A properly seasoned and cooked roast is an elegant and simple dish to prepare, and something very valuable to know how to do confidently for feeding a large gathering of family or friends. With insufficient know-how, roasting meat can be an intimidating prospect, so here are a few basic ground rules to equip you for cooking a superb roast. I know I’m repeating myself here, but the best meat comes from animals that are locally produced, pasture-raised, and organically fed. Factory farms may produce a lot of inexpensive meat, but it is at great cost to the health of the land, the animals, and both the people who eat them and those involved in their production. Not only is the meat from humanely raised animals the tastiest, but your purchase supports those in your community who are tending the land, creating a very rewarding reciprocal relationship. It is really important to seek out markets and butchers who carry this type of meat. Some cuts of meat can be bought with or without the bone. Roasting meat on the bone will produce a better roast; it helps the meat to retain its juices and adds flavor as the roast cooks. Leg of lamb, lamb shoulder roast, rack of lamb, saddle of lamb, bone-in pork loin, pork shoulder roast, and prime rib are some examples of cuts that can be roasted on the bone. For easier carving, the bone may be removed before the meat is taken to the table to be cut. Or slice it in the kitchen and arrange it on a warm platter to pass; that is what I do most often. Seasoning the meat in advance makes a roast more juicy, tender, and tasty. Applying the salt one day ahead of cooking will do, but two or three days ahead is not too far in advance, especially for a large roast. A fresh herb marinade or dry rub is good to put on a few hours ahead or even the night before. It is important to bring the meat to room temperature before you cook it. Meat put to roast when still cold will cook very unevenly. The exterior will be fully cooked before the interior has even had a chance to warm up. Take the meat from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before roasting, or 2 hours for a bone-in roast. A good temperature for roasting is 375°F. Choose a pan just slightly larger than the roast. A rack is not necessary; instead, turn the meat twice while it is cooking. First, after the meat has browned, after 20 to 30 minutes; then, after another 20 minutes, when the underside has browned, turn it again and finish cooking. This allows for even browning and distributes the juices and fat all through the meat as it is cooking. (If the roast is small, brown it in a pan with a little olive oil over high heat before putting it into the oven to roast. It does not need to be turned then, unless it is browning too much on the top.) If you are roasting a rack of lamb, a bone-in pork loin, or a prime rib, lay the meat in the pan, bones down, for a natural rack. These roasts do not need to be turned. How do you know when it is done? I will poke and prod a roast to see if it is done, but I always take the internal temperature to confirm my judgment. An instant-read thermometer can be inserted anywhere in the roast and will immediately reveal the interior temperature. For the most accurate temperature reading, insert the thermometer lengthwise into the thickest part of the roast, parallel to the bone (but not touching it). You want to take the reading at the coldest part of the roast, as that will tell you where it is least done. For lamb I take the meat out at 128°F, for beef at 120 to 125°F, and for pork loin at 135°F. These temperatures are for medium-rare lamb and beef and medium-rare to medium pork. At these temperatures, the meat is still tender, juicy, and full of flavor. If you prefer your meat cooked more, for each increasing level of doneness, take the temperature up ten degrees—138°F for a medium leg of lamb, for example. It is very important to let roasted meat rest before cutting and serving. This allows ...

　　

Ingredients

10 servings

　　1 leg of lamb, bone-in, around 7 pounds

　　Salt and fresh-ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

One or two days before roasting, trim all but a thin layer of fat from: 1 leg of lamb, bone-in, around 7 pounds.

　　

Step 2

Season all over with: Salt and fresh-ground black pepper.

　　

Step 3

If the leg is boned, or partially boned, tie with cotton string as necessary for even cooking. Cover and refrigerate. At least 2 hours before cooking, take the roast out of the refrigerator and place in a roasting pan just slightly larger than the roast. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roast the leg of lamb for 30 minutes, or until it has browned on top, then turn it over and cook for another 20 minutes, or until the underside has browned. Turn again and finish cooking until the internal temperature registers 128°F on an instant-read thermometer. Start checking after 45 minutes; the leg will probably take about 1 hour and 20 minutes total cooking time. Let it rest for 20 minutes in a warm place.

　　

Step 4

To carve a leg of lamb with the bone in, hold onto the shank bone with a napkin or towel and cut thin slices from the large round muscle at the butt end, sliding your knife (always away from yourself) almost parallel to the bone. Turn the leg and slice some from the thinner side. The shank can be sliced perpendicular to the bone. A thin-bladed sharp knife makes the slicing a lot easier. Alternatively, cut the major muscle groups off the bone whole, and slice them in the kitchen.

　　

Variations

Step 5

Rub dried thyme into the fat with the salt and pepper.

　　

Step 6

When you take the leg out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature, drizzle it with olive oil and pat coarsely chopped rosemary over the surface.

　　

Step 7

Pound fennel seeds and add to the salt and pepper when seasoning the lamb.

　　

Step 8

Cook the lamb on a grill over a low even fire. Baste it with olive oil, using a branch of rosemary for a brush.

　　The Art of Simple Food