On Boxing Day I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time - next to the trolley where a rib of beef was being marked down  from £18 to £6.50.  So there was no choice, I grabbed it. 

We also picked up a very large free-range turkey (also greatly reduced), so decided that as the turkey was bigger then it would be the beef which would be put into the freezer for another day.

I didn't have a clue what to do with the beef, so it's been sitting there ever since.  But the day (week?) has just arrived.

The great Delia* suggests the following:

• The beef should be smeared in a mixture of mustard and flour then seasoned.   
• Place onto an onion which has been halved and put face down in the roasting pan. 
• Put into an oven on No 9 for 20 minutes, turn the oven down to No 5.  
• Cook the beef then for 15 minutes per pound for a rare beef, and 20 mins per lb for more well done.   (As our piece of beef was 3lb, it was cooked a further 45 minutes)
• Baste regularly and resist the urge to cut off tempting corner pieces! 
• Remove from pan and sit for about 20 minutes before carving.
• In the mean time, make the gravy by pouring off most of the fat, adding plain flour to make a roux and adding vegetable stock, herbs (and a stock cube if liked).

By the way, we have a gas oven these days which is unusual and quite a nuisance but there's no way of getting a large electrical cable to that part of the kitchen, so we're stuck with it for the moment.  

I followed the above Delia recipe and the beef was wonderful.  In fact it was so good that it's worth doing again and paying the full £18 price!

To go with roast beef it's imperative to have Yorkshire puddings, so here's the recipe I used.

70g plain flour, 2 eggs and 100ml milk.  Mix these together, with s&p. Cook at No 8 for about 20 - 25 minutes in individual greased pans.  Makes about 8.  Or if making only one or two then cook for slightly longer.  

They were lovely.  Another day I'm going to put some onions and sausages in and make toad in the hole.

* http://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/meat/how-to-roast-beef.html