Roasting over open fire is humanity's oldest cooking technique. The French classical codification of oven roasting — starting high, reducing heat, basting, resting — reflects centuries of empirical refinement. Escoffier's brigade kitchen had a dedicated rôtisseur station, a recognition that managing roasting temperatures and timing with precision was skilled labour, not background work. · Preparation
— **Pale exterior, raw interior:** Oven not preheated, or temperature too low throughout. Add 10 minutes more time at 200°C before checking again. — **Browned exterior, raw interior:** Oven too hot. The exterior Maillard reaction completed before the heat had time to conduct to the centre. Cover loosely with foil and reduce temperature. — **Dry, stringy meat:** Overcooked. No recovery — but correct this for next time by pulling at a lower internal temperature and trusting carryover.
— **Pale exterior, raw interior:** Oven not preheated, or temperature too low throughout. Add 10 minutes more time at 200°C before checking again. — **Browned exterior, raw interior:** Oven too hot. The exterior Maillard reaction completed before the heat had time to conduct to the centre. Cover loosely with foil and reduce temperature. — **Dry, stringy meat:** Overcooked. No recovery — but correct this for next time by pulling at a lower internal temperature and trusting carryover.
This is the professional-depth technique entry for Roasting (Rôtir), including full quality hierarchy, species precision, and cross-cuisine parallels.
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