How to Make the Perfect Roast: All the Tips, Tricks and the Methods to Roast to Perfection

There is nothing worse than seeing a seemingly perfect roast that, once cut, turns out to be dry and stringy. How can you avoid this inconvenience? How can you tell if it is cooked to perfection? The choice of meat, the marinade, the cooking method but also the resting time before and after: these are some of the precautions you need to take to have an excellent roast. Let's see what are the main rules to follow to bring a perfect roast to the table.

It All Starts With Buying the Best Cuts of Meat

The success of a roast begins when you choose the meat from the butcher. From this will come the type of seasoning, cooking, times and the final result. If you have taken a piece that contains more fat mass and a greater quantity of connective tissue, we suggest you extend the cooking, so that these parts melt slowly: they will make the meat even more tender and not calloused. In general, keep in mind that the best pieces for a roast are:

• beef: rump, flank, tail, brisket, priest's hat (for the famous roast with the vein), sirloin, loin;
• pork: neck, loin and leg;
• veal: rump, flank, silverside, shoulder;
• lamb: leg, shoulder, saddle, breast (boneless);
• chicken: it is better to choose a whole piece.

When Should You Add Salt to Your Roast?

One of the tricks to make the roast tasty is to start with the marinade, which must be done at least a couple of hours before but, if you want to make it even tastier, even the day before. You can use a mix of ready-made herbs, or do it yourself using oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme and marjoram. Blend everything and, with this mixture, massage the meat both inside and out, then let it rest in a pan or a baking dish, keeping covered. Salt and pepper, however, keep them for last because they tend to dry the meat: add them only shortly before starting cooking.

How to Prevent Your Roast From Drying Out

One of the things that dries out meat is the thermal shock that is created when passing from the fridge to the fire; to avoid this, leave the roast at room temperature for at least an hour: in this way the fibers relax before cooking, without hardening.

Another tip for making the roast soft is browning. The first part of the cooking must be done on a high flame, precisely to seal the outside:  in this way not only will all the juices remain inside leaving the meat tender, but you will also have a tasty crust. Prepare a sauté with the herbs and, when the oil is hot, place the piece of roast, turning it on all sides. At this stage avoid using forks, knives or other utensils that could pierce it, allowing the juices to come out. Instead, prefer two wooden spoons or the classic roasting tongs. When the outside is completely sealed, blend with a little wine and let it evaporate.

If you want to make your roast special, you can wrap it in a delicious "cloak": have some very thin slices of bacon cut, so that you can cover the outside of the meat, before proceeding with the tying. The fat will slowly melt, continuing to grease the inside of the roast.

How to Prevent the Slices From Falling Apart

In some cases, such as for roast veal or beef, but also for pork loin, it is advisable to tie it to keep the piece of meat in shape during cooking. If you have purchased a ready-made roast, the butcher will do this by placing the typical net. If, on the other hand, you have purchased an open piece to make the stuffing at home, you will have to tie it yourself with kitchen string. Roll up the roast and immediately close the two ends, then the central part, so that it is firm. Then make a series of turns around the roast, making tight knots.

Another problem that can occur is that, when cutting, the slices fall apart. To avoid this inconvenience, once cooked, let the roast rest. Cutting it when it is still hot is counterproductive not only because you risk ruining your work, but also because you could burn your hands removing the net. Instead, wrap the meat in foil, keeping the sauce aside. Let it cool, then remove the string with scissors and slice. Put it back in the pan, adding the sauce, which will help prevent the meat from drying out.

How to Tell if Your Roast is Cooked

To check the cooking status, we suggest you equip yourself with a probe with a thermometer. Given that cooking also depends on the type of meat and how big it is, keep in mind that:

• when the internal temperature reaches around 140°F/60°C the roast is generally cooked.
• However, if you like the slice to remain slightly pink inside, stop a little earlier, around 130°F/55° C.
• In poultry, the probe should be inserted into the thigh, without touching the bone, and should reach 185°F/85°C. Pork and poultry are meats that must always be well cooked, while beef can be cooked in many different ways while maintaining its organoleptic characteristics.

If you don't have a thermometer, you can use a toothpick. Prick the roast in the highest part: if a clear liquid comes out, it's cooked. If, however, it's pink, you need to continue cooking for a few more minutes.

How to Cook Roast

As we said, there are different ways to cook a good roast. We can do it in a pan, on the stove, use the oven but also help ourselves with tools such as the pressure cooker, the microwave or the air fryer, to speed up the times. Regardless of the method used, if you like the outside to be even crispier, the last 5 minutes you can put the roast in the oven turning on the grill, to make it crusty.

1. In a Saucepan

In this case it would be better to use a cast iron pan because the heat spreads better and allows for long cooking. Alternatively, you can use a pan with a double bottom. After browning as described above, add the wine and continue on a low heat, stirring often with two wooden spoons. Use the sauce that forms to moisten the upper part and always keep the heat low. It is better to cover the roast so that the moisture that forms leaves the meat moist and tasty.

2. In a Pan

Particularly suitable for roast veal , even in this case it is preferable to use a pan with a non-stick bottom, to prevent the roast from sticking underneath. Use a good glass of wine to baste and often moisten the upper part with the sauce that forms. Cook on a low flame,  always keeping the lid on.

3. In a Pressure Cooker

An excellent ally when it comes to long preparations, the pressure cooker allows you to cook by speeding up the times. The downside is that you cannot control the cooking state, so we suggest that, from the moment it starts to whistle, you calculate about ten minutes, a little more if it is a larger piece of roast. Then lift the valve and let it vent. Consider that the meat continues to cook even when the flame is off due to the effect of the pressure. Roast veal, pork loin in milk and roast beef are suitable for this type of cooking.

4. In the Oven

You can use it for all types of roasts, but always after browning them on the stove. Use a sprig of rosemary to collect some of the juices that form during cooking, to moisten the top part and prevent it from drying out. When the roast is ready, before removing it, turn on the grill for a few minutes, maximum 5, to accentuate the crust.

5. In the Microwave

A useful ally to speed up the times is also the microwave. Many models have the crisp function, which depending on the manufacturer can also be called combi, and allow you to brown the top and bottom obtaining a result very similar to that of the oven, but with reduced times. You can use it for all types of roasts but remember that the times vary based on the weight of the roast, so start with a short and prolonged cooking based on your needs.

6. In the Air Fryer

Having become one of the most used kitchen appliances in recent years, the air fryer allows you to use little oil, with a significant advantage for your health. Furthermore, by reaching the ideal temperature in a very short time, it also allows for energy savings. While it is true that it requires electricity, it is also true that the times are significantly reduced compared to a traditional oven, also due to its small size.