Beef, Pork, Chicken, Lamb – How to cook, get the best flavour and the crunchiest crackling!!
The general rule for cooking roast meats is to start off the oven very hot 200c to 220c) for the first half hour or so and then turn down (180c) for the rest of the cooking time. This will ensure hat the juices are sealed in and also a nice crust is formed on the outside of the meat. Resting the meat loosely covered with foil after cooking will allow it to relax and at the same time the foil will keep the meat hot until it is time to carve.
Roast Pork – The skin will need to be scored, your butcher would normally do this for you. Before roasting pat dry with some paper towel and then rub salt all over the dry skin. This will give you the best chance of decent crackling as will a hot oven for the first ¼ of the cooking time. If you need to you can remove the crackling ear the end and lay flat on a tray in a very hot oven to really crisp it up.
Roast Lamb – The way we get our lamb legs from the butcher is boned and then netted so that it is nice and neat for cooking. Fresh rosemary, garlic, oil, red wine, salt and pepper will make an amazing tasting and smelling marinate Cook only till medium which is about 50 degrees Celsius if you have a meat thermometer Same as the beef, let it rest for a little bit and then carve.
Roast Beef – We marinate our beef in seeded mustard, dried herbs, salt, pepper and red wine. Starting off with a higher temperature will give you a decent crust and then lowering the temperature slightly to continue the cooking process. Resting the meat at the end of cooking is a must and then carve and enjoy.