Meat should be roasted à point, to the appropriate degree of doneness for each kind of meat. For beef and lamb, except real baby lamb, à point is rare or medium rare. The degree of rareness depends on personal taste and, to an extent, on the animal, beef usually being served a bit more rare than lamb. Veal or pork or baby lamb is roasted à point when it is well-done, care being taken, however, not to overcook it so that it becomes dry and flavorless. Careful watching and frequent testing toward the end of the roasting time are needed to stop the cooking at the right point. In planning the meal it is wise to allow a little more time than the weight of the meat indicates for cooking and then let it reposer-“rest”-out of the oven 20 minutes before carving. This allows the juice to be reabsorbed by the tissues, giving the meat a succulent tenderness.
A chef frequently puts a thick layer of coarse salt on the outside of a roast of beef, moistening it just enough to form a crust which hardens in the oven and seals in all the juices. In the home kitchen a piece of suet tied around the roast plays somewhat the same role; the hot fat seals the outside of the meat and prevents it from becoming dry.
Roast Prime Ribs of Beef
Rub a rib roast of beef with salt and spread it generously with good fat. Put it in a roasting pan, curved side up, so that it rests on the bones. If it does not have a layer of fat, put a slice of beef suet on top. Brown the beef in a hot oven (450° F.) for about 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 350° F., and continue to roast, basting frequently, until it is done. Allow about 10 to 12 minutes per pound for rare, 15 minutes for medium, and 18 minutes for well-done roasts. In cooking a very large roast, add a few tablespoons water to the pan to prevent the fat from burning. Remove the meat to a warm serving platter and let it rest for about 20 minutes.
To make the gravy, pour off the fat from the pan, add about 1 cup stock or water, and cook over a moderate flame. stirring in all the brown crustiness in the pan. Correct the seasoning with salt and swirl in I tablespoon butter. Remove the gravy from the fire before the butter has completely melted. Add the juice which runs on the platter when the roast in carved to the gravy. Serve with Yorkshire Pudding.
Yorkshire Pudding
Sift together 1 ½ cups flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and a little grated nutmeg. Stir in 2 cups milk, 2 eggs, beaten, and ¼ cup melted suet or 1 cup finely chopped suet taken from around the kidney. Put about ¼ cup melted fat or drippings from the roast beef in a large shallow pan and put it in the oven to heat. Pour in the batter and bake in a moderate oven (375° F.) for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cut in pieces and serve with the roast beef.
Roast Filet of Beef
All the fat has to be removed from the outside of a tenderloin because beneath it are skin and sinews that must be cut away. Therefore, it is important to lard the meat with strips of larding pork or to have thin slices of larding pork tied around the outside. Alter roasting, the meat is often spread with glace de viande, or beef extract, to give it a rich flavor and an attractive brilliance. Roast the filet in a hot oven (450° F.) for about 8 minutes per pound. Filet of beef is usually served with a rich sauce and garnished with stuffed mushrooms, stuffed artichoke bottoms, small tomatoes, and asparagus tips, or other elaborate garnishes.
Roast Leg of Lamb
Rub a leg of lamb with garlic or put a few thin slices into tiny slits cut in the flesh. Sprinkle the meat with salt, spread it with good fat, and roast in a moderate oven (375° F.), turning the lamb often and basting frequently. If the leg is from a very young lamb, allow about 18 minutes per pound for well-done meat. For a larger leg weighing 6 to 7 pounds, allow about 12 to 15 minutes per pound for medium-rare. If the fat in the pan tends to scorch during the roasting, add a few spoonfuls water. Remove the lamb to a warm serving platter and let it rest for about 20 minutes. Serve with pan gravy.
Roast Leg of Limb Bûcheronne
Rub a medium-sized leg of lamb generously with garlic or insert slivers of garlic into tiny slits cut in the meat, Sprinkle the meat with salt, spread it with good far, and roast in a moderate oven (375° F.) for 2 hours. Remove the meat from the pan to a serving platter and make the pan gravy.
While the meat is roasting, prepare the following garnish: Drain 2 large cans of cepes and sauté them in ½ cup very hot oil until they are golden brown. Drain the cepes and transfer them to another pan containing 3 tablespoons butter. Season them with salt and pepper and add I tablespoon chopped shallots, 1 clove of garlic, crushed. I tablespoon chopped parsley, and 2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs, Cook for a few minutes until the crumbs are brown, shaking the pan to combine the ingredients as they cook. Peel 5 or 6 medium potatoes and cut them into slices the size of a silver dollar. Parboil the slices for 2 minutes and drain. Heat 3 or 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet, add the potatoes, and cook in a hot oven (450° F.) or over a moderate flame until they are golden brown, turning them from time to time. Season with salt. Slice the lamb and arrange the slices on a warm serving platter. Arrange the potatoes and the cepes alternately around the meat and sprinkle the potatoes with chopped parsley. Serve pan gravy separately.
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