Oven Cookery Notes
Temperature and Time
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, 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 interior 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.)
Meat pan and rod shelves
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.
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