A roast in the oven smells like home. It’s Sunday-dinner-company’s-coming-home-cooking at its very best.
Roasting a hunk of meat over an open fire was one of mankind’s first culinary triumphs. No wonder a tender, juicy slice of roast still fills our primal hunger like nothing else.
Roasting is simple, basic–and easy to mess up. Even the term itself is slippery. Is it baking? Pot roasting? We could spend a whole article on the distinctions, but let’s not.
For our purposes here, roasting is cooking with dry heat. Done correctly, it requires little in the way of sauces or cutesy presentations. Just a bit of juice from the pan and some vegetables. Carnivore heaven.
It’s not your mother’s rump roast
If you think roast doesn’t taste like it used to, you’re right. In “The Complete Meat Cookbook,” Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly explain that beef, pork and even lamb have changed drastically over the last 10 to 15 years. They’re all bred to be leaner, lots leaner.
While in some ways this is good news, it does change the rules. Remember your mom’s rump roast? Even cooked medium-well it was moist and tasty. Well, don’t try Mom’s recipe with today’s leaner cuts unless you are going for dry and flavorless.
Sorry, but when it comes to roasting, the speckling of fat called marbling you’ll find in a good cut of meat is what helps make it both tender and tasty. This is not the layer of fat over and around the meat. It’s the tiny little specks of white within the meat itself. That’s what grades of beef indicate. “Prime” has the most marbling, “Choice” is next best, and “Select,” the grade you mostly see at the supermarket, is too lean for dry heat roasting. (By the way, grades have nothing to do with wholesomeness. All meat is processed and approved under USDA inspection.)
While pork and lamb don’t get graded the same way, they also present the same problem. Pork is more than 50 percent leaner than it was 10 years ago. So once you get over the image of all those skinny pigs and cows doing aerobics, you need to re-learn roasting.
Another reason today’s meat is tougher is that the government lowered standards for all grades a decade ago, explained Gregori Deem, a journeyman meat cutter with River Forest Town Market. The Choice grade we used to buy in the supermarket is now Prime and sold almost exclusively to restaurants.
Tough question
What makes meat tough? Many things. It can be the cut itself. If it’s from a part of the animal that got a lot of exercise, the fibers are big and tough.
“A common mistake is not choosing the right meat to roast,” said Mary Joe Plutt, public relations coordinator for The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
Keep in mind that some of the cuts that used to make a good roast don’t anymore. Spring for a more expensive cut and grade to roast, and save the rump for a pot roast or a braised dish that cooks in liquid.
Marbling plays a huge part too: Those tiny pockets of fat melt and almost act like shortening in a biscuit: They separate and tenderize the layers of meat, said Mark Stanley, chef/instructor at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago.
Today’s most common roasting mistake is–you guessed it–overcooking, Stanley said. He said this applies to the students in his classes, home cooks and even, occasionally, to him.
“Leaner meat dries out more quickly, so there is less room for error,” he said. Meat contains lots of water. While you’re roasting it, that water evaporates in the hot oven. At 180 degrees, almost all of the moisture in the meat is gone, so you have perfectly dry, perfectly tough meat.
Another pitfall is not taking into account “carryover.” That’s the cooking that continues after you take the roast out of the oven. It easily can add 10 degrees to the temperature of meat and turn a perfect medium into well-done shoe leather.
Doneness
Nothing causes more angst. We either overcook in an effort to kill any possible bacteria, or become so paranoid about overcooking we stick a thermometer into the roast every five minutes, thus lowering the oven temperature and increasing the cooking time.
It is impossible to give the exact timing for a roast. The variables are countless: the amount of fat or bone, your oven’s quirks, your roasting pan, not to mention the fact that what you consider rare someone else may call medium well. Relax. Use a thermometer and if you’re not sure, cut the meat and peek. Yeah, it’ll release a tiny bit of the juice, but that beats overcooking or serving a roast that’s still cold in the middle. And nobody has to know but you.
As Mark Bittman points out in “How to Cook Everything,” “It’s one of those things that everyone does but no one talks about.”
Hardware
The most important piece of equipment for perfect roasting is an instant-read digital thermometer. It is almost impossible to judge doneness any other way. The thermometers are inexpensive, readily available, and even the most experienced chefs depend on them. Give the thermometer about 15 seconds to register, though; they’re not instantly instant. And take a big roast’s temperature in a couple of different places.
