Learn to cook the best meat food


Low & Slow is the Way to Go

What's the difference between roastingof high temperature Mediterranean
and baking? Many Aussies would tell youcookery and it works equally well in the
there's none at all. We call roastsoven or on the barbecue.
'baked dinners'. But for the purpose of"Butterfly of lamb" is simply a leg of
this article we are going to separatelamb from which the bone has been
the two.removed. You can either do this
Roasting is done in the presence of fat,yourself (it's not as difficult as it
baking is not. It's that simple.may seem) or get your butcher to do it
So, potatoes cooked in the oven usingfor you.
fat are 'roast' potatoes. Cooked dry inThe first thing to do is to lay the meat
their skins they become baked potatoes.skin side down on a flat surface and
This is a useful way to separate the twoopen it out. Sprinkle the meat fairly
systems and one we'll stick to, ifliberally with soy sauce and add some
that's all right with you? :0)rosemary, thyme, crushed garlic, a bay
Roastingleaf or two and some sliced onion. Fold
Despite plenty of evidence to thethe meat over the herbs and place it
contrary, I still see recipes thatupside down in a bowl.
insist you should cook meat at highUpside down means skin side up, okay?
temperature for the first twenty minutesWho cares! It really doesn't matter that
or so - to 'seal' it - and then lowermuch.
the level for the rest of the cookingMarinade the joint overnight in the
time.refrigerator, having added half a cup
This is the traditional way. Fortunatelyeach of soy sauce and red wine.
for my guests, like the great GallopingOven cooking
Gourmet Graham Kerr, I'm not aPreheat the oven to 230° C.
traditionalist. Let's put this myth toThis may seem like an incredibly high
bed once and for all.temperature but the outside of your meat
Cooking meat at high temperature,is protected by two things - the liquid
whether in the oven, on the barbecue orit has been marinated in and the fat on
in a pan does not seal it!its surface, which you are going to
It burns it. That's why it goes brown.sprinkle fairly liberally with salt.
And it introduces extra flavor, becauseThis is one occasion when you simply
the outside of the meat generally has amust cook your meat directly on the
covering of fat. Fat is what gives meatrungs of the oven, fat side up, and you
it's unique flavor.will cook it at this temperature for
Adding this crust to the outside of theabout 20 minutes. Then, you will be
meat will also slow down the cooking ofrelieved to hear, you can reduce the
the rest of the joint, and help to keeptemperature to a mere 200° C.
it rare.This next bit is important, and you have
Think. Do you really want to do thisto trust me. Roast your meat for exactly
with chicken, for example?eight minutes per pound and no longer.
No of course not. Chicken in particularAllow it to relax for around 15 minutes
needs to be thoroughly cooked and highand then carve and serve.
temperature roasting will not help thatOn the barbecue
process.This is where I really test your nerve
Basting, on the other hand, will.and the faith your guests may or may not
Basting is simply taking the juices fromhave in you.
the bottom of the pan and pouring themThe first thing to ensure is that your
back over the cooking meat from time tobarbecue is ready and at full
time. By doing this, and cooking at thetemperature. Incidentally, I'm talking
right temperature, you will produce farabout a genuine charcoal barbecue, not
more succulent results. Browning willthe gas or electric variety which you
still take place, but gently, as part ofcan use in exactly the same way as the
a process.oven.
Using a roasting tinNow place the meat fat side down
It's not a good idea to cook meat insidedirectly over the heat. After a few
a roasting tin. A much better way is toseconds it will burst into flames and
place the joint directly on the rungs ofyou will have a heart seizure. Go with
the oven with the roasting tinthe flow. This really is meant to
underneath it. In this way, you canhappen.
pack vegetables in the roasting tin andResist all temptation to interfere. Just
they will cook nicely in the juices fromlet the flames die down and then turn
the meat.the meat over and leave it to cook for a
If you don't like that idea, because itfurther 10 minutes.
means you have to clean the rungs afterWhen you remove the meat from the
use, put the meat on top of a rack in orbarbecue it will look more like a piece
on the roasting tin instead. You don'tof charcoal than the succulent, highly
need to buy a special tin for this,flavored lamb that it really is. In
simply use a cake rack or somethingfact, it will look like a total
similar. I have even used two or threedisaster.
kebab skewers and rested the joint onIgnore the sympathetic murmurs from your
those.guests. Carve into the lamb and listen
However the advantage of cookingto and enjoy their gasps of astonishment
directly on the rungs is that the airwhen they see the perfect meat inside
circulates freely round the joint,the salty crust.
ensuring even cooking, and you canThere is no more delicious way to serve
remove the roasting tin to make yourlamb and you will have created an
gravy while leaving the meat where itauthentic Mediterranean flavor that is
is. Of course, if you do that, you willjust perfect for those balmy summer
want to put some kind of drip tray undernights. All it takes is nerve (and
the joint, but any ovenproof dish willmaybe a couple of beers or glasses of
do for that.wine!).
Temperatures and cooking timesAdd a really crisp, well-dressed salad
Using my method (actually it's Grahamand a mountain of frites to complete the
Kerr's method which I've adopted butfeast.
what the heck) you don't need to learn aWaddya mean ya don't know what frites
lot of complicated temperature/timeare? They're the real French fries
formulas. Cook your red meat at 350F,chips. They're what Ronald pretends to
180c, gas mark 4.serve. They are so versatile just
Cook poultry at 325F, 160c, gas mark 3.thinking about them brings tears to my
Calculate your cooking time as 30eyes.
minutes for every 500 grams of meat.I buy mine from Birds Eye, but that's
This will produce thoroughly cookedjust a sentimental thing (my family once
poultry, beef that is well cooked on thefarmed peas). Any skinny chip that you
outside and rare inside, pink lamb anddeep fry from frozen will probably do
pork (yes you can safely eat 'underdone'the trick.
pork, providing the internal temperatureYou could also serve rice or fettucini
reaches 160C for a period of at least 10or any other pasta of your choice. The
minutes!)main thing will be the meat - just don't
If you want to change anything - alterexpect to have any leftovers!
your cooking times accordingly butThermometers
beware. There is a very thin lineWhile most underdone meat, except
between meat that is well done and bootpoultry, is safe to eat, it's important
leather. If rare meat is more than younot to be too cavalier about it,
can handle, it's a much better idea toparticularly if the joint has been
use my cooking times but then turn theboned.
oven off and leave the meat in it for aThat's because bacteria that were not
further 30 minutes or so.originally there may have been
Which brings me to one more point; it'sintroduced into the meat on the tip of
very important to let the meat stand forthe butcher's knife.
at least 20 minutes before carving.Fortunately these will die at
Why? Because when you heat proteintemperatures of around 160C, and the
(which is what meat is) it shrinks andbest way to ensure your meat reaches
toughens. Allowing it to relax and coolthat for a prolonged period is by using
a little restores some of itsa meat thermometer, especially one that
elasticity. Just keep it in a warmcan be left in place during cooking.
place with a sheet of cooking foil overA good thermometer will also allow you
the top while you prepare the greens andto accurately judge cooking times,
gravy.because it will come equipped with a
Exceptionstable which shows you how well the meat
What would rules be without them?is done at any given temperature.
The example I am going to use is typical



1 A B C 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104