According to Sally Schneider, author of the cookbook we’ll draw from below, “Roasting is probably the easiest way to achieve dramatic results with little fat or effort. Once you have seasoned the roast, the oven does all the work…” Following are some tips for roasting and brining so those “dramatic results” can be yours.
On Salt: Salt is the primary seasoning for roasts; it is essential for bringing out the true flavors of meat or poultry and can also improve its texture. If you salt meat and poultry an hour or more before cooking, the salt will penetrate the flesh, seasoning it more deeply and drawing some moisture out of the meat to firm it up and tenderize it… Be sure to pat the meat dry before cooking so that it browns nicely.
On rubs & marinades: You can coat a roast with a dry rub right before cooking, or up to a day ahead, so that its flavors penetrate the meat just like a wet marinade. Wet marinades need time to penetrate the meat: at least 6 hours, or overnight, in the refrigerator. Always bring a roast to room temperature for about 1hour before roasting.
On Skin: Most of the fat in a chicken resides in the skin and in the pockets around the tail end opening. For sautés and braises, you’ll want to remove the skin, because in these cooking methods, a lot of fat is rendered out into the sauce. But I do roast and broil birds with the skin on, because it keeps the flesh moist during cooking; then I remove the skin before eating. Research has shown that cooking birds with the skin on does not add fat to the flesh itself.
On Doneness: For poultry, the breast should read 150°F; the part of the thigh closes to the body should read about 170°F. Letting roasts rest before you carve them (15 minutes for red meats, 10 for poultry) allows the juices that have been forced inward during the roasting to move back toward the surface; as they become evenly distributed throughout the flesh, they make it very juicy. If you carve the meat right after taking it from the oven, the juices will rush out and the meat will be dry. Don’t worry about the meat getting cold; a roast retains heat for a long time.
On Brining: Roasts that have a tendency to dry out in the oven, such as chicken, turkey, game hens, pheasant, and pork loin and tenderloin, benefit immensely from brining – immersion in a solution of sugar, salt, and water. The brine draws out blood and seasons the flesh at the same time, giving it a fuller, cleaner flavor and moist, succulent flesh. The amount of time a roast should spend in a brine depends on its size and thickness and the saltiness of the brine. Unfortunately, there are no cut-and-dried times, but the worst that can occur from overbrining is that the cut may be slightly salty; it will still be succulent and delicious. Thin cuts and small birds, like pork tenderloins and game hens, should spend no more than 6 hours in a brine. Larger cuts or birds, such as pork loin roasts and whole chickens, benefit from 8 to 12 hours in a brine. If you don’t have that much time, even a couple of hours will have a beneficial effect.
Basic Brine (enough to brine a 4 ½ lb. roast or bird) In a large saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil, add 6 Tbs. kosher salt and 5 Tbs. sugar, and stir until dissolved. Pour into a deep bowl or plastic tub just large enough to hold the meat or poultry snugly and stir in 1 ½ quarts cold water. Cool to room temperature.
Add the meat or poultry and place a ceramic dish on top to keep it submerged. You can leave it at room temperature for up to 1 hour; for any longer than that, up to 24 hours, refrigerate.
Preheat the oven. Remove the meat or poultry from the brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry. Discard the brine. Tie the roast or truss the bird as necessary and rub lightly with oil. Season with fresh herbs or a dry rub as desired. Place on a rack in a roasting pan and roast as directed in your recipe. - Updated: November 30, 2007
