All About Roasting: A New Approach to a Classic Art

Lately, so many roasting techniques push the idea of high heat for roasting--and only high heat will do. Well, I have a kitchen that heats up quickly and stays hot, and one that also holds onto the smells that high-heat roasting cause. It's a beautiful, old kitchen with almost no proper ventilation; plus I also have a very wonderful Viking professional oven/convection oven. The poor ventilation in this old kitchen is nothing I can change--so I roast at a lower temperature. So, all the recent roasting cook books have been of little value to me and a waste of my money, because I'm not going to run my oven at 500 degrees, nor at 450 degrees for any length of time.In this cook book it is suggested that, when it comes to roasting, there are many ways to go at it. It is a philosophy that Ms. Stevens reminds us came from the late, great James Beard. She methodically describes the different roasting methods--using temperatures all the way from 225 degrees up to 395. She saves higher temps for searing and "significant browning". Now, I roast at a lower temperature knowing Ms. Stevens would approve. I also create better roasts with her advice and recipes.Just like in her other great cook book "All About Braising" this author has given me wonderful ideas and shares her vast experience with me. I am so greatful for books like these--with authors so willing to share the best of what they know. There are very many "keeper" recipes here and much "food for thought". Just the idea of using thick slices of onion under my roast chicken--the flavor is incredible!--is justification for the purchase price. (I used to use carrots instead of a rack, and that was good. Onions are way better!)This book also includes valuable info on convection cooking. Convection cooking does not overwhelm conventional oven technique in this book, but the information is there for every recipe.I pondered over buying this book for a while, simply because I didn't want to invest precious space, time and money to one more cook book that promoted high-heat roasting. But, the fact that I loved Ms. Stevens' book on braising finally convinced me to buy this one. I am so, very glad I purchased this cook book. Since this book arrived, we've been roasting almost every day--Ms. Stevens' recipes, my variations on her recipes, and what my husband lovingly calls my "conjures", which in the past few weeks have been conjured from this cook book. This Fall our home has been filled with the wonderful smells of roasting--not smoking olive oil, not burnt crisps of 'whatever'. And I'll keep on roasting until Spring inevitably brings hot weather back to our southern location.

After a thorough browse of this beautiful book, which extended to reading whole sections that interested me most, I would say that it offers not a completely comprehensive treatment of the subject, but a reasonable and sensible one. These are the things I really like about this book:1. It's beautifully produced. High quality materials are used. There are lots of excellent color photographs of both the recipe results and recipe techniques. I did not note any typographical or "production" errors (a rarity these days) and was really impressed with the look of the book. The formatting of the pages is consistent, attractive, and easy to read.2. It's beautifully written. The recipes are formatted and written in a consistent manner, and they are written clearly and accessibly without any compromise in elegance of expression. While very thorough instructions are given for the techniques used in the recipes and culinary terms are defined and explained, the author does not talk down to the reader. I'd say it's one of the most well-written cookbooks I've read.3. It's beautifully organized. The chapters are divided into familiar categories: "The Principles Of Roasting," "Beef and Lamb," "Pork," "Chicken and Poultry," Fish and Shellfish," and "Vegetables and Fruits." "The Principles Of Roasting" is a 49-page overview of the things you need to know to execute the recipes in the book, along with descriptions of necessary equipment, which I believe is fairly complete for a book aimed at the general reader. Each of the other chapters begins with a mini table of contents listing all the recipes in that chapter, followed by a few pages of introductory information on the chapter's topic, and ending with recipes that proceed from the basic to the embellished. Each chapter also includes additional instructions for purchasing, prepping, and carving the items featured in the recipes. The logic and consistency of this organization, coupled with the felicity of the text and page formatting, makes the book very easy to read.This is not a "1001 Recipes For X" kind of book. Rather, pretty much everything you need to know in general to prepare "X" is explained, accompanied by just a few well-chosen recipes for "X." The combination of the introductory material in the first chapter and the technique information in the other chapters comprises a wealth of "how-to" information that will serve as an education for beginners and a resource for all. It's hard to imagine a cook needing more than this book to attain roasting competence, develop a well-rounded repertoire of go-to dishes, and proceed to improvise recipes of his/her own. It's a book you could cook your way through (and write your own best-seller about - I want Rosie O'Donnell or Fran Lebowitz to play ME in the movie!!).I am a careful and demanding reader and I did note a couple of points on which I wish the author had elaborated or a couple of details I wish she had mentioned, but they were very small points. Really, I think the only reason I can't say this is a totally comprehensive book is that it is so darn well done that I wish there were more of it. Kudos to the author, editor(s),and publisher. Great job!

