Roasting Tips

Roasting is a delicious way to prepare meat or poultry, but there are many nuances and intricacies that are essential to this process. There are several specific measures that you want to take before jumping in to ensure that your meat or poultry will turn out as delicious and succulent as possible. Below is a list of roasting tips that should help your meals come out picture perfect.

At the bottom of the roasting pan, you want to be sure to position rack for the meat or poultry to sit on, so that it is not reabsorbing all the fat that is dripping off of it.

Be sure to roast your meat or poultry at a low temperature, preferably around 350 degrees, so that it does not become seared and seals in the fat.

Try to use fat-free liquids for basting, such as tomato juice, lemon juice, or wine.

For poultry, smaller birds should begin at a higher temperature for a very short period of time in order to brown the skin. Then reduce the temperature while cooking to keep it moist. For larger birds, it's better to slow roast them for a longer period of time. The skin will brown over the duration of the roasting.

Remember to baste your meat or poultry frequently - every 20 to 30 minutes - with juices from the pan.

Invest in a meat thermometer. Poultry needs to reach a temperature of at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit before being consumed.

The addition of stuffing to your poultry adds about 30 minutes to the roasting time. Try not to stuff your poultry while the stuffing is still hot. You also want to remove the stuffing from the poultry as soon as possible after it is finished roasting.

Once your meat is finished roasting, let it set for about a half hour before carving it. You may leave it in the oven with the oven turned off. This allows the meat to absorb more moisture and become tender.

For crispier skin on duck, dab the duck with paper towels or kitchen paper and add salt.

More information on roasting pans