Hot answers tagged roast
22
No. As you noted, searing beef performs what's called the Maillard Process (or Reaction) which is a specific form of caramelization. Nothing is "sealed" into the meat because the meat isn't sealed by the process. It's still porous and will therefore leech moisture during cooking. You can retain moisture in cooked beef by buying quality beef and not cooking ...
18
Cooking causes certain chemical reactions within the food being cooked, many of which produce (and consume) compounds which have various flavours.
I don't know the real specifics, but I can outline why your two cases are different, and you can verify it visually. If you take a potato, cut it up and boil it, it stays pale. The texture changes to become much ...
17
It's my opinion that the "proper temperature" is a number set by lawyers, not by chefs. The government standard for a roast bird is 180°F (83°C)! Are you kidding me? HTST pasteurization is 161°F (72°C) for 20 seconds, but my turkey has to get to 180°F for safe human consumtion? What the hell kind of bacteria do they think live in there?
165°F (74°C) is a ...
16
Alton Brown did an experiment in an episode of Good Eats called "Myth Smashers". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW9npAc2Sgw
If you are measuring the overall progress by internal temperature, then searing the outside will not result in juicier meat.
However, if you are new to cooking and trying to measure doneness by the outward appearance you see at a ...
16
My technique:
1 tbsp Fat (from pan, or use butter)
1 tbsp Flour
Pan Juice
Stock (total liquid about 2 cups - omit if you have enough pan juice)
Step 1: Make Roux
Melt fat in medium high saute pan
Whisk in flour, getting out all the lumps. (This is called a roux)
Continue to heat until smooth, and the roux is just starting to darken.
Remove pan ...
15
Warning: Although I've cooked the following low-temperature chicken two or three times without a problem, I'm no longer convinced that it is safe (see this question). Nevertheless, it is advocated by a well-known and respected chef, so I won't delete this answer unless I'm able to establish to my own satisfaction that it is, in fact, unsafe.
According to ...
12
I agree with Jay's answer that one of the reasons is because of keeping the skin crispy, but I don't agree about the difference with other types of poultry and have a bit more background info.
The root difference between duck and other poultry is that duck is much fattier, and most of that fat is stored under the skin. If you don't do anything about the ...
9
I don't think a pork sirloin roast will stand up to that kind of cooking very well. That is a very lean piece of meat, which does not lend itself to long cooking times at low temperatures. That type of cooking is best reserved for cuts of meat with lots of fat and/or connective tissue. If you put a pork sirloin roast in your cooker for 8 hours on low, ...
8
The temp your meat reached was too high, and it forced the water out of the meat.
Further info here along with a handy chart of temps.
My suggestion would be to turn that oven down to 200-230 degrees if you've gotta cook for three hours, or start temping it earlier and get it out before it over cooks.
7
I doubt that it was some allergy if two unrelated people experienced a problem. Especially if they don't have a history. Allergies aren't contagious, after all.
If you're right and the meat was handled properly and wasn't excessively fatty (which can cause some people upset), I think I'd look to some other component of the meal. Surely pork wasn't the only ...
7
I would suggest not roasting a chicken at such a low heat for so long. Here is a response to a similar question on another cooking forum:
A few days ago I printed out a recipe
from peacefulnightdove "BEST
Slow-Roasted Chicken". It sounded
wonderful but was to be roasted at 250 F (126 C)
degrees for 5 hours. That sounded like
a low temperature ...
6
Assuming you don't normally buy pre-brined / injected birds, you should notice a difference... As roux notes, it should be noticeably moist and tender, especially the white meat.
A couple of things to try:
Increase the time in the brine. 10 hours is plenty for breasts or quarters, but a whole chicken may take longer. A whole turkey will definitely take ...
6
Since ovens cook by heat radiation, you want to expose as high a proportion of the surface area as possible, which is why most roasts are vaguely cubic or cylindrical in shape. Any part of the meat that's pressed against the pan (i.e. the bottom of the roast) isn't going to get that nice brown crust.
It's also very important with slow-cooking methods that ...
6
@aaronut is right that trussing will maintain the more cylindrical shape you want. However, I feel like he's a little misleading about surface area.
A cylindrical roast actually has LESS surface area relative to the mass of the roast than a flat one. A plate will have more surface area than a ceramic cylinder of the same mass. As a consequence, the ...
5
Searing meat is beneficial for developing color (color = flavor in cooking) and for "jump-starting" the cooking process.
