Rib Roast Of Beef

4 ribs of prime beef, with bones
150 g coarse salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

Horseradish Sauce
¼ liter double cream
100 g fresh horseradish, grated

Bring the roast to room temperature and rub salt – coarse salt makes an attractive crust – and pepper on top of the fat but not over the flesh.

Stand the roast on its bones, fatty side up, in a shallow roasting pan and put it into an oven preheated to 180º C. Time it – calculate 17 minutes of cooking time per 500 g for a roast that is to be well done on the outside and very rare inside – so that it can be allowed to stand for 15 minutes out of the oven before it is carved. This gives the juices a chance to settle and makes carving easier.

If you are using a meat thermometer, insert it so that the point is in the center of the meat, not touching the bone. For very rare meat, the internal temperature should read 50º C. Remember, the roast continues to cook after it is taken out of the oven.

Whip the double cream and fold in the horseradish. Serve with potatoes.