Roasted meat is a delicious meal item but the its dry outer skin often has no flavor. Chefs solve that problem by creating bastes such as using oil for the base of a recipe for meats.
Instructions
1. Decide on the piece of meat to be cooked. Meats that roast well include rack of lamb, beef roast and all sorts of poultry from turkey to Cornish game hens.
2. Select the type of oil desired for basting. Regular olive oil withstands heat much better than extra virgin olive oil and costs less. Vegetable oil is also an acceptable base for oil bastes.
3. Pour the desired amount of oil into a bowl. Use more oil for a larger piece of meat. For example, 2 cups of oil is an appropriate amount for roasting a turkey and half that amount for a chicken.
4. Add seasoning to the oil. A workable ratio is 2 cloves of garlic to 2 cups of oil. Chopped fresh herbs like sage and parsley supply a nice flavor. Use 1 cup of each to 2 cups of oil.
5. Put an acidic flavor into the oil for contrast. Use the juice from a lemon or an orange. Include the zest of the citrus fruit for even more flavor.
6. Pour in a sweet flavor to round out the oil baste. Use ? cup of honey or ? cup of brown sugar. Mix all ingredients together in a blender or food processor. Taste the oil baste and add more seasoning, if necessary.
Tags: piece meat