Successful ROASTING

Roasting is baking in hot dry air, generally in an oven. Roasting refers to cooking in an oven and differs from baking mainly in its reference to the type of food cooked for example, one roasts a chicken, but bakes a cake.

There are many types of foods you can roast. Meat - sirloin tip, pork tenderloin and eye of round are all perfect for roasting: all are very flavorful and great with high-heat cooking. You can also roast chickens, or root vegetables in a casserole dish.

Tips for Roasting

• Sear meat before roasting for exceptional flavor and to lock in the juices.
• Joints with fat cover for example beef and lamb cuts are best roasted at low to moderate temperatures. This results in less shrinkage.
• Very lean or totally trimmed cuts are better rare-roasted at higher temperatures, or first seared then roasted.
• If possible, take meat from refrigerator about 30 minutes before cooking.
• Roast on a rack. This allows even heat circulation and browning.
• Roast beef or lamb with fat side uppermost to allow natural basting.
• Collagen film, netting or twine may be used to hold plain or filled roast cuts in an even shape for cooking, portioning and carving.
• Before carving or serving beef or lamb, allow meat to rest, approximately 5 minutes for every 500g meat. Resting enables the temperature to even out, the meat fibers to relax and reabsorb some of the juices. The relaxed meat becomes more tender and easier to carve with less loss of juices.
• It's a good idead to baste meat or vegetables during roasting: basting infuses the food with added flavor.
• The best way to get an accurate measurement when cooking a roast is to use a digital thermometer.
• If the roast is browning or darkening too quickly, cover it with foil to minimize browning. Make sure to tent the foil so that nothing sticks.
• When you remove a roast from the oven, the temperature of the meat will continue to rise. It is called carry-over cooking and it will cook 5 to 10 degrees below the desired temperature.
• When you're roasting garlic, you should start with whole bulbs. Cut off the top third of the bulb so that you expose the garlic cloves themselves. Smother the bulb in a little olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on a piece of foil and wrap into a little pouch (a beggar's purse). Bake at 350 degrees for an hour, or until tender, golden and caramelized.
• Cut vegetables in a uniform size so they cook at the same rate.
• Arrange vegetables on a baking sheet, preferably one with a rim, leaving space between the pieces so the oven's heat can weave its way between.
• About halfway through the roasting time, give vegetables a quick toss, redistributing the pieces. After that, check and toss every five minutes or so, until they're done.
• Vegetables are done when their centers are soft and creamy and their outside edges almost crisp and beginning to caramelize. Allow 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the vegetable and the oven temperature.