As noted in the previous answers the more browning and crusting (within reason) that you develop the more flavorful the meat will be. A good experiment to compare the difference that browning has on the flavor of food is to saute a piece ...
5
The breasts are dry because they are overcooked. All the different thermometers I have used to follow published guidelines have landed me with overcooked meat. I think it is because of the way I use the thermometer and also the rise in temperature (as noted by Satanicpuppy) while the meat rests. What I have done instead is to test doneness by pressing the ...
5
Two out of three people sounds like a bacterial infection to me. Bacterial, like viral, infections, can be successfully conquered by some people with stronger immune defenses, while others will get sick. Meat can be fraught with all sorts of bacteria, and anything it touches before being cooked can also get contaminated. You need to make sure meat (and ...
5
I think the Danish use the English style cutting and names not the US style, so direct translation is not really possible. The round is often just English "Roast Beef"
The main part of the round we would call topside, which is Danish is Inderlår og klump (topside and rump)
The top part we call Silverside is the "Culotte" (leg)
There are other ...
5
Chris
I think you're going to struggle to make two distinctive dishes whilst essentially using the same ingredients for both of them - therein lies your problem.
Do you have to use cranberries and chestnuts in both? There's many different types of vegetarian stuffings you might use that would compliment your nut roast rather than almost copy it.
How ...
4
I make sure that there are plenty of onions under the meat when roasting, but be careful not to let them burn. If you are not that keen on onion gravy just leave them out.
Once the meat is done, pour off most of the oil from the cooking juices to avoid an oily gravy. Place the cooking travy on the hob over a medium / high heat. If you need to deglaze the ...
4
Consider the castiron stuff from Le Creuset; my father-in-law has one that's at least 50 years old and it's still going strong. Lifetime warranty, too.
http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/Product-Range-uk/Cast-Iron-Cookware/Oven-Dishes/
They have roasting racks to fit as well.
4
Eye of round is an excellent cut for braising. You can braise it in stock or red wine. An example recipe would be the classic Beef Bourguignon.
It's also a perfect candidate for slow-cooking in a crock pot, as well as simply roasted in the oven. If cooking it in the oven, use a thermometer and don't cook it past medium. An overnight marinade can be used ...
4
Properly?
You throw it in a pit with hard wood coals for at least 8 hours. Of course we don't refer to that as roasting. :)
Oven roasting is easier. Turn the oven on to 250F or so. Put something flavorful on the roast. Stick in a probe thermometer and put it in the oven.
Remove when the thermometer reads 150F. Let it rest for a few minutes before carving.
...
4
If a recipe asks for a boned piece of meat, this indeed means that the bone is removed. I think the easiest and cleanest way of doing this is just asking your butcher. As for doing it yourself, there a some videos available online, e.g. this one.
Since your meat is a bit smaller, I would suggest to lower the temperature a bit (to 340F) and leave it in the ...
3
This is the way I've always done it...
I like to give the shoulder a good blast at a high temperature at the beginining to get some good colour and add flavour. Score the skin, season with salt and give it about half an hour at 220 degrees C or higher, uncovered, with some stock veg in the tray. Take it out, add some herbs or flavourings if you like (bay ...
3
I generally put garlic, rosemary, and thyme in the pan for a roast. As the meat juices and butter flow into the pan, they make a wonderful infusion of flavour that is well worth bathing the roast in. I'm all for it - I feel the roasts I've made and basted are better than the ones I didn't baste. That said, I haven't done any double-blind studies.
3
This article claims both, as well as giving it an "attractive appearance." However, there are alternatives to basting that achieve this.
I don't ever recall my mum basting a beef roast. Instead she sears the outsides using a couple methods. Sometimes she'll toss it around in some hot oil in a dutch oven to lightly brown the outsides, then roast it ...
3
I know many people (including myself) who suffer from an intolerance to pork. Stomach cramps and diarrhea follow after eating it sometimes (but not always)
Doctor told me that pork is 'one of those foods' that can cause upset stomaches. It's not because it isn't cooked properly or unhealthy. :)
3
The cooking technique you are describing, braising, is good for meat that would otherwise be tough, with a lot of connective tissue, such as a shoulder roast. When you try to braise meat which is low on connective tissue, such as the sirloin, you risk drying the meat out.
I would recommend roasting instead. If you have a roasting rack (or a metal cookie ...
3
I agree. Roasting in a conventional oven is probably your best option. Keep in mind that a roast of that size could take a couple of hours to cook. Also, you'll want to baste it quite frequently - maybe every 15 mins or so. The last time I made a pork roast I basted with butter and whole grain mustard.
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