Whether you're roasting a chicken leg to serve as a meal for one or cooking an entire roast for family and friends, understanding this culinary method will help you obtain perfect results. Roasting food requires some planning ahead because you need to time how long items will need to be cooked, depending on their size and type. Find out more about roasting to cover every situation.
Understand roasting at home and what to do
Many recipes require the roasting of meat and vegetables. Check out this collection of meat recipes for some prime examples. Don't be put off by a recipe simply because it calls for some or all the ingredients to be roasted. After all, roasting really isn't as hard as you might have imagined. Here's what you need to know when it comes to preparing a roast dinner.
Roasting meat
Meat should always come up to room temperature before roasting it. Take it out of the fridge at least an hour before roasting. In the meantime, preheat the oven and put the meat onto a sufficiently large roasting tin. Oil and season meat to enhance flavour and prevent drying. Lightly covering larger joints with aluminium foil will also help, but to ensure the meat cooks through fully, it is often best to remove it part-way through cooking.
This garlic & herb roast beef recipe will give you an idea of what to do, and here is a breakdown of how long different meats should be roasted per 500g:
- Roast chicken: 20 minutes roasting, plus 20 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan). Allow to rest for 15 minutes.
- Roast turkey: 20 minutes roasting, plus 20 minutes at 180°C (160°C fan). Allow to rest for 25 minutes.
- Roast beef: 25 minutes roasting at 200°C (180°C fan). Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
- Roast pork loin or shoulder: 30 minutes roasting, plus 30 minutes at 180°C (160°C fan). Allow to rest for 15 minutes.
- Roast leg of lamb: 25 minutes roasting at 200°C (180°C fan). Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
- Roast venison: 20 to 25 minutes roasting at 180°C (160°C fan). Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Roast duck: 30 minutes roasting at 190°C (170°C fan). Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
For a twist, try this roast chicken dinner with rosemary wedges recipe, a dish that combines classic flavours with simplicity.
Roasting vegetables
When cooking a vegetarian roasted dish, such as roasted butternut on herbed tabbouleh, it is best to follow the recipe carefully. If you're roasting vegetables to accompany roasted meat or fish, then follow these timings as a guide. Keep in mind that if the oven already has lots of other food in it, allow for a little more cooking time since it will take more energy to roast fully.
- Potatoes (medium-sized, par-boiled first): 45 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan).
- Parsnips (cut into lengthways strips): 35 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan).
- Carrots (cut into chunky batons, not coins): 30 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan).
- Butternut squash (peeled and cubed): 40 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan).
- Brussels sprouts (trimmed and halved): 25 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan).
- Sweet potatoes (cut into wedges): 40 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan).
- Onions (peeled and quartered): 25 minutes at 200°C (180°C fan).
Roasting vs baking
In any good recipe library, you will find a combination of oven-cooking methods that involve roasting and baking. On the surface, they're much the same, but what differentiates the two?
- Firstly, roasting is usually for meat, fish, and vegetables and typically involves higher temperatures than baking. Baking is often used for cakes, bread and pastries.
- Secondly, oiling and seasoning food is important when roasting beef and other joints, but baked food recipes rarely call for this step.
- Finally, roasting calls for the browning or caramelisation of the outer layer of the ingredient, but baking usually does not.
How to cook a Christmas roast
Making a Christmas roast is not much different to preparing a standard roast dinner. The major difference is the scale. Typically, a Christmas roast is a feast for more guests, with a larger-than-usual joint. In addition, you may want to roast extra vegetables, like parsnips and roast potatoes. This can place the oven under greater strain, especially when constantly opening and closing the oven door.
Practice with a regular roast, and consider loosely covering items that might dry out with foil. Give yourself more cooking time, and remember that the resting time can be extended to help you get the timing right. For inspiration, consider a lamb roast for your next family meal. If you're interested in other cooking methods, check out meal kits to explore roasting and other culinary styles.
Roasting Cooking Method FAQs
What are the steps to roasting?
Firstly, preheat the oven and oil the food to be roasted if it might dry out. Then, put the food into the oven and move or baste it halfway through cooking. Finally, remove the roasted food and allow it to rest before serving.
What is the rule of roasting?
Cooking as evenly as possible is the rule for successful roasting at home. To achieve this, always preheat the oven and allow plenty of aeration. Use a suitably sized roasting dish on a metal rack, not a solid metal oven shelf.
What is the method for roasting food?
Roasting is a dry cooking method that uses the oven to heat food. By roasting, the outer part of the dish typically begins to crisp or caramelise while the inside remains tender and juicy.
Which foods are suitable for roasting?
Root vegetables and meat, especially joints of meat, are suited to roasting. Some larger fish also roast well. In addition, you can roast fruit and nuts in an almond-topped apple crumble recipe, for instance.