I don't know how to tell when a roast has gone too far. And I don't know how to learn, except by repeated and expensive mistakes.
A couple of weeks ago, I made a beef roast. I was afraid I'd burned it. But I rescued it in time so that the meat wasn't spoiled. I thought I'd give a go at gravy, just in case it wasn't tooooo burned. It was the most awesome gravy! The roast and the drippings had browned just right.
Today I made a turkey. It seemed that the gunk in the bottom of the pan was too burned and I was going to pitch it. But Gary thought it would be worth keeping the drippings and seeing how they tasted. And it was great! But my nose tells me it's burned.
So how does a person know when "burned" goes too far and actually is burned?
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First, you need a digital meat thermometer that beeps when the meat is the right temp. :) Mine has saved many a piece of meat from being ruined. ( and helped me produce some that are darn near perfect!)
ReplyDeleteBut when they do cook longer than you would like, the drippings are usually still good. Most meat drippings still have a good flavor even when they and smell burned. It's at least partly because the heat is indirect.
I'm far from a cooking expert, but I do love to make homemade gravy. Some of the pan drippings will be dark brown, dry, and stick to the pan(more if the pan is significantly wider than the meat inside). Once you have added the flour and the first little bits of water and start stirring around with the wooden spoon they give good flavor and color. I wouldn't say the drippings are burned unless they are black and flaking.
ReplyDeleteOh, Jane, you're right. I should use the meat thermometer more often instead of just waiting for the right amount of time.
ReplyDeleteMarie, the "flaking" comment helps. Thanks. With the turkey yesterday, there were some parts of the pan where it was black and flaking (the parts where I couldn't get the roaster closed because the turkey was too big). But the rest of the drippings were fine because I kept adding water or wine throughout the cooking-time.