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1
Use a sharp, flexible knife to cut the roast off the ribs, by running the knife down along the ribs and almost scraping them.
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2
Mash garlic and salt into a paste, either in a mortar and pestle or with a chefs knife on a cutting board.
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3
Rub paste into roast.
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4
Season roast all over with additional salt (about 2 teaspoons) and freshly ground black pepper (be generous).
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5
Place some rosemary sprigs on the bones and set the roast on top.
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6
Cover the rest of the roast with rosemary and tie everything together with kitchen string.
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7
(Your mission is twofold: securing the rosemary to the beef, and ensuring that the roast keeps it shape in the oven.)
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8
Set the roast on a rack over a small baking sheet and refrigerate for 24 hours.
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9
Take roast out of the refrigerator, transfer to a roasting pan (11-by-14 inches is a good size; the fat tends to burn when it has room to spread out in a large roasting pan), and let it sit on the counter for about 1 hour before you put it in the oven.
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10
Heat the oven to 475 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle.
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11
Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
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12
Put onions in a heatproof bowl and add enough boiling water to cover.
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13
When water is lukewarm, peel onions and keep them on the counter in a bowl covered with a damp paper towel.
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14
Roast beef for 1 hour.
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15
Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and roast until internal temperature is about 115 degrees F, about another 30 minutes.
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16
Take the pan out of the oven, and pour off all but about 2 tablespoons fat.
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17
Add onions and stir to coat in fat.
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18
Continue roasting until internal temperature of roast reads 125 degrees F for medium rare, about 20 minutes.
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19
Transfer roast to a cutting board and let it rest about 20 to 30 minutes.
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20
Pour off any fat in the roasting pan, add wine, stir, and return the pan to the oven until onions are soft and browned, about 10 minutes.
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21
Remove string and rosemary from roast.
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22
Lift roast off the bones and slice the meat thin.
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23
Arrange slices on a platter, surround with onions, and serve.
