Roasting meat at low temperatures

I have a 4lbs boneless leg of lamb I intend to roast in an oven this weekend.

I am thinking of trying very low temperature roasting. I was inspired by Alton Brown roast beef episode where he cooked a (6 lbs?) roast beef in a 200 F oven and then acquired brown skin by finishing it in a 500 F oven.

I am going to follow the same strategy, put the leg of lamb in a 200 F oven (just to stay under boiling temperature) until I reach my internal target temperature of 118-120 F which will carry over to medium rare when rested, hopefully, then finish with 500 F for 15 minutes to brown the skin.

For those who have tried both methods, I am curious to know how the result compares to roasting at a higher heat.

Also, how long (ballpark time) does it take to roast 4 lbs at a low temperature such as 200 F?

temperature roast

Best Answer

I can't comment on how long it takes but I can comment on the difference I've noticed between each method. To start out I could never explain the how and why better than J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, over at The Food Lab, so here is what he has to say about high vs low temp roasting: http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/12/the-food-lab-how-to-cook-roast-a-perfect-prime-rib.html

If you still want to read here is my take on it.

To me the results were almost identical for the final outcome of the meat. However the difficulty in achieving the right level of done-ness is what differed the most. With the low temperature method, you have a fairly large window of time where the meat is in your 118-120F range. Contrast this to the high temperature method where it is easy to miss by only a few minutes and quickly overshoot your correct temperature.

Another benefit of the low temperature method is that you can pull the roast from the oven, and let it rest while you finish preparing the rest of the meal (in case timing everything isn't your forte). Then when it comes time to serve, you put the roast back into a screaming hot oven, you get the nice brown crust on the outside, warm the meat up again, and can immediately carve the roast right out of the oven since the interior has already had a chance to rest.

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Can you cook meat at too low temperature?

Some people worry that cooking foods at a low temperature for a long time in a slow cooker or in a slow oven is unhealthful. But it's OK. Cooking meat for four hours at 250 degrees does not present a health risk and will not "incubate" bacteria.

What is the lowest temperature you can cook a roast beef at?

The USDA recommends a minimum cooking temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit for beef, although traditional recipes may allow for lower temperatures.

What happens when you cook meat at low temperature?

Abstract. Heat treatment of meat at temperatures between 50 and 65 \xb0C, for extended periods of time, is known as low-temperature long-time (LTLT) cooking. This cooking method produces meat that has increased tenderness and better appearance than when cooked at higher temperatures.

What is the lowest temperature you can cook meat at?

Note: There are three important temperatures to remember when cooking meat or eggs at home: Eggs and all ground meats must be cooked to 160\xb0F; poultry and fowl to 165\xb0F; and fresh meat steaks, chops and roasts to 145\xb0F. Use a thermometer to check temperatures.

Our Guide on how to cook 'Low Temperature' | Donald Russell

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