Sunday Roasts (2 page)

“A Sunday well spent brings a week of content!”

A PROVERB

Some of my earliest childhood memories have to do with a culinary tale, which became a legend in our family. It seems that in the early days of my parents’ marriage, my mother thought that she should invite my dad’s boss for dinner and decided to make roast duck as the main course. Her efforts turned out not to be promising. A new and totally inexperienced cook, she overcooked the bird, rendering it dry and tasteless. She served it anyway, and the guest, a Southern gentleman through and through, tried desperately to eat the dish set before him. However, he had false teeth and could barely get down a single bite of the stringy fowl. Fortunately, my dad kept his job, and my mother learned how to roast. In the years that followed, she produced many delicious roasts of beef, ham, and chicken, but she never again pulled a duck from her oven!

Roasts were always special at our house whether they were for family or company meals, and I think that’s true for most of us today. A roast is never an afterthought. And if in the past cooks (like my mother) seemed to only turn to that triumvirate of standbys—roast beef, roast chicken, and ham—that’s no longer the case.

There are countless possibilities for what to roast today and endless ingredients that enhance flavor. In this collection, you’ll find a chapter that features beef and another that highlights pork, two perennial favorites. Another section has pages devoted to roasting chicken and its interesting relatives—turkey, Cornish hens, and yes, even duck. Lamb and veal both yield cuts perfect for roasting, so you’ll find a chapter that focuses on these tempting meats too. Another chapter is devoted to treasures from the sea, including salmon, cod, halibut, and tuna, which all take to oven cooking beautifully.

What you serve with a roast is also important, since side dishes should complement, not compete, with the star attraction. In this collection there’s a useful chapter that includes familiar accompaniments with innovative twists as well as plenty of delectable new creations. There’s also a final section that features recipes for robust chutneys, savory relishes, and seasoned butters—those essential little extras that make roasts of all manner shine.

Although you can roast on any day, Sunday is a time when many cooks have a few free hours at home, unencumbered by weekday work and schedules. What better way to spend part of that day than turning out a beautiful roast to savor with family and friends. And those leftovers—well, they are perfect for the rest of the week.

THE ART OF ROASTING

Whether you are roasting a pepper-coated beef sirloin, a big plump chicken brushed with herb butter, or a whole salmon side seasoned with soy and orange juice, delicious aromas are certain to waft from the oven and permeate your kitchen. These suggestive, fragrant scents, heralding the dish to come, are one of the reasons that roasting has not lost its popularity since the days when cavemen cooked meat on a spit. Roasting produces great contrasts in textures. The exterior of roasted foods is often well browned, even crusty on occasion, while the interior remains moist and tender. Anticipating what lies beneath the toasty outside is one of the great pleasures of a roast.

Roasting is an easy technique to master. You don’t need to hover over a roast; once it is prepped, you place it in the oven, and it practically cooks itself. For today’s time-deprived cooks, roasts offer another dividend. I often serve a roast one night and then use the leftovers imaginatively on another.

The word roast is both a noun and a verb. A roast is the piece of meat that is being cooked and to roast is the method used to cook it. So what constitutes a roast? Technically it’s a piece of meat, poultry, or fish that is cooked in the oven and is usually large enough to serve more than one person. Although many roasts are cooked
uncovered without any liquids, others profit from the addition of moisture. The ever-popular pot roast, for example, simmers in aromatic liquids and is roasted under a lid, as are roasted lamb and veal shanks.

What can be roasted? How long do you want the list to be? Meat, poultry, and fish are the wider categories, and within each there are different species and different cuts. Beef, veal, pork, and lamb roasts can be cut from the leg, the loin, the ribs, and the shoulder. Poultry choices include a variety of birds from the omnipresent chicken to turkey, duck, and Cornish hens, all of which can be roasted whole or in individual pieces. Many types of fish can be cut into large or small fillets and roasted. Even shellfish take to oven cooking beautifully.

ROASTING TIPS AND GUIDELINES

At the Market

Make a point of getting to know your butchers and fishmongers, and take time to introduce yourself so that if you call to place an order they know who you are. Even if you shop in groceries that sell prepackaged products, there are usually butchers and fish experts behind the counters. Strike up a conversation by asking them what is fresh and well priced that day.

