SC - chicken on string (and beef)

[Terry Nutter]

Hi, Katerine here.  Lark Miller writes:

>The key to cooking good roast beef is slow cooking and keeping it well
>covered so the juices don't boil out but stay inside to baste the roast.
>My Dad makes roast that melts in your mouth.

Actually, I don't think there's a single key to cooking good roast
beef.  My personal impression is that the best method depends on the
cut of the beef.

I adore the very expensive cuts oven roasted.  For lesser cuts, I'm
fonder of various pot roasting techniques.  The more expensive the
cut, the less important slow cooking is.

The reason a number of recipes start with preheating the oven very hot
is to sear the outside, which seals in the juices and provides a bit of
a crusty exterior.  Not nearly what you get with expert spit roasting,
but probably as close as you can come in an oven.

I tend to like to sear the meat in a pan, regardless whether I pot or
oven roast, if I have a cut that won't stand up to searing to 550 and
then cooking in a falling oven that settles to 350.  The searing not
only seals in the juices, but gives a better appearance and provides
a tasty exterior.

But there's nothing like a top quality roast... no matter how you cook it.

Cheers,

- -- Katerine/Terry

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