| What's the difference between roasting and baking? | | | | The example I am going to use is typical of high |
| Many Aussies would tell you there's none at all. We | | | | temperature Mediterranean cookery and it works |
| call roasts 'baked dinners'. But for the purpose of this | | | | equally well in the oven or on the barbecue. |
| article we are going to separate the two. | | | | "Butterfly of lamb" is simply a leg of lamb from which |
| Roasting is done in the presence of fat, baking is not. | | | | the bone has been removed. You can either do this |
| It's that simple. | | | | yourself (it's not as difficult as it may seem) or get |
| So, potatoes cooked in the oven using fat are 'roast' | | | | your butcher to do it for you. |
| potatoes. Cooked dry in their skins they become | | | | The first thing to do is to lay the meat skin side down |
| baked potatoes. | | | | on a flat surface and open it out. Sprinkle the meat |
| This is a useful way to separate the two systems and | | | | fairly liberally with soy sauce and add some rosemary, |
| one we'll stick to, if that's all right with you? :0) | | | | thyme, crushed garlic, a bay leaf or two and some |
| Roasting | | | | sliced onion. Fold the meat over the herbs and place it |
| Despite plenty of evidence to the contrary, I still see | | | | upside down in a bowl. |
| recipes that insist you should cook meat at high | | | | Upside down means skin side up, okay? Who cares! It |
| temperature for the first twenty minutes or so - to | | | | really doesn't matter that much. |
| 'seal' it - and then lower the level for the rest of the | | | | Marinade the joint overnight in the refrigerator, having |
| cooking time. | | | | added half a cup each of soy sauce and red wine. |
| This is the traditional way. Fortunately for my guests, | | | | Oven cooking |
| like the great Galloping Gourmet Graham Kerr, I'm not | | | | Preheat the oven to 230° C. |
| a traditionalist. Let's put this myth to bed once and for | | | | This may seem like an incredibly high temperature but |
| all. | | | | the outside of your meat is protected by two things - |
| Cooking meat at high temperature, whether in the | | | | the liquid it has been marinated in and the fat on its |
| oven, on the barbecue or in a pan does not seal it! | | | | surface, which you are going to sprinkle fairly liberally |
| It burns it. That's why it goes brown. And it introduces | | | | with salt. |
| extra flavor, because the outside of the meat | | | | This is one occasion when you simply must cook your |
| generally has a covering of fat. Fat is what gives meat | | | | meat directly on the rungs of the oven, fat side up, and |
| it's unique flavor. | | | | you will cook it at this temperature for about 20 |
| Adding this crust to the outside of the meat will also | | | | minutes. Then, you will be relieved to hear, you can |
| slow down the cooking of the rest of the joint, and | | | | reduce the temperature to a mere 200° C. |
| help to keep it rare. | | | | This next bit is important, and you have to trust me. |
| Think. Do you really want to do this with chicken, for | | | | Roast your meat for exactly eight minutes per pound |
| example? | | | | and no longer. Allow it to relax for around 15 minutes |
| No of course not. Chicken in particular needs to be | | | | and then carve and serve. |
| thoroughly cooked and high temperature roasting will | | | | On the barbecue |
| not help that process. | | | | This is where I really test your nerve and the faith your |
| Basting, on the other hand, will. | | | | guests may or may not have in you. |
| Basting is simply taking the juices from the bottom of | | | | The first thing to ensure is that your barbecue is ready |
| the pan and pouring them back over the cooking meat | | | | and at full temperature. Incidentally, I'm talking about a |
| from time to time. By doing this, and cooking at the | | | | genuine charcoal barbecue, not the gas or electric |
| right temperature, you will produce far more succulent | | | | variety which you can use in exactly the same way |
| results. Browning will still take place, but gently, as part | | | | as the oven. |
| of a process. | | | | Now place the meat fat side down directly over the |
| Using a roasting tin | | | | heat. After a few seconds it will burst into flames and |
| It's not a good idea to cook meat inside a roasting tin. | | | | you will have a heart seizure. Go with the flow. This |
| A much better way is to place the joint directly on the | | | | really is meant to happen. |
| rungs of the oven with the roasting tin underneath it. In | | | | Resist all temptation to interfere. Just let the flames die |
