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Oven Cookery Notes
25
The secret of succulent, tender meat, is not to roast quickly at too high a
temperature. Best results are obtained when
roasting is carried out at low temperatures. When a lower temperature is
used, the joint loses less weight, is more tender (too high a temperature
causes meat to be tough and dry), and the splashing of fat onto oven interi-
or is reduced. When a complete meal is being cooked in the oven, cooking
time may need to be increased, and temperature may need to be raised for
approximately the last 30 minutes of the cooking period (for instance when
cooking Yorkshire pudding to serve with roast beef).
The times and temperature suggested should be used as a guide but may
vary according to:–
1. Whether you prefer meat rare, medium or well done.
2. The size and shape of your joint.
a) A short thick joint requires a longer cooking period than a long thin
joint.
b) A small joint under 1.5kg (3lbs) takes longer per 450g (1lb) than a
large one, whereas a large joint over 3kg (6lbs) will cook in the time
given
for ‘minutes’ per 450g (1lb) without the ‘minutes
’
over added.
c) Boned/rolled and stuffed joints take longer to cook through than
those with a bone. (The weight of stuffing should be added to the
oven ready weight of meat/poultry to calculate roasting times.)
Never use meat pans larger than 390 x 300mm (15”x12”) and baking trays
no larger than 330x255mm (13”x10”), these should be positioned centrally
on the oven shelf. Food should not be placed directly on the floor of the
oven. To avoid unnecessary cleaning, rod shelves which are not in use,
should be removed from the oven.
Temperature and
Time
Meat pan and rod
shelves