The 26th is the New 25th: Why Boxing Day Beef & Bordeaux is the Real Main Event

Wine Reviews

The 26th is the New 25th: Why Boxing Day Beef & Bordeaux is the Real Main Event

Move over Turkey Curry...the real star wants a shot

Let’s be honest with ourselves. We are among friends here. We can say the quiet part out loud.

Christmas Day is...a lot…and a love it!

The kids running around in excitement. Pulling crackers with dodgy jokes and celebrating another year with the ones you love.

The only problem - the turkey

A bird seemingly designed by nature to be simultaneously dry as the Sahara and raw in the middle—with a cooking time that requires the precision of a NASA launch. It is chaotic, loud and stressful - probably not the best environment for enjoying a great bottle of wine

But then, like a calm, glorious dawn, comes Boxing Day.

The pressure is off. The wrapping paper is in the recycling. The children are engrossed in the new toys. And, most importantly, the poultry has been banished.

If you are doing Boxing Day right, you aren't eating turkey curry. You are pivoting hard to the Holy Grail of carnivorous indulgence: The Roast Rib of Beef. And you are pairing it with the bottles you were too scared to open yesterday because Uncle Dave would have mixed it with Diet Coke.

The Antidote to Poultry

There is a psychological need for red meat on December 26th. After a day of white meat, and general beige-ness, the soul screams for iron. It screams for fat. It screams for a Rib of Beef, bone-in, with the perfect crust, roasted until the outside is dark and gnarly and the inside is the colour of a cardinal’s robe.

But the beef is merely the vehicle. It is the stage upon which our true protagonist performs.

"There is a psychological need for red meat on December 26th. After a day of white meat, and general beige-ness, the soul screams for iron. It screams for fat. It screams for a Rib of Beef"

Enter: Perfectly aged Bordeaux

This is not the time for a delicate Pinot Noir. It is certainly not the time for a zippy Riesling. A proper rib of beef, rippled with marbling, requires structure. It demands the aristocratic grip of Bordeaux.

Why is this the perfect marriage? It’s chemistry, darling.

When you take a bite of that fatty, protein-rich beef, it coats your mouth. If you drink a wimpy wine, it slides off the fat like rain on a windshield. You need tannins. You need that Left Bank Cabernet Sauvignon dominance.

  1. The Scrubbing Brush Effect: The tannins in a good Bordeaux bind with the proteins and fats in the beef. Essentially, the beef softens the wine, making it taste fruitier and smoother, while the wine "scrubs" the palate clean of the fat, making you ready for the next bite. It is a symbiotic relationship more functional than most modern marriages.
  2. The Savoury Mirror: A great Bordeaux—especially one with a bit of age—isn't just fruit bombs. It’s cedar, graphite, tobacco, and leather. These savoury, earthy notes mirror the char on the beef and the punch of the horseradish sauce.
Bordeaux

Bordeaux

The Selection Strategy

Since we are all informed drinkers here, let’s talk tactics.

The "Left Bank" Lift

For a heavy rib of beef, I lean towards the Médoc. A Pauillac or a Saint-Julien is the heavy hitter you want here. You want that cassis core, but you need that pencil-lead, earthy spine to stand up to that proper, rich gravy

Something like this 2012 Château-Tronqouy Lalande is the way to go. From St-Estephe, closer to the Atlantic Ocean, this is an earthier style of Bordeaux, with that blackcurrant core complimented by spicier leather and tobacco notes. After 13 years, it is a wine perfectly in balance and a prime example of how Bordeaux just understands what pleasure in a glass should be.

So, let the amateurs have the Turkey. Let them fight over the wishbone. The real pros know that the festive season peaks when the cork is pulled on a Cru Classé and the carving knife touches the beef.

Merry Boxing Day. You’ve earned this.

