Everything is Better Roasted (with Bacon)

Roasting is quite possibly my new favorite thing in the kitchen. Not awfully surprising, considering that I LOVE baking. It's just so easy, and tasty (especially wrapped in bacon :). If you know you are going to be home for 2 hours before dinner, or maybe in the morning before work, ROAST SOMETHING! Prep work is minimal, favor is outstanding, and generally produces enough leftovers for days. Most roasted meats freeze well, too.

Why are those last two points important? Well, if you are like many million Americans out there, you are strapped for time, most of the time. Leftovers and freezer meals become imperative for someone on the go. I doubt you want to take a few hours out of your Sunday to cook elegant meals for the week. You probably have a laundry list of honey-to-do chores, work, kids, a book to read... And even for those that love to cook, roasting is still just as fun as those elaborate meals! Plus, pulling a roast out of the oven for company just *sings* formal.

For those of you that don't really know what roasting is, it is a "dry-heat cooking method". You place meat in the oven, uncovered, until done. Most cuts of meat can be roasted, although tough cuts of meat should be braised. The larger the cut, the longer it will take to cook. This method generally results in a crispy exterior and moist meat. 

Some common meats to roast:

Chicken- whole, breasts, thighs/drumsticks, wings

Turkey- whole, breast, leg

Beef- tenderloin, sirloin, rib, top/eye round, chuck or shoulder roast

Pork- tenderloin, bone-in center cuts, baby back ribs, whole pork butt, ham

Lamb- boneless loin, chops, rack, shoulder, leg

Generally speaking, you want to follow these basic roasting steps:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

2. Season meat, place in roasting pan

3. Roast for 15 minutes

4. Reduce heat to 350 degrees

5. Cook until desired internal temperature

Poultry, usually 15 min per pound, to 165 degrees

Pork and lamb, usually 18-20 min per pound, to 145 degrees for pork, 120 degrees for rare lamb, 125 for medium, and 140 for well done lamb

Beef, tenderloin 8-11 min per pound; sirloin, rib, rounds and roasts 20-25 min per pound, to 120 degrees for rare beef, 125 for medium, and 140 for well done beef

6. Let meat rest! At least 10, up to 20 minutes This is so the juices can settle, giving the meat all its wonderful moistness

7. Carve, and enjoy :)

Bacon Wrapped Pork Roast

The Food

- 4 pound pork roast

- 4 slices bacon

- Salt, pepper, rosemary

- 2 turnips, peeled and sliced (or any root vegetable)

The Prep

Preheat oven

Lay turnips in a single layer in the roasting pan

The Method

Rub meat with salt, pepper, and rosemary to taste (I used about 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1 tsp dried rosemary)

Wrap the meat with the slices of bacon (add more bacon if needed)

Place the meat on top of the turnips

Place, uncovered, in the oven

Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees

Continue to cook for about an hour and 15 minutes

Turn the oven to broil (to brown bacon) **be careful with this step, as bacon burns easily if you aren't paying attention! (just look at my roast :)

Remove and let meat rest for 15 minutes before carving

Serve alongside the turnips that have absorbed all of the delicious bacon and roast drippings

Enjoy :)

This post is part of The Nourishing Gourmet's Pennywise Platter