Many people think of roasting pans only at Thanksgiving when they have to roast the turkey for the holiday, but a roasting pan can be a useful addition to your cookware if you know use one. There are many different types and styles of roasting pan, but the basic method of cooking with them is similar. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to a high temperature (usually 400 degrees F or above) as directed by your recipe. This will help to brown the outside of the meat you are cooking and seal in the juices (see Resources).
2. Liberally season the meat and or vegetables with salt, pepper, seasonings, herbs and spices.
3. Place the roasting rack inside of roasting pan. Put the meat on top of the roasting rack, which will help to drain excess juices off of the roast so that the outside can get crispy during the initial high heat roasting phase.
4. Place fish, low-fat meats and vegetables with a cooking liquid and additional fat directly into the roasting pan, without using a roasting rack. Follow the amounts for the ingredients as dictated by your recipe. These delicate foods will need to cook in additional liquid to prevent them from drying out too much.
5. Turn the oven temperature down after the outside of your meat has browned. Refer to your recipe for the lower temperature you should finish cooking your roasted dish at.
6. Baste the meat with the baster by putting the tip into the juices at the bottom of the pan with the bulb of the baster squeezed. Release pressure on the bulb to draw some of the juices into the baster. Squeeze the bulb of the baster again with the tip over the meat to cover the top of the meat with the juices. This will prevent the meat from drying out. Repeat this process several times during cooking at the lowered temperature.
7. Continue to cook the roasted meal at the lowered temperature until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the dish, not touching the bone, registers 10 degrees below the target temperature. Refer to a meat temperature chart for the target temperature, based upon the type of food you are cooking.
8. Let the dish rest for 10 to15 minutes after removing it from the oven before slicing and serving.
Tags: roasting rack, your recipe, bulb baster, from drying, lowered temperature