Dry Heat Preparation of Meat
Tender cuts are usually prepared by one of the dry-heating methods: roasting (baking), broiling, grilling, pan-broiling, and frying.
Roasting. Roasting is the heating of moderate-to-large tender cuts of meat in the dry hot air of an oven. A roast will usually be at least 2.5 inches thick and provide more than three servings. The meat is placed, with any fat side up, on a rack in an open pan. The rack prevents the meat from sitting in its own juices, which would cause the meat to simmer rather than roast. If a rack is not available, one can be made by lining up carrots and celery stalks lengthwise across the bottom of the pan. Temperatures from 300o to 350oF (149o to 177oC) are recommended for roasting and should produce an evenly cooked, easy to carve, juicy, tender, flavorful roast with a greater yield than higher temperatures would have produced.
Higher temperatures of 350o to 500oF (177o to 260oC) are recommended to produce roasts with deeply seared crusts in less time, but the higher oven temperatures cause greater shrinkage. In general, it usually takes 18-30 minutes of roasting time for every pound of meat. Roasts should be removed from the oven slightly before their final desired temperature is reached and allowed to stand for 15 to 30 minutes in order for carry-over cooking to occur. This will also make carving easier and result in a more evenly juicy roast.
