A Roasting Primer : How to get the most flavor and tenderness out of your meat.

If you’re going to spend the money for a rolled beef roast, get the most for your dollars by understanding the quality and type of meat you’re buying, then preparing and roasting it in a way that will get the best flavor and most tenderness from the meat.

The three top USDA grades of meat are prime, choice and select. The difference between grades is the amount of marbling--the streaks of fat interlaced with lean muscle tissue.

Prime meat has the most marbling and is the most tender. The greater fat content, however, makes it higher in calories and cholesterol. Practically all of this grade is purchased by restaurants, but some goes to butchers and upscale markets.

Supermarkets generally sell choice or select beef grades. Choice quality is just slightly lower than prime; select hasn’t quite the marbling of the higher grades but is still as nutritious. Some supermarket chains sell select grade meat under their own quality designation rather than under a USDA grade name.

The section of the animal that yields the meat also makes a difference in tenderness. Rolled roasts from the rib, loin or sirloin will be more tender than those from the chuck, round or rump.

Personal preference determines the method you choose to roast the meat. For uniform interior doneness, the continuous low heat method works best. If a crisp exterior is desired, use the searing method.

Continuous Low Heat Method

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees and roast the meat at 300 degrees.

Approximate cooking time in minutes:

Rare: 25 to 28 per pound.

Medium Rare: 28 to 31 per pound.

Medium: 31 to 35 per pound.

Well Done: 35 to 40 per pound.

Searing Method

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Roast the meat 25 minutes at 450 degrees, then reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Approximate cooking time in minutes:

Rare: 23 to 25 per pound.

Medium Rare: 25 to 27 per pound.

Medium: 27 to 31 per pound.

Well Done: 31 to 35 per pound.

Timing

Timing of either method will vary with the size and weight of the roast. The only sure way to tell when the meat is roasted to the desired doneness is with a thermometer. It should read:

120 to 125 degrees for rare.

130 to 140 degrees for medium rare.

145 to 150 degrees for medium.

155 to 165 degrees for well done.

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Things you do before the roast goes into the oven also make a difference in flavor and juiciness, particularly in beef graded choice or select.

* If possible, remove the meat from the refrigerator 30 minutes before it goes into the oven.

* Seasoning the roast with salt and other herbs and spices is optional. It will penetrate about 1/4 inch into the meat during roasting.

* By holding the thermometer against the side of the roast, you can gauge how far it should be inserted. The tip needs to be in the center of the meat.

* Place the roast, fat side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Don’t add liquid to the pan and leave the meat uncovered. During roasting, the fat melts and bastes the meat, but the rack keeps the roast above the drippings.

Today’s beef is much leaner than beef 30 years ago. Although this change was driven by consumer preference, it means that today’s leaner beef is less flavorful, and some people have taken to larding their roasts, an old-fashioned technique to add flavor and juiciness.

Larding also benefits meat that lacks natural moisture. The procedure consists of inserting pieces of fat into the meat using a special tool.

Long-bladed larding needles are no longer easy to find, but smaller piquing needles are available at cookware stores. They can be used to draw short pieces of salt pork, or lardons, through the meat.

Cut the lardons to a uniform size, about 1/4-inch square. In experiments, we found that freezing made them easier to tuck into the needle. They thaw quickly, so we removed each just before it was used.

Remove the string and unroll the roast. Insert the lardons across the grain of the meat. You can also use the needle to insert anchovy filets or other flavorful ingredients.

If you don’t have a piquing needle, making small slits at intervals over the surface of the meat and tucking in small slivers of fat will give you similar results.

Retie the roast securely before roasting. Once the meat is cooked to the desired temperature, remove it from the oven and allow to stand 15 minutes to firm before carving.