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128°F (our definition of medium), about 10 more minutes

140°F (the USDA definition of medium-rare), about 15 more minutes

or 155°F (the USDA definition of medium), about 20 more minutes

Transfer to a carving board, tent with foil, and let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature before carving (see right).

Note: You can cook smaller or larger roasts: two-bone, four-bone, or even five-bone roasts. Plan on two healthy appetites per bone. The timing will be dramatically changed; figure on about 16 minutes per pound for medium-rare and adjust the timing accordingly, relying on your instant-read meat thermometer. For big parties, we prefer to roast two 3-bone rib roasts, rather than one colossal one.

Cracked black peppercorns are not recommended. They don’t impart enough flavor as they mingle with the juices. But remember that black pepper is indeed perishable—it loses much of its zip in long storage. Plan on replacing black pepper every six months or so.

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Selecting a Rib Roast

In butcher parlance, a cow’s rib bones are numbered, starting with the bone farthest from the shoulder (and nearest the hip). Bones 1 through 4 are the meatiest: the least gristle and fat. Bones 2 and above have a separate arc of meat above the center eye with a honeycomb of fat running between the two. Above bone 4, the center eye starts to break up and include large pockets of fat. For the best standing rib roast, choose bones 1 through 3.

Ask the butcher to slice off the backbone if it’s still attached.

Do not let the butcher slice the center eye of the meat off the bones and tie it back on. You want the bones to cradle the meat and infuse it with flavor as it roasts.

For a more aesthetic presentation, ask for the roast to be “frenched”—that is, the fat and meat cleaned from the ends of the bones, leaving the eye of meat exposed below.

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Carving a Rib Roast

Stand the roast so its bones are pointing up. Hold the roast in place with a meat fork inserted into the center eye. Use a long, thin carving knife to slice along and around the inside arc of the bones, thereby removing the entire center eye in one piece. Do not carve too close to the bones; leave some meat for those who like to gnaw. Stand the now-boneless eye cut side down on the carving board, hold it in place with a meat fork, and slice down, starting with one of the ends to create a thin slice and then carving off more as you move along the roast. We prefer steaklike, ½-inch-thick slices. Finally, slice between the bones to separate them.

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Lemon Pepper London Broil

There’s no cut named “London broil.” Rather, it’s a way to cook and slice a less expensive cut—but not always the same cut. In days past, a London broil was made from flank steak; today, most of that cut goes to restaurants, so London broil is most often made at home with top round, the back end of the cow. It’s not a terribly flavorful cut, so it needs a good dose of zippy marinade. Tenderize this lean cut by marinating it in a lemony vinaigrette before giving it a peppery crust. Makes about 4 servings

½ cup olive oil

6 tablespoons lemon juice

1½ tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons sugar

2 pounds top round, trimmed of any peripheral fat

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, cracked in a plastic bag with a meat mallet or the bottom of a large saucepan

Canola oil for the grill grate, if using

Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, ginger, soy sauce, lemon zest, and sugar in a baking dish.

Add the beef; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but no more than 8 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove the meat from the marinade. Pat the cracked peppercorns over the top, bottom, and sides of the steak.

To cook under the broiler: Preheat the broiler. Line the broiler pan with aluminum foil to make cleanup easier. Broil 5 inches from the heat source, turning once, until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted diagonally into the center, the