Classic Beef Rib Roast

For a special meal with friends and family, nothing is more inviting than a classic Beef Rib Roast, served with Crispy Roast Potatoes and your favourite gravy. My tips and tricks for making the perfect roast beef!

Standing Beef Rib Roast

For the ultimate roast beef, it is hard to go past a Beef Rib Roast, also called a Standing Rib Roast or a Prime Rib Roast. Meat which is cooked on the bone has a lot more flavour and moisture, and there is something very decadent about bringing a standing rib roast to the table.

Many people are intimidated to cook with a large piece of meat, whether it is a fillet of beef or a large piece of meat on the bone. But practice makes perfect, and what I have to come realise is that making a roast beef is no different to grilling a piece steak. Both cuts of meat require the same cooking technique, except, of course, the larger the piece of meat, the longer the cooking time.

Beef Rib Roast Recipe

When making roast beef, I like to keep it pretty simple so that the beef can shine, especially when you are spending a lot of money on a cut like a standing rib roast. I will generally only season the beef with salt and pepper – nothing else. After all, it is the side dishes and the gravy which will add any additional flavour to the overall dish.

But once you become confident at making roast beef, you can play around a bit with the seasoning. For example, I sometimes like to generously season the outside of the beef with freshly cracked pepper (think Steak with Peppercorn Sauce).

At other times, I will spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard onto the seared beef, which will form a mildly spicy crust as the meat roasts (see photos for this recipe). If you are someone who likes to eat your roast beef with mustard, this recipe variation may be for you.

But generally, I think it is best to keep the beef simple – you will most likely need to devote more time and attention to the accompanying dishes.

Cooking Times & Temperatures for Roast Beef

Whether you a roasting a fillet of beef or meat on the bone, such as a standing rib roast, the same cooking technique applies.

1. Season the meat with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.
2. Sear the meat in a hot pan with oil until golden and caramelised.
3. Cook the beef until about 5°C/40°F less than the desired internal temperature.
4. Let the meat rest for about half the cooking time. During this time, the meat will continue to cook from the residual heat and gradually reach the target internal temperature.

I like to sear the meat first on the stove so that the meat becomes golden and caramelised on the surface, before finishing the cooking in the oven.

When making a Beef Rib Roast, please use the following approximate cooking times and temperatures. As the meat is resting, it will continue to cook and generally increase another 5°C/40°F. However, much depends on where the meat is resting, and the temperature of your kitchen. Ideally, remove the meat to a large wooden board or large platter, rather than leave the meat to rest in the hot roasting pan.

I recommend using a digital meat thermometer when roasting beef (with or without bone) to eliminate any guess work on when the meat has been cooked to your liking.

Cooking Style	Cooking Time for Beef on the Bone	Cook Until	Target Internal Temperature
Rare	35 mins per kg/15 mins per lb	45°C/113°F	50°C/122°F
Medium	45 mins per kg/20 mins per lb	55°C/131°F	60°C/140°F
Well Done	70 mins per kg/30 mins per lb	65°C/149°F	70°C/158°F

Tips for Cooking a Roast Beef

• Use a probe thermometer. A probe thermometer is an easy way to tell if the meat has been cooked to your liking. This will save you from having to poke or pierce the meat, which will invariably still involve some guess work. There are different types of digital thermometers available, and I think the most popular is an instant read thermometer, i.e. one which you insert into the meat to see the temperature reading.
• Use an oven-proof digital meat thermometer. An oven-proof digital meat thermometer is my preferred thermometer when roasting any kind of meat. You insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, and the probe is attached to a heat-resistant wire which is connected to the thermometer unit, which remains outside of the oven. With such a device, you can easily see the current temperature of the meat, and you can even set an alarm for the device to beep when the meat has reached your desired temperature. This thermometer will completely eliminate any guess work, and I find it to be the easiest and most stress-free way to roast meat.
• Undercook the meat slightly. As you rest the meat (see below), the meat will continue to cook from the residual heat as it sits. So aim to finish cooking at about 5°C/40°F less than your desired internal temperature. Once the meat has finished resting, it should gradually reach the target internal temperature.
• Rest the meat. Resting the meat will allow all of the juices to run back to the centre of the meat, ensuring that the meat will be tender and moist. If you slice into the meat too soon, all of the juices will flow out of the meat, resulting in dry meat. The general rule is to rest the meat for half the cooking time.

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