Once you have seasoned your roast as you described, follow these steps to finish it off:
The Searing Blast:
Place the roast in the oven at 500°F (260°C). Roast for exactly 5 minutes per pound. (For a 6lb roast, that’s 30 minutes; for 8lb, that’s 40 minutes).
The Secret Step:
Turn the oven OFF. Do not open the oven door. This is critical! If you peek, the heat escapes and the roast won’t finish cooking.
The Wait: Let the roast sit in the closed oven for 2 hours.
The Result: After 2 hours, remove it from the oven. The internal temperature should be around 130°F to 135°F for a perfect medium-rare.
Pro-Tips for Christmas Dinner Garlic Hack: Since you mentioned garlic is optional, try slicing the cloves into slivers and poking small “pockets” into the meat with a paring knife to tuck the garlic inside before roasting.
Room Temp:
Take the roast out of the fridge about 2 hours before you plan to start cooking. It will cook much more evenly if it isn’t ice-cold in the center.
