Roasts With the Most
If chilly weather has you in the mood to host folks for a roast, we feel you. There’s something magical about putting a piece of meat in the oven for a few hours, then opening the oven to spy a tender, hearty main dish at the ready. (Think: dinner party, cozy family meal or a TV binge session.
Before we dive into our favorite roast recipes to make in HexClad’s Hybrid Roasting Pan, let’s take a spin through HexClad Food Director Laura Rege’s top tips for this beloved style of cooking.
A Roast With Any Other Name
In general, said Rege, when people are talking about a roast, they’re referring to a larger piece of meat that’s cooked in the oven for a long time and serves a large group of people. In other words, meat is the star of the show. “It’s more of a presentation piece than other cuts of meat,” she said. Think: a seven to eight pound leg of lamb versus a pork chop. This is a celebration-worthy dish that you place at the center of the table with some beautiful slices carved for plating, said Rege.
Roast 101
If you ask the Brits (and we did), a great roast should include a few things like roasted veg, gravy, potatoes and Yorkshire pudding (check out our rendition of the Classic Sunday Roast). However, when it comes to American roasts, the world is your…er…roaster. “Really, you can just roast a piece of meat in your roasting pan and call it a day,” said Rege. “But, often people will add in vegetables that can both soak up the delicious meat drippings and add flavor to the dish. Plus, this provides a side dish that cooks at the same time.” Rege’s tip is to change up the spices on the veg to add contrast to the meat’s seasoning.
Mix It Up
As we said, there are no hard and fast rules to making a great roast. In fact, said Rege, her favorite thing to roast is a chicken. Obviously, she said, there are many ways to turn chicken into a meal. “A really nice roast chicken is one of the most delicious ways to serve food for guests. It doesn’t take as long as big cuts of red meat or take up as much space in the oven.” We’d have to agree that our roast chicken with pine nut and currant salad is perfect.
Don’t Fear the Sear
Though you can simply place the meat in your roasting pan and pop it in the oven, Rege stressed that it’s worth the time to build flavor by first searing your meat. Thankfully, that’s an easy task with any pan that can go from stovetop to oven (like, ahem, all HexClad pans). “I will start by searing the meat in my roasting pan or Dutch oven and getting a really nice golden color on it and then transfer it to a low-temperature oven to finish the cooking.”
What if you either can’t be bothered or don’t have the time? Rege says you can cheat it a bit by doing an “oven sear.” To do this, start the roast at a high temperature to get color on the top and sides, then reduce the heat to a lower temperature and cook through.
Love Me Tender
Tough meat comes from overcooking. You can avoid this with a simple kitchen tool: a thermometer. “Make sure you’re temping [taking the temperature of] the center of red meat or near the thigh bone for chicken,” said Rege.
READY TO ROAST? TRY ONE OF THESE 5 RECIPES
1. HexClad Perfect Roast Chicken With Pine Nut & Currant Salad
Our classic roast chicken takes a page from the Zuni Café and turns out supremely crispy skin.
2. Rosemary-Dijon Leg of Lamb Roast
The only roast lamb recipe you need, ready for your Passover, Easter or Christmas meals. Pair with extra-crispy roasted potatoes.
Channel the best part of British life: the Sunday lunch staple. Ours features beef tenderloin and roasted carrots that will change your life.
4. Citrus Roasted Salmon with Salsa Verde
Dare we suggest that a big piece of salmon counts as a roast? We dare, indeed. If you’re a pescatarian or simply love salmon, consider this your go-to fish roast.
5. Bourbon-Glazed, Smoky Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
File under: Very Extra, Ultra-Delicious. This bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin is truly a roast with the most. Double up on the tenderloins if you want to feed a crowd.
