To help you get your roast meats spot-on every time, we’ve created a super-useful chart to guide you, covering all the big-hitters, including turkey, duck, goose, chicken, beef, pork, and last but not least, lamb.
Before you start, there are a few extra things to take into consideration. First and foremost, buy the best-quality meat you can afford – just remember, it’s better to trade up on the welfare front and choose a smaller bird or piece of meat than to opt for poor quality. If you’re buying from a butcher, don’t be afraid to ask them where their meat comes from – if you don’t get the answers you’re looking for, vote with your feet and try somewhere else.
Another key thing to remember is to take your meat out of the fridge an hour or two (depending on its size) before you want to cook it so that it can come up to room temperature – this way, it’ll cook more evenly. The timings we’ve given in our handy guide are all based on cooking your meat from room temperature. Similarly, the resting stage is incredibly important and should never be skipped – this is what will give you super-tender, juicy meat, so we’ve included suggested timings for each type of meat in there, too.
It’s good to bear in mind that all ovens will vary slightly and they’re not always the temperature that they say they are! A lot of you will be used to the quirks of your own oven, but if you want to be doubly sure you’re cooking at the right temperature, get yourself an oven thermometer and adjust the heat accordingly.
And, although we’ve given you timings to work from, you’ll need to rely on your instincts, too. From the height, width and type of pan you use, to whether it’s covered or uncovered, down to things like adding a splash of stock, booze or a veg trivet, or if you cook more than one thing at once, can all mean you’ll need to make slight adjustments. That’s why we’ve added a section of extra notes – it’ll give you a description of what to aim for.
DOWNLOAD OUR HANDY GUIDE FOR ROASTING MEAT TO HELP YOU
Happy roasting!