What is a roast ?

The roast and the legends

Roast is a key dish of the Italian tradition, there are many versions: from roast beef to rolled with bacon.

Each recipe tells of essential and delicious flavors at the same time, but where do they come from?

Legend has it that the roast was born in China many years ago when Bo-Bo, the lively son of a swineherd, set fire to the family shed and accidentally roasted a litter of pigs.

The parents, caught by their son's umpteenth prank, had nothing left to do but feed on the remains of the animals, thus tasting the toasted rind for the first time.

What is reported does not take into account the scolding that Bo-Bo received: it certainly must have been rather demanding but, in the discomfort, here comes the roast or rather the roasted meat.

From here on it is a succession of experiments that reach modern times with roasts not only of pork, but also of beef .

The roast beef. To be perfect it must…

Apparently simple to prepare, roast beef hides an obsessive care that begins with the choice of good and genuine ingredients.

Expert cooks say that a very tender roast is obtained if and only if the right attention is paid to all the preparation phases which begin, precisely, with the choice of the main ingredient.

The tenderness of the meat and its ability to melt in the mouth is triggered by the Maillard reaction , one of the fundamental practices for bringing delicious and fragrant dishes to the table.

Browning the meat represents another key point around which the juices contained in the beef roast disperse without dissolving completely, so as to keep the beef roast tender and caramelised.

Finally, what is commonly called roast refers to the cooking method and not to the cut of meat. In fact, pork, poultry and cattle can be used to bring a very tender roast worthy of note to the table.

Nonetheless, there are cuts of meat more suited to this type of cooking, especially when you choose a beef roast.

What roast are you?

To each his own roast.

With the aim of bringing a tasty and genuine dish to the table, you can choose to rely on expert master butchers like Bovì, who chooses to create a perfect combo between tradition and innovation while keeping the desire to respect animals intact.

When it comes to roasts, there is no shortage of suggestions, as well as recipes: beef, beef or poultry?

Here are the perfect cuts for a very tender and perfect roast for every occasion.

Beef ? The cuts of meat most suitable for slow and low flame cooking are: rump, walnut pintail and priest's hat.

Preference is veal if you prefer more tender meat and without excessive sinewy filaments: rump, walnut and underside.

Pork is perfect when you want a rich sauce and an inviting aroma capable of making even those who have just finished lunch salivate. You can't say no to neck, yoke and leg.

Lamb is perfect for a sophisticated and authentic flavour: leg, shoulder, saddle and breast are perfect.

Poultry is suitable for quick (but not too quick) roasts in cooking and preparation, the only precaution is to use the whole piece of meat without leaving the meat still waiting for processing for too long: defrost, prepare, cook and enjoy!

How is roast beef cooked?

The temperature represents an insidious obstacle to bringing a very tender and fragrant roast to the table.

Nonetheless, it is enough to pay a little attention and the result will be amazing and competitive with the level cook!

First of all, you need to have a probe thermometer to reach the deepest part of the piece of meat.

If you are cooking a piece of meat of a certain size in terms of volume, choose cooking slightly backwards so as to avoid excessive external crunchiness and annoying internal dryness due to the loss of meat juices.

Furthermore, pay attention to the use of the probe, in the case of poultry it must not be in contact with the bone but must remain spaced so as not to deceive you with the temperature check.

In terms of numbers, the beef is cooked to perfection at a temperature that varies between 58 and 60° , the veal - as well as the lamb - needs a few degrees more, 68° to reach perfect cooking.

Poultry reaches 85° , while pork settles at 80° .

In short, each cut of meat requires a personalized temperature capable of unleashing all the flavor and transforming into a noteworthy dish.

The very tender roast, the essential phases

To bring to the table a very tender roast that is good to eat and attractive to look at, you need to prepare the meat to perfection.

The winning move consists in flavoring the meat with secondary and refined ingredients capable of releasing aromas during cooking and transforming into pleasant pampering on the palate.

Daring in the kitchen, choosing to bring an alternative roast beef to the table, is an excellent choice that can range from sparkling and spicy flavors to more delicate and refined ones.

Spices and aromatic herbs lend themselves to refined and sophisticated marinades as do flowers and essences, in short, when it comes to roast beef - almost - every combo is allowed.

Another trick refers to the choice of sautéed meat and extra virgin olive oil : choosing top quality ingredients means preferring organic and natural cultures both for the cut of meat and for everything that revolves around it, from spices to oil extra virgin for cooking.

Remember to cook the beef roast at room temperature, thus avoiding any thermal shock and to ensure that the flavor of the seasoning is intensified, it is recommended to leave the cut of meat immersed in the marinade for a time ranging from 3 hours to overnight .

Finally, cooking can be done either on the stove or in the oven: the latter is much more convenient because it does not require topping up broth and water, the former is perhaps a little more demanding.

Whatever the final choice, what is essential to remember is to prefer genuine, certified ingredients with a guarantee of success, Bovì for example.