To prepare the roast, remove it from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to cooking time and preheat the oven to 450°F.

Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Using a paring knife, make small slits 1¹/₂ inches apart and deep enough to fit a slice of garlic horizontally across the fat cap and up the sides of the roast. Slip 1 garlic slice into each slit, making sure the garlic is fully submerged. Smear the butter over the roast and season the roast liberally with salt and pepper.

Lay the roast ribs down in a heavy roasting pan. (There’s no need to use a rack; the rib bones act as a rack to keep the meat off the surface of the pan.) Roast for 30 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue to roast the meat until an instant-read thermometer, when inserted into the thickest part of the roast (make sure the thermometer is not touching bone), registers 120°F for rare, 130°F for medium-rare, 2¹/₂ to 3 hours (1¹/₂ to 2 hours for a 5-rib roast). Using clean dish towels, transfer the roast to a cutting board, preferably one with a moat to catch the juices. Let the roast rest while you make the jus, at least 15 minutes. Pour the fat from the roasting pan into a heatproof glass measuring cup to use to make the Yorkshire puddings.

TESTING MEATS BY TOUCH

When roasting meats, touch the meat so that you can start to build a sense of what different cuts of meats should feel like when they are cooked properly, and what meat should feel like after it has rested long enough and is ready to be cut. To test for doneness, push down on the surface of the meat with your index finger. With your other hand relaxed, use the same pressure to push down on the fleshy parts of your hand.

Find the place on your palm, using the drawing above, that corresponds to the feeling of the meat. It takes a bit of practice to get confident in this method. When you are beginning, do this in tandem with a meat thermometer. Eventually you’ll be able to touch a piece of meat and know precisely how it’s cooked

To make the jus, put the roasting pan on the stove over two burners, both on high. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Add the thyme and rosemary, bring to a boil, and cook until the liquid reduces by one-third, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the jus thickens slightly. Stir in the salt and pepper. Pour the jus through a fine-mesh strainer into a sauceboat and discard the solids. Keep warm.

Slice the meat against the grain, 1 inch thick or to the thickness you prefer. Sprinkle sea salt over the meat and serve with the horseradish cream and jus on the side.