In general, when purchasing meat for roasting, I prefer to have the butcher cut it fresh. However, if you are searching for a roast in the prepared meats section of a store and can’t find what you need, don’t hesitate to push that button for assistance. I can’t tell you how helpful butchers have been to me on such occasions.

The same butchers who cut your red meat roasts can ready a chicken, turkey, or other poultry to your exact needs. When it comes to fish, the people at the seafood stand know what came in that day and can guide you to the freshest catch. Fishmongers are also great at recommending substitutions when the fish you had your heart set on is unavailable.

THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT

Pans and Racks

You don’t need a lot of equipment for roasting, but there are some essential pieces. Basics include two good, heavy roasting pans, one large and one medium, with low sides. I like the enamel-coated cast-iron pans and stainless ones with an aluminum layer sandwiched in between for good conduction. It’s best if the pans are flameproof, so that they can be set on the stovetop for making pan sauces.

Some roasts are best placed on a rack. There are a couple of basic types. One is flat and will function simply to keep a roast from touching the pan and allow air to circulate around it. The other is adjustable with sides that can be set to accommodate roasts of varying sizes. I prefer the latter, which I believe provides more support.

Thermometers

Unless you are a professional chef and can test for doneness by simply pressing your fingers against a roast, thermometers are a must. An oven thermometer will let you know if your oven temperature is accurate.
An instant-read meat thermometer will let you see what temperature your roast has reached. Instantread thermometers don’t last forever and need to be replaced regularly.

Tongs, Mitts, and Spatulas

For tending to a roast while it is in the oven, you need heavy mitts or potholders, sturdy tongs for turning, and wide, heavy stainless steel spatulas for lifting it out of the pan.

Kitchen Twine, Skewers, and Basting Brushes For tying roasts and trussing birds, keep strong kitchen string on hand, and metal or wooden skewers for closing the ends of rolled or stuffed items. A basting brush will aid in brushing flavored butters and glazes on meat, poultry, and fish.

BEFORE THE ROAST GOES IN THE OVEN

All roasting recipes call for preheating the oven so that it will be at the correct temperature when the roast goes in. Count on 15 to 20 minutes for the oven to preheat. If you have time, it’s a good idea to let meat roasts come to room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes before roasting.

Roasts (with the exception of those that are marinated) are usually patted dry to remove any excess moisture, then seasoned. The seasoning can be as simple as salt and pepper or as complex as a spicy rub. In some recipes, the meat or chicken or even fish is sautéed for a few minutes before it is placed in the oven. This pan-searing will produce a light browning on the outside, which adds extra flavor and texture to the roast.

Large birds need to be trussed, a simple technique that involves tying string around the perimeter of the fowl so that it holds its shape and will roast evenly.

WHILE THE ROAST IS IN THE OVEN

Roasts need to be kept moist once placed in a hot oven. Those roasts that have a generous exterior coating of fat or plentiful interior marbling get basted naturally as this fat melts. Other roasts will need some help. You can brush them with seasoned butters, baste them with stock or wine, or even wrap them in bacon to ensure that they do not become dry.

LETTING THE ROAST REST

The cooking process doesn’t end when you take a roast from the oven. Roasts need to rest, covered loosely with foil, for a few minutes or up to a half hour or more, depending on size, to allow the juices to be reabsorbed into the meat. As roasts rest, they continue to cook, which means that their internal temperature will rise, changing the degree of doneness. The larger the roast, the more the temperature increases. Good recipes will factor in this resting time to prevent overcooking.

PAN SAUCES AND DRIPPINGS

After many roasts have been cooked, there are brown bits and juices that remain in the pan. These drippings are loaded with flavor and can be used as the foundations for pan sauces. Simply remove the fat, add broth or wine to the pan, and heat to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavors. A few swirls of butter will add body and shine to the sauce.

Pan sauces can also be thickened quickly with a paste made with equal amounts of softened butter and flour, referred to as beurre manié (French for “kneaded butter”).

CARVING

For carving, I find that a wooden carving board with grooves around the sides for catching the juices is essential, as is a very sharp knife plus a carving fork for anchoring the roast. A chef’s knife works well for beef, veal, lamb, and pork roasts, and for most poultry. For ham I like to use a long, slender, flexible knife. In some cases, kitchen shears work better; I use a pair for carving roast duck. For a large roasted fish fillet, use a sharp knife to cut it into servings, then a flat server or metal spatula to transfer to dinner plates.