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Roast ribs of beef with roasted red onions


Serves: 8 with plenty of leftovers
timePrep time: 30 mins
timeTotal time:
Roast ribs of beef with roasted red onions
Recipe by Brian Glover / Photographed by Jan Baldwin

Roast ribs of beef with roasted red onions


Serves: 8 with plenty of leftovers
timePrep time: 30 mins
timeTotal time:

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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
839Kcal
Fat
33gr
Saturates
13gr
Carbs
14gr
Sugars
9gr
Fibre
3gr
Protein
118gr
Salt
1.7gr

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Sainsbury's magazine

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Sainsbury's magazine

Sainsbury's magazine

Our team of trained chefs and skilled food writers love cooking up everything from innovative seasonal recipes or clever shortcuts, to step-by-step guides and classic recipes for friends and readers alike.

See more of Sainsbury's magazine’s recipes

Ingredients

  • 3 ribs of beef on the bone, approximately 4-4.5 kg
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • ¼ x 15g pack thyme, plus a few extra sprigs
  • 6 medium-sized red onions
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp Marigold vegetable stock powder (optional)
  • 1 tbsp balsamic or sherry vinegar
  • 25g butter
  • 175ml red wine
  • 500ml beef stock
  • a dash of Worcestershire sauce or mushroom ketchup (optional)
For the watercress and Stilton relish
  • 1 x 75g bag baby-leaf watercress
  • 1 shallot, chopped
  • 3 cornichons, chopped
  • a pinch of grated lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp chopped tarragon
  • 4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1-2 tsp French or wholegrain mustard
  • 100g crumbled Stilton
  • 3-4 tbsp crème fraîche

Step by step

Get ahead
Make the relish the day before; chill
  1. Take the beef out of the fridge at least 2 hours before you want to cook it and weigh it so you can calculate the cooking time. Preheat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas 7.
  2. Mix together 1 tablespoon of the flour and the mustard powder. Season the beef well and rub the fat with the flour/mustard mix. Place the sliced onion in a roasting tin, put the extra sprigs of thyme on top, then put the beef on top of that. Roast for 30 minutes, then turn the heat down to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4 and roast for 12-14 minutes more per 500g, depending on how you like your beef cooked (12 minutes will give medium).
  3. Meanwhile, peel and halve the red onions across the middle. Oil a baking dish that's big enough to take all the halved onions in a single layer with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Put the onions in the baking dish, cut sides up. Tuck in the thyme, sprinkle with the stock powder (if using), season and add 100ml boiling water. Drizzle over the vinegar and remaining oil. Cover tightly with foil and cook at 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4 for the last 50 minutes of the beef roasting time.
    Tip
    The relish is lovely with cold or hot roast beef, and Yorkshires, of course, if hot. It's gorgeous with roast ham, too.
  4. For the watercress and Stilton relish, put the watercress in a bowl of just-boiled water for 60 seconds. Drain, then refresh well under ice-cold water and drain again. Squeeze to get rid of as much excess water as you can and dry on kitchen paper. Put the watercress, shallot, cornichons, lemon zest and tarragon in a food processor and whiz to chop finely. Gradually process in the oil, followed by the mustard. Work in the Stilton, but leave some texture – don't blend it completely smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in crème fraîche to taste. Check the seasoning – it shouldn't need salt, but you may like black pepper and a little lemon juice. Set aside until ready to serve.
  5. When the beef is cooked, transfer to a carving tray, tent with foil and leave in a warm place for at least 30 minutes before serving. Raise the oven temperature to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Uncover the onions, dot with butter and roast, uncovered, for a further 30-40 minutes, until the onions are well-browned and soft and the liquid has almost evaporated.
  6. Use the pan juices from the beef roasting tin to make a gravy. Stir in the remaining flour over a medium heat and cook for a few minutes, then add the wine and let it bubble. Gradually whisk in the stock, let it simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring all the time, then strain into a clean pan, adding any meat juices from the joint. Simmer again for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Correct the seasoning. You may want to add a dash of Worcestershire sauce or mushroom ketchup. Serve the roast beef and red onions with the gravy and the watercress and Stilton relish.

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