Hi to everybody on RFC,

I'm wondering if it is necessary to baste while roasting. Are there
some sort of meat that definitely need basting? Most importantly,
what does basting add to the finished product? Sometimes people
recommend that one should rest a roasted bird before cutting - is this
necessary for all meat?

Lastly, you see those supermarkets / fastfood store that have chicken
roasting machines - well I never see them baste their chicken is it
because the rotation sort of replaces basting?

Many many thanks to all.

Ada

Ada Ma wrote:
> I'm wondering if it is necessary to baste while roasting.

Basting is fairly useless. You get zero penetration. You are better off
brining.

> Sometimes people recommend that one should rest a roasted bird before
> cutting - is this necessary for all meat?

Yes. I hear it lets the juices settle or something. I don't know why,
but I know it's a good idea.

--
John Gaughan
http://www.johngaughan.net/

John Gaughan writes:

>Ada Ma wrote:
>> I'm wondering if it is necessary to baste while roasting.
>
>Basting is fairly useless.

You're useless, especially your brain... what a stupid thing to say.

>You get zero penetration.

Bend over, I'll show you penetration. Basting is not intended to add anything
internally (unless yoose wanna talk gynecologically), basting's sole purpose is
to enhance the *exteriour* of the food being cooked, especially its texture and
appearance, not to mention the flavor.... basting a brace of fowl imparts a
glistening succulent crispness to the skin, and flavor, depending on the
composition of the basting medium... much more appetizing than the dried out,
dull, parchment-like quality of your old lady's appearance. Geeze but you are
a kitchen imbecile of the first order... I wouldn't trust you to peel spuds.


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

On 25 Dec 2003 15:30:31 -0800, (Ada Ma) wrote:

>Hi to everybody on RFC,
>
>I'm wondering if it is necessary to baste while roasting. Are there
>some sort of meat that definitely need basting? Most importantly,
>what does basting add to the finished product? Sometimes people
>recommend that one should rest a roasted bird before cutting - is this
>necessary for all meat?

Basting is only to brown the skin.

>Lastly, you see those supermarkets / fastfood store that have chicken
>roasting machines - well I never see them baste their chicken is it
>because the rotation sort of replaces basting?

When you rotate a bird, there isn't much chance for the juice to
settle and seep out of the bird, keeping much of the moisture inside.

What does render out of the bird will baste another bird underneath
it.

-sw

On 25 Dec 2003 15:30:31 -0800, (Ada Ma) wrote:

>I'm wondering if it is necessary to baste while roasting. Are there
>some sort of meat that definitely need basting? Most importantly,
>what does basting add to the finished product?

Basting adds some flavor and prevents meat from drying out. Mostly
used for roasted birds.

>Sometimes people
>recommend that one should rest a roasted bird before cutting - is this
>necessary for all meat?

It's said to have something to do with allowing the juices to
consolidate back into the meat. TV and cookbook demos show this to be
true -- that is, a roast or bird that's cut into without a rest will
spill a lot of juice around, while one that has been left to sit for a
time has juice in the meat, not on the plate. Many roasts will also
continue to cook after being removed from the oven, so the resting is
process of finishing up the cooking. This is recommended for both meat
and poultry. There was a recent discussion here about fish, but I
didn't see any conclusions.
>
>Lastly, you see those supermarkets / fastfood store that have chicken
>roasting machines - well I never see them baste their chicken is it
>because the rotation sort of replaces basting?

I believe rotisserie roasting does not *require* basting because the
rotation of the meat keeps it basted with it's own juices. After all,
one often bastes with the juices that collect in the bottom of the
pan.

I never understood how basting was supposed to work to keep meat/poultry
moist inside. Just cook at a high enough temp and take the meat/poultry out
when it's done, allow the meat to rest, and you'll be fine without basting.

Always rest meat/poultry after roasting/grilling. This allows the food to
reabsorb the juices. If you slice/carve it right away, all kinds of juice
will just run out on to the platter. Let a roast/poultry rest 20-45 minutes
and it will be much juicer. Let a grilled steak rest until you don't see
steam coming off of it (5-8 minutes).

Rotisserie cooking does an internal sort of basting - it's definitely
different, and good, and no external basting needed.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Louis Cohen
Living la vida loca at N37° 43' 7.9" W122° 8' 42.8"

Bah! Humbug!

