Roasting

Roasting is often used when preparing succulent meats such as ham roast, crown roast, tenderloins, turkey and rubs.

Roasting is often associated with festive times such as holidays or special occasions.

It is a dry heat method. No water is used, and the meat is not covered, so steam can escape. In principle, roasting meats is a simple procedure. The prepared cut meat is placed in an oven at a selected temperature and it is removed when done.

During roasting a crust is formed on the surface, which preserves the internal part from too sudden or violent a degree of heat and also prevents the draining away of its juice.

Historically, roasting meant cooking meat over an open fire. As time evolved, and the concept developed, meat was impaled onto a spit that turned over the flame.

The Brits perfected this technique in the 18th century one of their culinary claims to fame. Salt added to the surface of meat just before roasting will penetrate the meat only a fraction of an inch during cooking.

The same is true of the flavors of the herbs, spices and aromatics.
Roasting

Use of High Temperatures for Food Preservation

Use of High Temperatures for Food Preservation
Preservation of food by the use of heat finds very wide applications compared to other methods.

Heat may be used either for processing or conversion of foods or simply as a means or preserving the food.

In heat processing or conversion the application of heat is used primarily to effect chemical changes in food.

Cooking, frying and baking involve both processing and preservation operations.

Cooking makes food palatable and tender and also destroys a large proportion of microorganisms and natural enzymes.

Cooked foods can be stored for several days provided they are protected from recontamination.

Refrigeration cooked food is a normal household practice to prolong the storage time.

However, cooking will not sterilize a product.

Cooking also destroys the toxin formed by Clostridium botulinum during a ten minute exposure of the food to moist heat at 100 degree C.

Thus cooking provides a final measure of protection for consumer form food borne diseases.

The killing of microorganisms by heat is due to thermal denaturation of protein and enzymes of the microorganism required for its metabolic activity and growth.

The heat treatment necessary to kill the organisms or spores varies with the kind of organism, its state and the environment during heating.

The type of heat treatment will depend on the kind of organism to be killed, other preservative methods to be employed and the effect of heat on the food.

The use of heat also affects the food adversely and hence it is necessary to use only mild heat treatment that ensures freedom from pathogens and enzyme activity and enhance the self life of the food.
Use of High Temperatures for Food Preservation