I haven't had much time recently for either cooking or computing. But I found this recipe in Cooks Illustrated, tried it and it is GREAT. My hat is off to Meg Suzuki who came up with the recipe and the folks at Cooking Illustrated who were wise enough to publish her article. This recipe will prepare a roast to the rare/medium-rare level, If you want it Medium - Well you must cook until the roast reaches a temperature 5-10 degrees lower than cook books recommend for the level of doneness you want. The reason for this is when the roast rests it continues to cook the additional 5-10 degrees.

Title: Top Loin Roast with Garlic-Herb Butter
Categories:
Yield: 10 Servings

5.5 lb Top Loin Roast beef
3 T Olive Oil
4 t Kosher Salt
1 T black pepper ground
4 T unsalted butter, softened
1 T sage, fresh, chopped
1 T parsley, fresh, chopped
1.5 t thyme, fresh, chopped
1 garlic, minced
1 ds Salt to taste
1 ds Black pepper, ground, to
- taste

Line baking sheet with paper towels and set flat wire rack over
baking sheet. Pat roast dry with paper towels, then set roast on wire
rack. Refrigerate, uncovered on lowest shelf for 1 to 3 days

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position, heat oven to 250°. Remove
roast from refrigerator; using sharp paring knife, trim off all fat and
silver skin from the roast and shave off hard, dried exterior surfaces.
Rub roast with 2 tablespoons olive oil; let roast stand at room
temperature for 1 hour

Combine salt and pepper in small bowl; season all surface of roast
with salt-pepper mixture, pressing to make salt and pepper adhere. Heat
remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in 12 inch heavy bottomed ovenproof
skillet over medium high heat until smoking; set roast in skillet fat
trimmed side down, and cook until well browned, about 3 minutes. Using
tongs, to turn roast, turn on all sides, 2-3 minutes on each side.
Turn roast fat trimmed side up, set skillet in oven and roast until
instant read thermometer inserted into center registers 1120-125°,
40-50 minutes. Using potholders to handle skillet, transfer roast to
cutting board, loosely tent roast with foil and let rest 20 minutes.

While meat roasts, stir together butter, sage, parsley, thyme, garlic
salt and pepper to taste; set aside until needed. After roast has
rested spread butter evenly over surface of roast. with sharp carving
knife, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices and serve.

Cooking Tip: Some upscale butchers and restaurants age their beef,
unwrapped and refrigerated (carefully monitored), for as long as several
weeks. This process called dry aging dramatically improves the meat's
flavor and texture. Of course using a home refrigerator to age the roast
for weeks is out of the question. The author tried as few as one day and as
many as three. As the roast aged the flavor of the beef changed from
metallic and bloody to mellow, buttery, and nutty. The three day roasts
had the best flavor but aging for even one day made a difference.

Cooking Tip: The author found three simple steps to making a great roast:
aging, searing on top of the stove and roasting in a hot skillet at low
temperature.

Cooking Tip: With the help of a digital thermometer, the recipe was
virtually foolproof.

Recipe Author: Meg Suzuki
Recipe Source: Cooks Illustrated Nov-Dec '03