Roast Prime Rib au Poivre
1 9-pound prime rib beef roast (about 4 ribs), excess fat trimmed
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 1/2 tablespoons mixed whole peppercorns, coarsely crushed
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 1/2 cups canned low-sodium beef broth
1/3 cup Brandy
Salt to taste
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 450°F. Place beef, fat side
up, in shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle beef with salt. Mix mustard and garlic
in small bowl. Spread mustard mixture over top of beef. Sprinkle 2
tablespoons crushed peppercorns over mustard mixture.
Roast beef 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F. Roast until meat thermometer
inserted into center of beef registers 125°F. for medium-rare, tenting
loosely with foil if crust browns too quickly, about 2 hours 45 minutes.
Transfer beef to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm.
Pour pan juices into 2-cup glass measuring cup (do not clean pan). Freeze
juices for 10 minutes. Spoon fat off top of pan juices, returning 1
tablespoon fat to roasting pan. Reserve juices.
Melt fat in same roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sauté
until tender, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan, about 2
minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add canned beef broth, then Cognac (liquid
may ignite). Return pan to heat and boil until liquid is reduced to 2 cups,
about 15 minutes. Add pan juices and remaining crushed peppercorns. Add salt if desired. Transfer pan juices to sauceboat.
Carve roast and serve with juices.