Cooking Methods: Roasting

Mmmm roasting. I’m thinking about holiday feasts and cozy dinners. Roasting is wonderful because you can use this method of cooking with so many different kinds of food: vegetables, meats—you name it. Nothing is more dang delightful than a beautifully roasted chicken or pan of potatoes or carrots, so let’s go through the steps of how to achieve that wonderful roast. 

Before you get started, pop your roasting pan into the preheated oven (with nothing on it) so that it can heat up before you put the food onto it. Doing this adds an extra crispy element to whatever you’re roasting. When you’re roasting, the oven should always be at 350º or above. A hotter oven means crispier food, and we love that. 

Now onto the food. I like to start by coating my food in oil, salt, and pepper before it goes in the oven to make sure that every part of the food is covered. I find it easiest to do this in a bowl so I can really get in there and mix with my hands. They are the best tools after all. When you roast, the heat comes from all angles, so it’s important that the oil is nicely distributed. 

Before you’re ready to cook, make sure that all of the food is evenly spread and not too close together. If the food is too close together, then it will steam, and we don’t want to steam. We’re roasting here people! Once that’s done, into the oven it goes!! Roasting time, like anything else, depends on what you’re cooking. Monitor your roast while it’s cooking and when you see your food start to turn golden brown, take the pan out of the oven and flip your food so that the other side has a chance to brown. When all sides of your food are evenly browned, your job is done, and all you gotta do is eat!! Huzzah!

instructions

• Heat oven to 425º F (that’s my go-to temp)

• Optional: Heat empty pan in the oven for about 10 minutes

• Spread food out onto hot pan

• Put in oven and monitor

• When your food becomes a golden brown color, take the pan out and flip the food so alternate sides can brown

Roasting will come in handy so often, and roasting foods makes them SO delicious. The browning develops a super rich, nutty flavor (YUM). You really can’t go wrong with an old fashioned roast.