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uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator, overnight

beef roast + kosher salt + black pepper + oregano + basil + thyme + rosemary + fennel seed + garlic powder + celery seed + paprika + red pepper flakes, rubbed over every face and left uncovered and cold. The salt draws moisture to the surface, dissolves, and is then reabsorbed carrying seasoning into the muscle — a rub applied ten minutes before cooking seasons only the crust. Uncovered matters as much as salted: a dry surface browns, a wet one steams grey. This is an improvement rather than a requirement, and the roast can go straight to the sear if the day does not allow it