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Leite's Culinaria

A Roast in the Oven & Gravy to Match

Published about 6 hours ago • 3 min read

Hi Reader,

I’ve always believed a roast in the oven makes a house seem more civilized than it is.
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The One and I can have newspapers scattered everywhere, a laundry basket glaring at us from the stairs, and absolutely no idea where I put my glasses. But slide a chicken, pork shoulder, leg of lamb, or gorgeous hunk of beef into the oven, and for an hour, we’re people who have our lives together.
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That smell has a lot to do with it.
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You know the one. Fat sputtering in the pan. Garlic and herbs are getting darker and sweeter. Meat slowly browning until the whole house smells like Sunday dinner, even when, technically, it’s Saturday.
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And I love the waiting. A roast keeps you at home for a few hours. There’s no frantic sautéing, no last-minute choreography at the stove. You putter. You peek through the oven door. You pour a glass of something. If anyone asks when dinner is, you say soon.
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You are usually lying.
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But when that burnished roast finally lands on the table, surrounded by vegetables and plenty of gravy, no one remembers the wait.

My Commandments for a Proper Roast

  • Season sooner rather than later. Salt needs time to work its way into a substantial roast. Whenever possible, season ahead and let the refrigerator do some of the heavy lifting.
  • Give it some breathing room. Crowding the roasting pan traps steam, and steam is the mortal enemy of those crisp, deeply browned edges.
  • Use a thermometer and stop guessing. Time is an estimate; temperature tells you what’s happening inside that beautiful piece of meat. Start checking before you think it’s done.
  • Let the poor thing rest. Carving immediately after roasting is impatience with consequences. Give the juices time to redistribute while you finish the gravy and corral everyone toward the table.
  • Never neglect the pan. Those browned bits and drippings are concentrated Sunday-dinner gold. Add liquid, scrape enthusiastically, and turn them into gravy or jus. A roast like that should not go to the table dry.

WHAT'S INSIDE...

​David Leite’s Best Brined Roast Chicken​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.88 from 32 votes

This best brined roast chicken is the best method for brining your chicken, as far as I know. It blends aromatic vegetables and herbs to the brining solution before adding your chicken. The meat gets infused with lush flavors and juiciness beyond the average brined chicken.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Slow Roasted Boneless Leg Of Lamb​

This applause-worthy roasted boneless leg of lamb is easy to make with just four ingredients--lamb, oil, garlic, and rosemary--and 15 minutes of effort.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Beef Tenderloin Roast With Shawarma Spice Rub​

This easy beef tenderloin roast is crusted with a fragrant, vibrant shawarma-inspired spice blend and quickly cooked in the oven. It's the easiest holiday main you'll ever make.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Roasted Pork Shoulder With Mustard Glaze​

Go ahead and use a mustard that you've made yourself or one that's been lurking in the fridge for a while. This roasted pork shoulder with wilted greens is a simple way to make a great dinner anytime.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Roast Pork With Crushed Grapes​

This roast pork with crushed grapes is an elegant yet easy and affordable autumn meal of rosemary-seasoned roast pork loin in a black grape and Marsala wine sauce.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Jamie Oliver’s Sunday Roast​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.8 from 10 votes

Jamie Oliver's Sunday roast is entirely worthy of a special occasion although it's also an easy way to transform any old day or night into a meal to remember.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Stout & Soy Roasted Chicken​

This is a version of the very first dish I learned how to cook on my own, when I was about twelve years old. When my mom left for work one morning, she realized she’d forgotten to marinate the chicken she’d pulled from the freezer to defrost the night before. She had me sprinkle salt on that chicken, pour a beer in a big plastic bag, stick the chicken in the bag along with some bay leaves and celery, and stand the bag in a bowl in the fridge to keep it upright.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

​Chinese Roast Pork​

This Chinese roast pork turns out a crisp, crackling BBQ pork belly just like what you find in Chinatown. Like most Chinese barbecue, it's impossibly tender, slightly sweet, and surprisingly easy to make at home. Here's how.
​☞ ​Try this recipe​

Leite's Culinaria

David Leite

Why, hello! Leite's Culinaria is the James Beard Award-winning site that helps home cooks and bakers put dinner on the table and laughs in the kitchen. Hungry for more? Join 40,000 food lovers and subscribe.

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