A good pan for roasting should be sturdy and have sides that are less than 2 inches high, so steam doesn’t collect. It should be only slightly larger than the meat you’re roasting. A rack will keep air circulating evenly and prevent sticking, but if you don’t have one, try resting the meat on chunks of sturdy vegetables like onions and carrots. They’ll add flavor and can be used in a sauce as well.
— M.P.
MEAT SOURCES
For more information on cooking meat, turn to cookbooks, such as the recent “How to Cook Meat” by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby (Morrow, $35), or the “Complete Meat Cookbook” by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly (Houghton Mifflin, $35).
MEAT MYTHS
Myth: You should always roast at a high heat.
Truth: Only small cuts of meat, such as tenderloin, can effectively be roasted at high heat, say the experts. Bigger pieces won’t get cooked enough inside by the time they’re burned outside. It’s OK to start at a high temperature and then lower it, but big cuts will usually brown quite enough anyway even if you don’t bother.
Myth: Pink pork will kill you.
Truth: It won’t, but this myth won’t die either. It started because of trichinosis, a justifiably feared parasitic disease that used to be carried by pork. Trichinae, the critters responsible, are completely killed at 140 degrees, which is much rarer than anyone would serve pork. Not to mention the fact that these days trichinae have been virtually eliminated from hogs anyway. Truth is, today’s leaner pork needs to be a bit pink or it will be way too dry.
Myth: Salting meat before roasting will dry it out.
Truth: Maybe if you heavily salted hours ahead of time, the meat would dry out, but seasoning the meat before you pop it in the oven is crucial. The tiny bit of moisture that the salt draws out aids browning and it makes the meat taste meatier.
Myth: Basting will keep the meat moist.
Truth: It won’t. Basting will wash away the seasonings you just put on the meat’s surface. Worse yet, basting with something other than fat can dry meat out. You’re better off leaving a thin layer of fat on top of the roast and not opening the oven as often. (Brushing a glaze on meat toward the end of cooking adds flavor to the surface, but it doesn’t “moisturize.”)
Myth: Lamb is gamy and tough.
Truth: Not these days. Whether you buy American lamb or Australian/New Zealand lamb you’ll end up with a tender, flavorful roast, as long as you don’t overcook it. To be sold as lamb, the meat must be less than a year old. Years ago that wasn’t true, and what you got was often mutton. You can’t judge the age of the lamb by size. American lamb is much larger than imported, but that’s because it’s a different breed.
— M.P.
ROASTING SELECTED CUTS
R: Rare MR: Medium rare M: Medium MW: Medium well
BEEF
Rib roast
Aliases: Prime rib, standing rib roast, rib-eye roast
Roasting temp.: 350 (or start at 400 for 30 minutes and lower to 350)
First check temp.: After 1 hour
Remove from oven at temp.: R: 120 MR: 120-130 M: 130-140 MW: 140-155
Top loin
Aliases: Shell roast, strip roast, New York strip roast, Delmonico roast
Roasting temp.: 350 (or start at 400 for 20 minutes and lower to 350)
First check temp.: After 30 minutes
Remove from oven at temp.: R: 120 MR: 120-130 M: 130-140 MW: 140-155
Tenderloin
Aliases: Whole filet
Roasting temp.: 450
First check temp.: After 20-30 minutes depending on size of roast
Remove from oven at temp.: R: 120 MR: 120-130 M: 130-140 MW: 140-155
All roasts should be allowed to rest, covered loosely with foil for at least 20 minutes.
PORK
Boneless loin roast
Aliases: Blade end roast, center cut roast, sirloin roast
Roasting temp.: 350
First check temp.: After 40 minutes
Remove from oven at temp.: MW: 155
Pork tenderloin
Aliases: None. This is the little skinny roast. Tie two together to increase thickness.
Roasting temp.: 400
First check temp.: After 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness
Remove from oven at temp.: MW: 150
Fresh ham
Aliases: Fresh leg of pork, boneless sirloin pork roast, top leg (inside) roast
Roasting temp.: 350
First check temp.: After 1 hour
Remove from oven at temp.: MW: 155
Roast should be allowed to rest, covered loosely with foil for at least 20 minutes, except for tenderloin, which needs a 5-minute rest.