Michael’s Perfect Roast Rib of Beef

Roast Beef

  • Beef: 1 (3-4 kg) bone-in rib of beef (3-4 ribs)
  • For the Rub:
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp coarse sea salt
  • 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tbsp dried)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

Roast Potatoes

  • 1.5 kg Maris Piper, King Edward, or other floury potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 100g goose fat, duck fat, or vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp coarse sea salt
  • 2 sprigs rosemary (optional)

Roasted Roots

  • 500g carrots, peeled and cut into batons
  • 500g parsnips, peeled and cut into batons
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Red Wine Gravy

  • Beef roasting pan, with fat drained (reserving 2 tbsp) and roast resting
  • 1 large shallot or 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp reserved beef fat or butter
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 200ml dry red wine 
  • 500ml good quality beef stock (hot)
  • 1 sprig each thyme & rosemary
  • Salt and pepper to taste

If you have time start with the potatoes

  1. Parboil: Place the potatoes in a large pan of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 6-8 minutes until the edges are starting to soften.
  2. Drain & Rough Up: Drain the potatoes completely in a colander. Shake the colander vigorously to chuff (rough up) the edges. This creates more surface area for crispiness. 
  3. Get them in on a tray and leave them for a couple of hours to dry out in the fridge. This may seem excessive but trust me it makes all the difference in the end!
  4. Prep the Beef: Take the beef out of the fridge at least 2 hours before roasting to bring it to room temperature. Pat the entire surface dry with paper towels—this helps get a better crust.
  5. Rub the Beef: Combine the oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and minced garlic. Rub this mixture thoroughly over the entire surface of the beef.
  6. Preheat: Preheat your oven to a high heat: 230ºC
  7. Sear: Place the beef, fat-side up, in a large roasting tin. Roast it at the high temperature for 15–20 minutes until the outside is deeply browned and sealed.
  8. Lower the Heat & Roast: Reduce the oven temperature to 160ºC. Continue to roast until  a meat thermometer reads the internal temperature at around 55-60ºC for the perfect medium rare
  9. The Final Temperature: If you are brave, remove the beef from the oven when the thermometer reads about 5-10ºC below your desired final doneness (as it will continue to cook while resting).
  10. Rest (CRUCIAL!): Transfer the beef to a carving board, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest for 30–45 minutes. This redistributes the juices, ensuring a tender and moist roast.

For the potatoes 

  1. Heat the Fat: While the potatoes are parboiling, put the fat/oil in a large roasting tray and place it in the oven 230ºC to get smoking hot.
  2. Roast: Carefully add the chuffed potatoes to the hot fat. Season with salt and add the rosemary.
  3. Toss & Cook: Toss the potatoes to coat them in the fat. Roast for 45–60 minutes, turning every 15 minutes, until deeply golden brown and crunchy. You can cook these alongside the beef when the temperature is reduced.

For the veg

  1. Toss: In a bowl, toss the carrots and parsnips with olive oil, honey/syrup, salt, and pepper.
  2. Roast: Spread them in a single layer on a separate roasting tray. Roast for 30–40 minutes at 180ºC, or until tender and lightly caramelised.

For proper gravy

  1. Sauté: Place the roasting pan on the hob over medium heat (or transfer the drippings and reserved fat to a saucepan). Add the chopped shallot/onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft.
  2. Deglaze: Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the delicious browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce by half.
  3. Make a Roux: Stir in the flour until a paste forms. Cook for 1 minute.
  4. Simmer: Gradually whisk in the hot beef stock. Bring to a simmer, stirring continuously. Add the thyme and rosemary
  5. Thicken & Season: Let the gravy gently simmer for 10–15 minutes until it has thickened to your liking. Strain the gravy through a sieve for a smooth finish, then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serving Suggestion

Slice the rested roast beef against the grain and serve immediately with a generous helping of the crispy potatoes, the sweet roasted root vegetables, and a boat full of the rich red wine gravy!
The 26th is the New 25th: Why Boxing Day Beef & Bordeaux is the Real Main Event

Chateau Tronquoy-Lalande 2012
£34.00

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