How to Prepare Peppercorn-Rubbed Roast Beef

This is perhaps the most boldly flavored roast you can make with beef. It gets its flavor from four different peppercorns that are cracked and pressed into the meat before cooking. This roast, made from a whole strip loin or boneless rib eye, will serve 8 to 10.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Olive (not Virgin) Oil
• 2 tbsp. red peppercorns
• 1 5-8 lb. strip loin roasts
• 2 tbsp. white peppercorns
• 2 tbsp. Szechuan peppercorns
• 2 tsp. kosher salts
• 1/4 c. black peppercorns

1. Crack all the whole peppercorns on a hard scratch-proof surface with the bottom of a heavy pot or pan until coarsely cracked.
2. Slide the cracked peppercorns into a dish, and then strain them into another dish so the smaller pieces of pepper fall through. Reserve the smaller pieces for other uses.
3. Heat the oven to 500 degrees F.
4. Trim the roast of most visible fat, and coat very lightly with olive oil.
5. Mix the peppercorns and salt, and press them onto the surface of the meat so that the entire roast is covered.
6. Place the roast in a roasting pan and then in the oven.
7. Cook for 20 minutes, and then lower the heat to 350 degrees F and cook for 30 minutes more. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer (about $5 at most grocery stores). For rare meat, remove the roast when the internal temperature reads between 130 and 135 degrees F. For medium rare, remove at between 140 and 145 degrees F. For medium, remove at 155 degrees F or above.
8. Let rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Tips & Warnings

• Be careful transferring the roast to the carving board so that you disturb as few peppercorns as possible.