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1
Bring the meat to room temperature by removing it from the refrigerator at least an hour before cooking, preferably two.
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2
(For a larger roast, make it three.)
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3
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
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4
Place the meat, bone side down, in a large roasting pan.
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5
Season it with salt and pepper.
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6
If you like garlic, peel the cloves and cut them into tiny slivers; use a boning or paring knife to poke small holes in the meat and insert the garlic into them.
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7
Place the roast in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, undisturbed.
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8
Turn the heat down to 350 degrees and continue to roast about 1 hour; check in several places with a meat thermometer.
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9
When no spot registers under 125 degrees (120 degrees if you like your meat really rare and your guests are of the same preference), the meat is rare; cook another 5 or 10 minutes if you like it more well done, then check again, but in no case should you let the temperature of the meat go above 155 degrees.
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10
Remove the meat from the oven.
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11
Pour off all but a few tablespoons of the fat, and place the roasting pan over a burner set to high.
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12
Add the liquid and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, until it is reduced by half.
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13
Slice and serve the roast, splashing a little of the sauce on the meat platter and passing the rest at the table.
