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