This book really changed my whole perception of the art of roasting! The author lays out some basics that make the critical difference in successful roasting and then provides a bunch of excellent recipes for meat, fish, & vegetables to practice your new skills. I FINALLY learned how to cook a steak as good as a restaurant. I actually bought this copy to give to my daughter and I have recommended it to many others. If you want to learn how to provide really tasty and juicy roasts of all descriptions this book will become your roasting bible.

Die Anführungszeichen machen schon deutlich, dass der deutschen Sprache hier ein Wort fehlt - das Braten in der Pfanne spielt hier nur als kurzes Anbraten (searing) eine Rolle, "roasting" meint das Herstellen von Braten. Ein Blick ins Inhaltsverzeichnis lässt "All about roasting" nach einer der üblichen Rezeptesammlungen aussehen. Der allgemeine Vorspann ist nicht sonderlich lang. Dies täuscht aber. Molly Stevens hat sich sehr grundlegend mit Braten beschäftigt und verschiedene Techniken offensichtlich selbst ausprobiert, wo andere nur aus Küchenlexika abschreiben bzw. altbekannten Unsinn wie "nie vor dem Braten salzen" nachplappern. Der Unterschied zwischen "echter" und "falscher" Umluft war mir z. B. ungeachtet der Lektüre unzähliger Kochbücher und Grundlagenwerke unbekannt. Der Schreibstil ist im Vergleich zu anderen angloamerikanischen Autoren angenehm nüchtern, es ist nicht immer alles "mouthwatering", "succulent" etc. (ganz ohne kommt aber auch sie nicht aus). Die Rezepte sind anders als in "All about braising" (ebenfalls 5 Sterne!) vielfach eher "basic", das passt aber auch zu Braten, bei denen schließlich der Fleischgeschmack im Vordergrund steht. Fleisch? Steht natürlich im Mittelpunkt, neben Fisch und Gemüse gibt es aber auch noch ein sehr ansprechendes Teilkapitel über Obst. Umrechnungstabellen für das Ami-System sind vorangestellt, für die Unmöglichkeit, in Deutschland bestimmte "cuts" insbesondere bei Rindfleisch zu bekommen, kann Frau Stevens nichts.

Full of practical advice and recipes rather than fancy pictures. The queen of roasting and roasting recipes.

I own more than 100 cookbooks and yet I had never encountered such a comprehensive book, from ingredients to pan to use for roasting. A must to have if you wish to perfect the art of roasting.I also own the "All about braising", by the same author. It is equally good. Quality of meat does not lead to tender and juicy meat, if we do not prepare it properly. I have tried to roast beef for almost 40 years and never completely succeeded in having a tender and juicy meat. Now I know why! These two books provided me methods and steps for successfully roasting and braising meats.Too bad these two books were not around when I got married, some 40 years ago! They have become my bible for roasting and braising. (My wish now is that the author publishes one on casseroles, just casseroles.)

The recipes in this book produce a quality meal. The book itself doesn't present as well as what it produces so don't be put off by how things are presented in the book. What counts is the output from the recipes and this is where you won't be disappointed. Molly Stevens is an excellent chef and it comes through in her recipes.