THE BASIC ROASTING RULES

It goes without saying that anyone who loves to cook – or just wants to improve their skills – needs at least one perfect roast to add to their recipe repertoire. As we head into the winter months, now’s a good time to brush up on your roasting techniques and prepare to wow family and friends.

Here’s our foolproof guide.

CHOOSING A BAKING DISH You can roast successfully in any old warped, thin baking dish, but when it comes to making the gravy, the pan will not only wobble on the cooktop, but will scorch if you don’t stir it madly.

Having a good heavy-based baking pan made of aluminium alloy, heavy stainless steel or enamelled cast iron is a great investment. If you don’t intend to brown the meat initially or make gravy, you can also roast in glass, pottery or ceramic ovenproof dishes.

HOW TO TELL WHEN

IT’S DONE

A meat thermometer will tell you the internal temperature of red meat, but use these as a guide only: 55-60°C for rare; 65-70°C for medium; 75°C for well done. Other ways of checking doneness are:

Poultry: Insert a fine skewer into the thickest part of the poultry (or cut between the leg and breast) and check the colour of the juices that run out. If they’re pink, it means the poultry’s underdone; clear juices mean it’s cooked through.

Meat: Insert a skewer to check the juices. Red means it’s rare, pink indicates medium-rare and clear is well done. You can also check by pressing quickly with a finger. Raw meat feels mushy and it becomes progressively springier, then firm, as it changes from rare to mediumrare to well done. This technique takes experience, so you’ll probably need to practise it on steaks first.

Seafood: This is cooked when the flesh changes from translucent to opaque or, in the case of salmon, from reddish to pink. Always remove fish from the oven before it’s fully cooked, as it will continue cooking in its residual heat by the time you’re ready to serve it.

RESTING THE MEAT

This is important for any roasted meat and poultry. To ensure you serve up the juiciest, most tender roast, allow the meat to rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute (which keeps all parts of the meat juicy) and will also make carving the meat easier.

FISH Try to buy your fish from a good-quality fishmonger. Fresh fish should smell of the sea, rather than overly “fishy”. To ensure they cook evenly, choose fillets that are of a similar size and thickness.

LAMB After purchasing your lamb, don’t leave it in the butcher’s packaging overnight. If you’re cooking it the next day, unwrap, place on a plate, cover loosely with cling film and refrigerate until ready to cook.

BEEF Trussing the meat with kitchen string ensures a neat shape during roasting. Tie the string firmly with a double knot, but take care not to pull it too tight! Don’t trim off the fat, as this will help meat to retain moisture. You can trim it after resting, if needed.

CHICKEN Before cooking chicken, rinse in cold water and pat dry, inside and out, with a paper towel. To prevent cross-contamination, it’s important to immediately clean the sink, kitchen surfaces and your hands with plenty of hot, soapy water.