5.9g carbs (3.1g sugars), 64.5g protein, 0.4g fibre, 0.055g sodium

Top tip: After the initial 30 minutes at a high temperature, roast the beef for 10-11 minutes per 500g for rare meat, 12-15 for medium or 18-20 if you prefer it well done. As all ovens vary, we highly recommend you invest in a meat thermometer. This provides peace of mind when it comes to food safety, but also the confidence of knowing the exact moment when your beef is cooked to your liking.

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