Prime Rib Roast with Pink and Green Peppercorn Crust and Merlot Gravy

Yield:  4 servings

Preparation time is 20 minutes, cooking time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

• A 2-rib tired prim beef rib roast, about 4 ½ pounds

For Crust

• 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries, crushed – (5ml)
• 1 ½ tablespoons pink peppercorns, crushed lightly – (22.5ml)
• 1 ½ tablespoons green peppercorns, crushed lightly – (22.5ml)
• 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, soften – (22.5ml)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour – (15ml)
• ½ tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar – (7.5ml)
• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard – (7.5ml)
• ¾ teaspoon salt  – (3.75ml)

For Sauce

• 1 ½ cups Merlot – (375ml)
• 1-cup beef demi glace  – (250ml)
• 2 tablespoons red-current jelly – (30ml)
• ¾ teaspoon drained bottled horseradish – (3.75ml)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves – (45ml)

Directions

1. Using a mortar and pestle crush the allspice berries and the pink and green peppercorns. Place mixture into bowl and mix in the remaining crust ingredients, (unsalted butter, flour, brown sugar, mustard and salt), stir together to form a paste.
2. Preheat the oven  – 350° F
3. Pat beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Using your hands, smear the rub all over the roast.  Place the roast rib side down in a low sided roast pan and bake for 1 ¼ hours or until the meat thermometer inserted in the fleshy section of the roast registers 135° F for medium rare meat.
4. When the roast done to desired doneness place the beef on a cutting board and cover it loosely with tin foil.   Let the meat rest for 20-30 minutes before carving.  Reserve the juices from the roast.
5. Place the roast pan with the reserved juices on the stovetop over medium heat.  Skim the fat from top of the liquid.  Add Merlot and let it reduce to half, about 5 minutes. Whisk in demi glace, red current jelly, horseradish, parsley and salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and continue to whisk the flavours together.
6. Carve and plate the roast and drizzle with gravy.