Forerib of Beef with Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

Orders are coming in thick and fast for Christmas in the shop and what has really stood out is how much Forerib of Beef has been ordered this year. It really is a beautiful cut of beef, by far my favourite for roasting, so I thought that as so many of you will be cooking it this year I would show you how I like to cook it, and really how easy it is!

The Forerib has a really distinct flavour because it is left on the bone and has a nice coating of fat around the outside. I know a lot of people shy away from fat, but when it comes to meat, fat and bone really do equal flavour- the more the better. There is also a big difference between a healthy marbling of fat running through the meat and a coating round the outside, and then meat which is completely fatty and grisly. Luckily if you're shopping at a good quality butchers, you will get the former! Because the beef has a distinct flavour, I like to cook my roast potatoes and carrots in the pan so that they can cook in the meat juices for lots and lots of flavour. I then just serve with some fresh green beans so that the meal isn't too heavy.

Roasts are really easy to cook, because you have loads of time to spend on each individual component and don't need to be juggling a million things at once; so there is plenty of time to have a glass of wine and natter with friends in between things coming out and going in. All you have to worry about is your timings for which I work backwards. For example if I know when I want to eat, I know that I have to put the green beans on to boil ten minutes before the end, the carrots in the roasting tin 40 minutes before, and the potatoes in 55 minutes before the end. The gravy can be made at any point and kept warm on the hob. So so simple.

As for how long to cook the beef... For a medium roast- which really is best for beef, no one wants overcooked beef- cook for 20 minutes at 220C to really crisp up the fat on the outside. Then lower your oven to 160C and  cook for 45 minutes for every kilogram it weighs. For example for a 2KG piece,cook for 20 minutes at 220C and for 1 hour 30 minutes at 160C.

After roasting for twenty minutes I place the Forerib on 2 onions halved. This is because I like to cook the potatoes in a good couple of tablespoons of hot oil to get them really crispy... Placing the the beef on the onions just stops the oil running into the meat and making it greasy. Your oil will then be sizzling hot when you want to add your potatoes to the pan, and will really help to crisp them up. If the oil is too cold it will just seep into the potatoes instead of just sealing the outside.

While the oil is heating up and beef is cooking away, you need to peel, chop and par boil your potatoes. For slightly smaller roast potatoes than normal, which I prefer, bring to the boil in cold water. Then boil for 5-6 minutes. Drain away the water and, with the lid on the saucepan, shake well. This will make the potatoes really fluffy and eventually lovely and crispy. Keep the lid on the potatoes until you want to cook them, keeping them as warm as possible. You can also prepare the carrots at this stage. I don't so much par boil the carrots as to just let them sit in boiling water off the heat. This just softens them and helps them to roast all the way through.

When carrots, potatoes and beef are all roasting away nicely (you might want to add some fresh herbs in and around) you can concentrate on your gravy. First and foremost I have to admit I cheat and use Bisto Best (gluten free) as it is the easiest way to make sure you get a nice thick consistency... However  I always make sure I add my own flavours to make it taste that little bit more special.

So in a pan, sweat down some vegetables with flavour. I tend to use whatever is in the fridge, so here I used tomatoes, olives, mushroom and onion. However celery, carrot and garlic all work well. Then add a splash of water and a bigger splash of red wine and whack up the heat to get all those flavours working together. Adding a spoonful of redcurrant jelly or cranberry sauce also makes a big difference if you have any in. At this point make up your bisto gravy in a Pyrex measuring jug- 3 heaped spoons of powder to a pint of water- and add to the gravy. Lower the heat and let it do its thing until the dinner is done when you can just sieve into a gravy jug.

Then have a glass of wine from the bottle you've just opened and relax a bit, maybe giving the potatoes and carrots a little turn around. The final thing to do is to boil some green vegetables ten minutes before the end. You may want to time it that you take the beef out at this stage too and let it rest. Carving the beef is really easy. Just work your knife around the bone- the meat will be so tender that it really will just pull away from the meat. Then place the meat on its side, upwards, and take your time to carve slices onto a plate.

I hope everyone who has ordered Forerib this year really enjoys it! If you have any questions regarding cooking it please do email me lauren_rose1992@hotmail.co.uk and I will be happy to answer.