For our wedding anniversary this year we barbecued a whole rib of beef on the bone: consider it a super-rib eye steak. With the bone attached this is much harder to do completely on the barbecue (but not impossible). There is also an easier way if you finish the steak in the oven, which helps to to control the doneness while still getting the lovely barbecue char and flavours.
Wine Suggestion: Given the occasion we opened a bottle of Domaine de Chevalier Rouge 2009 from Pessac Leognan. A great vintage with fleshy fruit that at 12 years of age was singing very expressively. Super elegant and refined fruits, perfumed with that slight pencil edge that characterises the appellation and silky tannins that were both powerful and gentle in equal measure. Definitely powerful enough to stand next to the robust steak and then elevate the sum to another level. Well worth cellaring.
Rib of beef with wild mushroom butter – serves 2
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 50g mixed wild mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 1 shallot, finely diced
- 1 clove of garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp Madeira
- 1 tbsp cream
- 1 tsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ½ tsp chopped thyme
- 1 tsp white truffle oil (optional)
- 100g butter, diced and softened
- 1 rib of beef on the bone
First, make the butter. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the mushrooms with the shallots and garlic. Cook gently for 5 minutes or until cooked through but not coloured.
Add the Madeira, cream and herbs to the pan and cook for 3 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Season to taste and stir in the truffle oil if using. Leave to cool completely.
Put the butter and cooled mushroom mixture into a food processor and purée until smooth. Scrape out onto a piece of non-stick baking paper, then roll into a cylinder, twisting the ends to secure. Chill for at least 2 hours, until hardened.
Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F.
Take your steak out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes to come up to room temperature. Season at this stage too.
Cook over the direct heat on your barbecue for 8-10 minutes, turning to make sure all sides are well browned with a little charring.
Place the barbecued steak onto a preheated ovenproof pan, and put it in the oven for 15-20 minutes and until done to your liking.
We used a meat thermometer to judge doneness and removed the steak at 55C. While we like our steaks on the rare side we find that medium-rare to medium works best when cooking a rib on the bone. This ensures all the juicy fats are rendered properly. If you’d like it a little rarer cook to 52C. Remember that the steak keeps on cooking while resting too.
When your steak is cooked to your liking, remove it from the oven and sit it on a rack set over a tray. Cut the butter into slices and arrange on top of the steak. Set aside to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving the steak from the bone and slicing. Serve with the buttery mushrooms spooned over.
(Original recipe from Neven Maguire’s Complete Family Cookbook, Gill Books, 2016.)
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