How to prepare the roast
Roast is a general term for a type of cooking suitable for different types of meat, the cut of meat used for this method, or even the resulting dish. Beef, pork, chicken, and turkey are among the most commonly used meats, usually in one piece, sometimes also in the form of rolls or the like.
/how-to-prepare-the-roast/One of the characteristics of this cooking method is its ability to retain the meat’s juices and nutrients to the fullest, making the meat more tender and digestible, as well as appetizing and flavorful.
Cooking roasted meat is easy and not too labor intensive either, and contrary to popular belief, it does not necessarily take very long. It all depends on the type of meat: the poorer and more collagen-rich is the cut, the longer the cooking time will be; conversely, if the meat chosen is tender, as in the case of veal, cooking can be limited to as little as 1 hour.
How to prepare the roast
You can prepare the roast on a spit or by placing it in a pan, over a fire or in the oven, greasing it well with oil, butter or lard from time to time so that it does not turn out stodgy. It is a good idea to brown the meat before salting it, for this will form a crispy crust that will form a barrier that prevents the roast’s liquids from escaping.
Towards the end of the cooking time go and deglaze with white wine to perfume your meat even more.
You can also prepare the roast in a stew, that is, by cooking it for a long time in its own liquid along with seasonings such as oil, spices (rosemary, sage, thyme, juniper or bay leaves will do just fine) and vegetables.
For this type of cooking you can also arrange a preliminary marinating to make the meat more tender and juicy. We suggest adding chunks of lard to the inside of the meat if it is low in fat, and we absolutely do not recommend piercing the meat to keep it well moist. If your roast involves chicken, turkey or game, line your meat with slices of bacon; this way it will be softer and tastier.
As already mentioned, cooking times depend on the type of meat you choose, as well as its size. Generally speaking, however, it will take about 1 hour per kg of meat.
A little trick to check the cooking of the meat: skewer it until you reach the heart. If the liquid that comes out is clear and transparent, the meat is cooked to perfection; if it appears pinkish, it is better to extend the cooking time further.
How to tie the roast
The piece of roast is always tied, whether it is a rolled piece of meat or if it is a single piece since the tying does not make the piece of meat deform during cooking. Tying the roast is also useful when you want to add seasonings or bacon so that it is held tightly together.
Before cooking, let’s therefore see how to tie the roast:
- dispose the chosen meat (e.g., veal underbelly) on a flat surface
- deprive it of gristle and excess fat
- take kitchen twine and begin to create a kind of net, rolling the twine around the meat, lengthwise.
- lock the twine at both ends, taking care to leave one part of the twine longer than the other
- with this longer part of twine go back following the opposite side, proceed by securing the end with a knot
- dispense bacon and herbs on the roast in bunches as desired
- With the twine now form a loop by blocking its base with your fingers, inflect your hand and twist the twine 2-3 times, insert the meat inside,
- lock the base of the loop by tightening the loop created around the meat and pull the twine to make the knot solid
- Repeat the process, continuing along the entire length of the roast
- Secure everything with a knot at the end of the meat.
Of course, if you think you will have difficulty tying the meat, you can ask your trusted butcher to do it for you and buy a piece of meat already tied.
At this point you can proceed to cooking.
How to make a perfect roast
Finally, here are some useful tips for preparing a perfect roast:
- Choose the right cut of meat.
- Tie the roast properly.
- Brown the meat well to seal it.
- Once in the oven, turn the roast to achieve even cooking.
- Be careful when cooking: long cooking is only necessary for poor, less tender cuts (such as braised meats). If overcooked, your roast will be dry.
Deglaze the bottom of the casserole, let it shrink, and use the resulting gravy to season the meat, or even a tasty pasta dish.
