How to choose the perfect cut for a great roast

Choosing the right cut of roast meat is almost as deciding how to cook it. What to pick? What to do with it? We spoke to chefs Kevin Joseph and Graham Neilsen on how to choose the perfect cut of meat

KEVIN JOSEPH

Firstly, decide what type of meat you would like to roast and consider the length of time it will take to cook.

Do your best to try and source your meat from an organic, grassfed and hormone-free supplier.

Ensure you have a meat thermometer. This ensures you get the perfect temperature.

Look through a number of recipes to ensure you have the correct cooking time and always serve your roast with a flavourful sauce, preferably made from the roast drippings.

GRAHAM NEILSEN

Decide what you want to roast and how many you are cooking for. It is best to stick with one cut of meat to roast and to do it perfectly, rather than to try and get a whole range of different roasts right. You can go to town with all the sides.

How many people are you cooking for and how much oven space do you have?

It’s no use buying two turkeys if your oven barely fits one. Maybe use your oven in the kitchen to cook your potatoes, vegetables and stuffing and fire up the braai to do your roast.

Visit your butcher ahead of time and place an order, rather than at a supermarket.

It’s always better to know where your meat is going to come from to get the best possible quality.

If it’s a lamb shoulder or a leg, you can ask your butcher to tie it evenly for you.

If you want a beef fore-rib then ask him to remove the plate and trim the bones for you (keep the bones for your gravy). Your butcher can also help advise you on cooking times for various cuts.

If you are really organised, see if the butcher can dry age your beef for a while for you.

You could also look in the local farmers’ markets for free-range duck.

Good fatty ducks make a wonderful roasted treat.

Don’t buy anything that has been pre-marinated if you can help it.

Make your own marinade or rub (store marinades are often loaded with sugar and other nasty things). Keep the marinade or rub simple, if you’ve gone to the trouble of buying a great piece of meat then a couple of herbs and spices will do the trick.

Fat is your friend!

The fattier your cut of meat is, the better your roast will taste.

Keep all the fat from your roast to cook your potatoes and root vegetables.

Tips for the perfect roast lamb

WHEN it comes to Christmas dinner, it doesn’t get more traditional than having roasted meat, be it beef, chicken, lamb or pork. Chef Sherwyn Weaich shares with us Christmas roasting tips that will show you all you need to know about the art of roasting a leg of lamb.

Store it safely

As soon as you get home, store your roast in the coldest part of the fridge. If you’re not cooking it within two days, you can freeze the lamb for up to 6 months. Place the roast in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag. To thaw, place the lamb in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours, depending on the size, or until thawed.

Time it right

Depends on the cut of lamb you use, the amount of fat, and the size and weight of the roast. As a general guide when roasting lamb, preheat your oven to 220°C to crisp the rind, then reduce the temperature to 180°C to finish cooking the meat.

Make it medium

To enjoy your roast lamb at its succulent best, cook it to medium so there’s still a hint of pink in the centre.

Let it rest

After removing your roast from the oven, cover the roasting pan with foil and set it aside to rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

ROAST RECIPES

ROAST PORK WITH RED WINE

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:

2kg leg of pork

10ml olive oil

10ml sea salt

250g streaky bacon, diced

3 quinces, washed, peeled and quartered

80ml Honey

3 fresh bay leaves

400ml dry red wine

250ml hot water

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200°C. Trim excess fat from underside of pork, leaving skin intact. Use a knife to score pork rind. Rub rind with oil and salt. Place bacon and quartered quinces in a roasting pan. Add honey, bay leaves, wine and water, stir and then top with pork. Roast in oven for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C and cook for a further hour, stirring the quinces once or twice. Remove the pork and take off the crackling. Cut this into pieces. Slice the meat and serve it with the quinces.

BEER CAN CHICKEN

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

1.5kg whole chicken

30ml brown sugar

10ml garlic salt

5ml pepper

5ml dried oregano

5ml smoked paprika

2ml chilli powder

30ml butter, at room temperature

1 lemon, cut into slices

330ml can of beer (even alcohol-free beer works)

45ml olive oil

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Mix the sugar, garlic salt, pepper, oregano, paprika and chilli powder in a bowl. In another bowl, put the soft butter. Add 5ml of the spice mix to the butter and stir until smooth. Lift the skin of the chicken breast and rub the butter mixture underneath as far as you can go. Slide the lemon slices under the skin. Pour some beer into a roasting pan. Place the chicken on top of the can, with the beer can going into the cavity of the chicken. Rub the skin with olive oil and rub the rest of the spice rub all over. Roast the chicken for about 1 hour. Rest the chicken for 10 minutes before removing the can.

GARLIC AND HERB ROAST BEEF

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

1.5kg beef roast

15ml olive oil

salt and pepper to season

4 cloves of garlic, quartered lengthways

25ml Dijon mustard

5ml salt

250ml chopped mixed fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano, parsley)

METHOD:

Rub the olive oil over the cut of beef, season with salt and pepper and rub again. Make small, evenly distributed incisions in the meat and insert a sliver of garlic into each one. In a very hot pan, brown the meat on all sides. Working on a large piece of tin foil, smear the mustard all over the meat, then roll in the chopped herbs. Wrap up in the foil and roast at 180°C for 40-45 minutes for medium. Rest for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.