"Ada Ma" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi to everybody on RFC,
>
> I'm wondering if it is necessary to baste while roasting. Are there
> some sort of meat that definitely need basting? Most importantly,
> what does basting add to the finished product? Sometimes people
> recommend that one should rest a roasted bird before cutting - is this
> necessary for all meat?
>
> Lastly, you see those supermarkets / fastfood store that have chicken
> roasting machines - well I never see them baste their chicken is it
> because the rotation sort of replaces basting?
>
> Many many thanks to all.
>
> Ada

"Louis Cohen" > writes:

>I never understood how basting was supposed to work to keep meat/poultry
>moist inside.

Basting is NOT supposed to work to keep meat/poultry moist inside... if only
you could think... oops, anudder of those EDU dummys.


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

"Ada Ma" > wrote in message
om...
> Hi to everybody on RFC,
>
> I'm wondering if it is necessary to baste while roasting. Are there
> some sort of meat that definitely need basting? Most importantly,
> what does basting add to the finished product? Sometimes people
> recommend that one should rest a roasted bird before cutting - is this
> necessary for all meat?
>
> Lastly, you see those supermarkets / fastfood store that have chicken
> roasting machines - well I never see them baste their chicken is it
> because the rotation sort of replaces basting?
>
> Many many thanks to all.
>
> Ada

First off, if you don't baste, the skin dries out and gets ugly looking.
Basting keeps the skin moist and the immediate meat below the skin moist.

As for stupidmarket roasting machines, they are rotisserrie's <sp> . They
don't need to be basted as they are sort of self-basting.

In article >,
John Gaughan > wrote:
>Ada Ma wrote:
>> I'm wondering if it is necessary to baste while roasting.
>
>Basting is fairly useless. You get zero penetration. You are better off
>brining.

Not only that, but you dump quite a lot of heat every time you
open the oven door.

Basting is as evil as stuffing is.

--
Mark Shaw contact info at homepage --> http://www.panix.com/~mshaw
================================================== ======================
"It looks great at night. In the day, it winces like a hungover
vampire." -James Lileks, on Las Vegas

Many thanks for everybody's reply.

I'm going to roast a chicken tonight and see what happens.

Cheers,
Ada

(Ada Ma) wrote in message . com>...
> Hi to everybody on RFC,
>
> I'm wondering if it is necessary to baste while roasting. Are there
> some sort of meat that definitely need basting? Most importantly,
> what does basting add to the finished product? Sometimes people
> recommend that one should rest a roasted bird before cutting - is this
> necessary for all meat?
>
> Lastly, you see those supermarkets / fastfood store that have chicken
> roasting machines - well I never see them baste their chicken is it
> because the rotation sort of replaces basting?
>
> Many many thanks to all.
>
> Ada

I think basting is a matter of the cook's choice. No, you don't have
to do it, and your roast will probably turn out fine. I _choose_ to
baste roast chickens and turkeys fairly frequently during roasting
with the juices in the pan, as I think it results in a nicer looking
main course, and better gravy drippings. I generally choose to slow
roast birds at a lower heat,about 300 to 325 degrees and I baste every
twenty minutes to half an hour, or whenever I remember to do it. They
finish being very moist and tender, but a higher oven temperature for
a shorter roasting time is also fine. Maybe it's all in my head, but I
do think a basted bird has more moisture, and is slightly more
flavorful. I basted a leg of lamb with lemon and garlic butter during
roasting , and the result was delicious. Letting a bird or a roast
rest for a little bit before carving is a good idea, as almost
everyone else has already pointed out.

Melissa

In article >,
Ada Ma > wrote:
>Many thanks for everybody's reply.
>
>I'm going to roast a chicken tonight and see what happens.

I'm one of the ones (hopefully not the only one) who said that
basting was bogus, because you lose too much heat. However,
last night I grilled a spatchcocked chicken using a recipe from
Cuisine at Home magazine -- they specify that you should baste
it with a mixture of lime juice and chopped cilantro during the
last 15 minutes.

It was great. But remember, by this time it doesn't really
matter if you dump some heat; additionally, you build it up
again fairly quickly on a gas grill. And it really did bring
a lot of flavor to the bird -- the dry, crackly skin really
soaked up a lot of the lime juice.

--
Mark Shaw contact info at homepage --> http://www.panix.com/~mshaw
================================================== ======================
"Grown men are not comfortable explaining why they want to use the sniper
rifle on fictional dogs with speech impediments." -James Lileks