Cooking slowly at low heat is key to getting fork- tender texture
A roast is not a finicky creature. It doesn’t need a cook hovering over its every sizzle to protect it from catastrophic overdoneness by a moment of inattention, the way, say, prawns do.
A roast, on the other hand, needs a bit of attention at the beginning, perhaps a pat of encouragement partway through, and after a little rest under a foil tent, it’s ready to take centre stage.
“The nice thing about a roast is it’s more forgiving,” says Joyce Parslow, consumer culinary marketing manager for Canada Beef Inc. A tented roast, she explains, can sit on the counter for up to half an hour after coming out of the oven, soaking up its cooking juices and waiting for you to finish making the gravy or side dishes.
In general, the key to successful roasts is a long, slow cooking time at low heat. Some cuts like a little moist heat to help break down fibres, making them fork- tender and releasing rich flavour, while other types of roast remain tender with dry heat.
Browning the roast before cooking is a key step in adding a lush, deep flavour to any roast. Browning, or searing, intensifies the beef flavour, but also creates new flavours. The heat causes proteins to interact with starches and sugars to create a toasty flavour, while the sugars caramelize, imparting richness.
The secret to browning, says Parslow, is to ensure the surface of the meat is dry, as any liquid will result in steaming, not browning. Take your time when searing to allow the caramelization to occur, which also helps prevent the meat from sticking to the pan.
Recipes for pot roasts can call for different kinds of liquid — water, beef broth and wine are common.
“The reason we add liquid is that the moist heat converts collagen [ from connective tissue] into gelatin, giving it that fork- tender, fall apart texture,” says home economist Lia Kurylo.