| this way, you can pack vegetables in the roasting tin | | | | down and then turn the meat over and leave it to |
| and they will cook nicely in the juices from the meat. | | | | cook for a further 10 minutes. |
| If you don't like that idea, because it means you have | | | | When you remove the meat from the barbecue it will |
| to clean the rungs after use, put the meat on top of a | | | | look more like a piece of charcoal than the succulent, |
| rack in or on the roasting tin instead. You don't need to | | | | highly flavored lamb that it really is. In fact, it will look like |
| buy a special tin for this, simply use a cake rack or | | | | a total disaster. |
| something similar. I have even used two or three | | | | Ignore the sympathetic murmurs from your guests. |
| kebab skewers and rested the joint on those. | | | | Carve into the lamb and listen to and enjoy their gasps |
| However the advantage of cooking directly on the | | | | of astonishment when they see the perfect meat |
| rungs is that the air circulates freely round the joint, | | | | inside the salty crust. |
| ensuring even cooking, and you can remove the | | | | There is no more delicious way to serve lamb and you |
| roasting tin to make your gravy while leaving the meat | | | | will have created an authentic Mediterranean flavor |
| where it is. Of course, if you do that, you will want to | | | | that is just perfect for those balmy summer nights. All it |
| put some kind of drip tray under the joint, but any | | | | takes is nerve (and maybe a couple of beers or |
| ovenproof dish will do for that. | | | | glasses of wine!). |
| Temperatures and cooking times | | | | Add a really crisp, well-dressed salad and a mountain |
| Using my method (actually it's Graham Kerr's method | | | | of frites to complete the feast. |
| which I've adopted but what the heck) you don't need | | | | Waddya mean ya don't know what frites are? |
| to learn a lot of complicated temperature/time | | | | They're the real French fries/chips. They're what |
| formulas. Cook your red meat at 350F, 180c, gas mark | | | | Ronald pretends to serve. They are so versatile just |
| 4. | | | | thinking about them brings tears to my eyes. |
| Cook poultry at 325F, 160c, gas mark 3. | | | | I buy mine from Birds Eye, but that's just a sentimental |
| Calculate your cooking time as 30 minutes for every | | | | thing (my family once farmed peas). Any skinny chip |
| 500 grams of meat. This will produce thoroughly | | | | that you deep fry from frozen will probably do the |
| cooked poultry, beef that is well cooked on the outside | | | | trick. |
| and rare inside, pink lamb and pork (yes you can safely | | | | You could also serve rice or fettucini or any other |
| eat 'underdone' pork, providing the internal temperature | | | | pasta of your choice. The main thing will be the meat - |
| reaches 160C for a period of at least 10 minutes!) | | | | just don't expect to have any leftovers! |
| If you want to change anything - alter your cooking | | | | Thermometers |
| times accordingly but beware. There is a very thin line | | | | While most underdone meat, except poultry, is safe to |
| between meat that is well done and boot leather. If | | | | eat, it's important not to be too cavalier about it, |
| rare meat is more than you can handle, it's a much | | | | particularly if the joint has been boned. |
| better idea to use my cooking times but then turn the | | | | That's because bacteria that were not originally there |
| oven off and leave the meat in it for a further 30 | | | | may have been introduced into the meat on the tip of |
| minutes or so. | | | | the butcher's knife. |
| Which brings me to one more point; it's very important | | | | Fortunately these will die at temperatures of around |
| to let the meat stand for at least 20 minutes before | | | | 160C, and the best way to ensure your meat reaches |
| carving. | | | | that for a prolonged period is by using a meat |
| Why? Because when you heat protein (which is what | | | | thermometer, especially one that can be left in place |
| meat is) it shrinks and toughens. Allowing it to relax and | | | | during cooking. |
| cool a little restores some of its elasticity. Just keep it in | | | | A good thermometer will also allow you to accurately |
| a warm place with a sheet of cooking foil over the top | | | | judge cooking times, because it will come equipped |
| while you prepare the greens and gravy. | | | | with a table which shows you how well the meat is |
| Exceptions | | | | done at any given temperature. |
| What would rules be without them? | | | | |