When it comes to the great holiday tradition of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, I bow to our English cousins across the Atlantic, who invented the dish. Inspired by my wife, Nancy Oakes, I have eschewed the traditional flour-based gravy and opted for a lighter sauce, called a jus. This is simply a pan sauce naturally thickened by reduction. You can leave it out and serve the roast as is, but a little of this intensely flavored sauce drizzled over the meat and Yorkshire pudding sure is tasty. You may also want to serve some Horseradish Cream on the side.

Serves 12, with plenty of leftovers for sandwiches

INGREDIENTS

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2½ tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2½ tablespoons olive oil
• 1 5-bone standing rib-eye roast (about 12 pounds), chine bone removed and fat trimmed to ¼ inch (save the fat for Yorkshire pudding)

PREPARATION

1. In a small food processor, pulse garlic until finely chopped. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
2. Add thyme, salt, pepper, and oil and pulse to form a paste.
3. Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Place the roast bone side down on a cutting board and cut ten to twelve 2-inch-long gashes through the fat without cutting into the meat.
4. Press some of the garlic-herb mixture into each gash and smear the rest over the top, sides, and ends of the roast. Let the roast sit for 4 hours at room temperature.
5. Preheat the oven to 450°F, with a rack in the lower third of the oven.
6. Place the roast bone side down in a roasting pan or on a large roasting rack in the pan. If using a continuous-read thermometer, insert it into the center of the roast and set it for 110°F to 115°F for rare or 120°F to 125°F for medium-rare.
7. Roast for 20 minutes, then turn down the oven to 350°F and continue to roast until it has reached the desired temperature.
8. If not using a continuous-read thermometer, begin checking the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer after 1 hour, checking the temperature every 15 minutes.
9. When the roast is done, set it aside, loosely covered with aluminum foil, to rest for at least 20 minutes and up to 45 minutes, before carving and serving.
10. While the roast is resting, finish making the Bacon and Rosemary Jus.
11. To carve and serve, place the roast on a carving board, bones facing upward. Sever the rack from the meat and set the bones aside.
12. Turn the roast so that the bone side lies flat, and slice it into ¼- to ¼-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices in an overlapping row on a serving platter, and add the bones to the platter. Stir any carving juices into the jus.
13. Serve the Garlic and Herb Crusted Prime Rib with the Bacon and Rosemary Jus and the Scallion and Parmesan Yorkshire Puddings.

COOK’S NOTES

• Choose USDA Choice or, if possible, USDA Prime beef.
• For grass-fed beef or bison, cook the roast to 110°F for rare, then reduce the oven temperature to 275°F and cook for additional time.
• Season the roast ahead and refrigerate for up to 36 hours to allow the seasonings to penetrate the meat.
• Roast red beets, celery root, parsnips, broccolini with Pecan Brown Butter, spinach, or asparagus to serve with the roast.