Roast

To roast is to cook food uncovered in the dry heat of an oven, usually at a fairly high temperature. The outside browns and crisps while the inside cooks through. It is the same method as baking, but the word is used for meat, poultry, fish and vegetables. A pot roast, despite the name, is braised in liquid and is not roasted.

How to do it

For vegetables:

1. Heat the oven to 200 to 220°C (400 to 425°F).
2. Cut the vegetables into even pieces and toss with oil and salt.
3. Spread them in one layer on a sheet pan with space between pieces.
4. Roast for 20 to 45 minutes, turning once, until browned at the edges and tender.

For meat:

1. Take the meat out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes ahead and pat it dry. Season it well.
2. Set it on a rack in a roasting pan so hot air reaches the underside.
3. Roast at 160 to 230°C (325 to 450°F). Small, tender cuts and poultry like high heat; large roasts cook more evenly lower.
4. Check the internal temperature in the thickest part, away from bone.
5. Rest the meat, loosely covered, for 10 to 30 minutes depending on size.

How to tell it is done

Vegetables are tender when pierced and brown at the edges. For meat, use a thermometer: 74°C (165°F) for poultry, and 63°C (145°F) with a 3-minute rest for whole cuts of beef, pork and lamb under USDA guidance. Take larger roasts out a few degrees early to allow for carryover cooking.

Why it works

Dry heat evaporates water from the surface, which lets it brown through the Maillard reaction and caramelization. Vegetables lose water and their sugars concentrate, so they taste sweeter than boiled ones.

Common mistakes

• Crowding the pan. Vegetables steam and stay pale. Use two pans.
• Cutting pieces of different sizes. Small ones burn while big ones stay hard.
• Not preheating. The food dries out before it browns.
• Covering the pan with foil the whole time. That steams the food. Cover only if the top browns too fast.
• Carving at once. The juices run out onto the board.