so:

1. roast protein X in very low oven until it reaches desired temp
2. rest for 20-30 minutes, while oven is heating up to max temp
3. replace protein in over for a few minutes to crisp up.

any reason this shouldn’t work for X such as:

Chicken, Turkey (hello, thanksgiving), lamb, etc.?

http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Season5/Roast/RoastRecipe.htm

http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/Season5/EA1E02.htm

1. You do NOT specify bringing the roast to room temperature before beginning your roast. What is the best practice?

Since you’re cooking for so long at a low temperature, it’s not really necessary to bring the roast to room temperature. It’ll make a difference, but the difference is very small.

2. You also do not specify an amount of kosher salt for use a day in advance. Should the amount differ based on the length of time to the roasting?

Depends more on the surface area of the meat than the length of time of roasting. Even overnight, the salt doesn’t penetrate much more than 1/4 inch or so (except along some certain major fault lines in the meat). Salting is essentially just a surface treatment. It’ll dissolve some proteins in the outer layers of meat, but not much. I’d just salt to taste (mine gets a pretty hefty coat – I’d say I cover about 25% of the surface area with kosher salt).

3. I have not seen cooking bone side up before. Can you discuss this idea?

This is an error – it should be fat-side up.

4. Would you know the timing for cooking a roast at 250 degrees?

Sorry – I’m not positive of this, but just use a thermometer, and figure it’ll be about 25% faster than in a 200 degree oven.

5. Are there any pan drippings with this recipe at the end of the slow roast phase?

Yes there are, but they are mostly just rendered fat – there’s very little actual juices that come out and dehydrate and brown the way you’d get with a more intense roasting. So the drippings are best for things like yorkshire puddings, but won’t make the greatest gravy. For that, I use a separate stock.

Good luck!

Kenji

Reverse sear works great on any thick steak. Cook them in a 275 degree oven until about 20 degrees below your desired finishing temp. (90 – 105 degrees.) Sear in a hot skillet for 1 1/2 minutes on each side and 1 minute extra for the sides of the steak.

Tim

Perhaps I should try it the other way around. Gently bring them up to temp in the oven first, then finish them in a pan or under the broiler.

The recipe looks excellent. Just a few questions.

1. You do NOT specify bringing the roast to room temperature before beginning your roast. What is the best practice?

2. You also do not specify an amount of kosher salt for use a day in advance. Should the amount differ based on the length of time to the roasting?

3. I have not seen cooking bone side up before. Can you discuss this idea?

4. Would you know the timing for cooking a roast at 250 degrees?

5. Are there any pan drippings with this recipe at the end of the slow roast phase?

Thank you for your consideration.

Tim

I’ve tried this sous-vide, and the problem is actually that the meat doesn’t dry out enough on the exterior, making it very difficult to get a sear once you take it out of the bag. The only way I can manage is to sear it in a skillet or in a roasting pan over a couple of burners after it’s done.

It works, but it doesn’t get the nice roasted flavors of a real roast – it tastes more like a big steak. I’ve found the same to be true of turkey and chicken – that sous-vide gives interesting results, but it’s not a replacement for roasting.

Having not actually tested this and going on experience alone, I believe that many of the flavors that develop during roasting need both temperature, and exposure to oxygen. Is oxygen necessary for Maillard browning? I believe so. So by cooking sous-vide, you rob yourself of a lot of that.

Keep up the good work man.