Roasting Meats

Hello Fellow Foodie,

Cool weather is here, and for me that means a return to fall comfort food. Part of that includes a nice roast once in a while.

With that in mind, here’s a tip sheet for you all about roasting meats…

Tips for Roasting Meats…

Roasting is used for larger, tenderer cuts of meat. Beef rib cuts, pork loins, legs of lamb, and whole poultry all roast very well. This technique involves little more than browning the outside and finishing the roast in an oven.

Keep in mind, though, that all meats are not created equal, and each cut requires individual attention when roasting. Tender cuts like pork loin, prime rib, tenderloins, etc need only to be seasoned a bit and roasted as is. More tough cuts like round roasts, shoulder roasts, blade roasts, etc. need to be slow-roasted or even pot roasted (browned and covered in stock) to tenderize the tough meat fibers.

Smaller roasts can be roasted at higher temperatures of 375-400 º F, but large roasts need to be cooked at lower temperatures of 300-325º F to prevent loss of moisture.

It is recommended that you use an instant-read thermometer to know when your roast is cooked to your preference. Insert the tip into the thickest part of the mini-roast. Rare is 135º F, medium is 145º F and medium-well is155º F. Well done meats are 160-170º F, but medium-well suits most people that want well done meat… and it’s juicier.

When roasting meats, remove them from the oven a few degrees below your preferred finishing temperature and cover with foil. Depending on the size of the roast, it will continue to cook for 10-20 minutes and will climb into the zone you want if you’re patient and plan accordingly. If you roast until the temperature is reached it will be overdone when it is served.

Placing foil over the meat and waiting to carve it not only finishes the roast properly, but also helps to ensure that juices stay in the meat, rather than spilling all over the cutting board… not really where you want them to be.

Don’t forget to use those pan juices to make your gravy or pan sauce. If you find that the pan is too dry during the roasting process you can add a small amount of water, wine, apple juice or something else that will add to the finished flavor of the sauce, but only a small amount. You don’t want to allow the roast to lie in the liquid. Once the roast has been removed to a cutting board to “rest”, you can then thicken the pan juices any way you want.

Roasting racks work well to keep roasts from lying in any juices that collect in the pan. A metal roasting rack is good, but if you don’t have one, or want something different. Use chopped vegetables to place your meat on. You will then have the addition of veggie flavor added to those juices.

Happy Roasting,
Chef Kevin

Posted in Foodie Ramblings... || 54 Comments

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Hello My Foodies…

I got  a great cookbook in the mail yesterday and wanted to let you know about it. It’s called “The Comfort of Apples: Modern Recipes for an Old-Fashioned Favorite” by Philip & Lauren Rubin, owners of 2 Peas & A Pot catering in Manhattan, NY.

I found it to be well written and it contains recipes with a modern flair. Here is one recipe for a simple soup you can try for yourself…

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
by Philip & Lauren Rubin,
Authors of The Comfort of Apples: Modern Recipes for an Old-Fashioned Favorite

Soup should be a smooth, friendly spoonful, which is why this is a lasting combination. Some ingredients just work well together: Butternut squash and apples have a complementary, mellow sweetness. Sweet potatoes and apples have a similar agreement, hence our sweet potato side dish

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 4 cups apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 quart chicken stock
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• Salt and pepper
• ½ cup walnut halves
• 4 ounces goat cheese, sliced in ¼ -inch rounds

Procedure:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent about 3 minutes. Add the squash, apples, carrots, stock, and cinnamon and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer until the vegetables are soft when pierced with a fork, 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Ladle the vegetables and half of the broth into a blender or food processor. Puree until very smooth. Return soup to the pot and stir in the remaining broth, one ladleful at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Season well with salt and pepper.

3. To serve, place a few walnuts in the center of a soup bowl. Shingle 2 slices of goat cheese on top of the walnuts and ladle the soup around the goat cheese. The idea is to have the goat cheese visible atop the soup. (Hint: it may be easier to ladle the soup into a large measuring cup with a spout and pour from there.)

Serves 6

The above is an excerpt from the book The Comfort of Apples: Modern Recipes for an Old-Fashioned Favorite by Philip & Lauren Rubin. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Copyright © 2010 Philip & Lauren Rubin, authors of The Comfort of Apples: Modern Recipes for an Old-Fashioned Favorite

Author Bios
Philip and Lauren Rubin, authors of The Comfort of Apples: Modern Recipes for an Old-Fashioned Favorite, and graduates of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, own 2 Peas & A Pot, a Manhattan catering company. They previously worked in several restaurants, including Cafe Luxembourg, Union Pacific, and Tribeca Grill. Lauren has also worked as a personal chef and recipe tester at Good Housekeeping. They have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, and were the subjects of a full-length feature in BizBash, the premier trade magazine for event planners. They live in New York City with their son, Henry.

For more information please visit www.2peasandapot.com and follow the authors on Twitter.

Posted in Foodie Ramblings..., Recipes & Repairs || 134 Comments