LAMB
Leg of lamb
Aliases: Boned butterflied leg, half leg-sirloin or shank end
Roasting temp.: 350 (or start at 400 for 30 minutes and reduce temp to 350)
First check temp.: After 1 hour
Remove from oven at temp.: R: 125 MR: 125-130 M: 130-140 MW: 145-150
Rack of lamb
Aliases: “Frenched” means the bones that stick out have the meat scraped off.
Roasting temp.: 450
First check temp.: After 12-15 minutes
Remove from oven at temp.: R: 125 MR: 125-130 M: 130-140 MW: 145-150
Leg of lamb should rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 20 minutes; rack of lamb for only 5-7 minutes.
Chart information was gathered from cookbooks, chefs and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.
PORK TENDERLOIN WITH ASIAN FLAVORS
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Marinating time: 30 minutes-2 1/2 hours
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 piece (1-inch long) ginger root, minced
1 tablespoon each: olive oil, oyster sauce
Freshly ground pepper
2 pork tenderloins, about
2 to 2 1/2 pounds total
1/2 onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon cold water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1. Mix together soy sauce, garlic, mustard, ginger, olive oil, oyster sauce and pepper to taste in small bowl; set aside. Place pork in shallow roasting pan. Pour marinade over; turn meat to coat well. Marinate 30 minutes at room temperature or 2 1/2 hours in refrigerator.
2. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Drain and reserve marinade from pork. Place onion pieces underneath tenderloins. Tuck under thinner end pieces of the pork. Roast 20 minutes; brush pork with reserved marinade. Continue roasting until pork temperature reaches 150 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove meat to cutting board; cover loosely with foil.
3. Meanwhile, put roasting pan over medium-high heat; add broth and wine. Heat to boil, scraping up brown bits and pieces of onion; cook until reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Mix water and cornstarch in small bowl; stir into sauce. Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with pepper. Slice tenderloins about 1/2-inch thick; place on platter. Pour sauce over meat.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 390 Fat …………. 11 g Saturated fat .. 3.8 g
% calories from fat .. 28 Cholesterol … 180 mg Sodium …….. 460 mg
Protein ………… 65 g Carbohydrate … 1.9 g Fiber ………. 0.2 g
BASIC ROAST LEG OF LAMB
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 12 servings
1 whole leg of lamb, about 8 pounds
6 cloves garlic, cut into slivers
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons each: ground thyme, kosher salt
1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove most of surface fat from lamb. Make tiny cuts in surface of lamb using sharp knife; insert garlic slivers. Rub outside of lamb with oil. Mix together thyme, salt, rosemary and pepper in small dish; rub over surface of meat.
2. Roast until instant-read thermometer reads 125 degrees for rare, about 1 hour. Or cook further as desired to 130 degrees for medium-rare, about 35 minutes, or to 140 degrees for medium. Let rest 20 minutes before carving.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 450 Fat ………… 29 g Saturated fat … 12 g
% calories from fat .. 60 Cholesterol .. 155 mg Sodium …….. 425 mg
Protein ………… 44 g Carbohydrate .. 0.8 g Fiber ………. 0.2 g
LAWRY’S PRIME RIB
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: 8 servings
Executive chef Jackie Shen shares the recipe for the legendary Lawry’s prime rib. (Adapted for home cooks of course. They roast six whole roasts at a time in a convection oven. Shen cooks them to only 100 degrees for rare.) Part of what makes Lawry’s prime rib so lusciously tender is that its meat is aged for 21 days. If you want to try aged meat at home, ask your butcher if he can age it for you. Shen suggests Paulina Market or Gepperth’s Market in Chicago.
Rock or kosher salt
1 4-rib prime rib roast (about 8 pounds)
4 tablespoons seasoning salt
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place rock salt to cover bottom of roasting pan. Trim fat from roast, leaving about 1 /4 inch of fat on top. Rub seasoning salt generously over top and sides.
2. Roast 30 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees; cook 30 minutes. Check internal temperature of roast with instant-read thermometer; continue roasting until internal temperature reaches 120 degrees for rare, about 1 hour. Cook further if desired to 130 degrees for medium-rare or 140 degrees for medium. Let rest 20 minutes before carving.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ………… 645 Fat …………. 55 g Saturated fat … 23 g
% calories from fat .. 78 Cholesterol … 135 mg Sodium …….. 620 mg
Protein ………… 35 g Carbohydrate … 0.2 g Fiber ………… 0 g
