Techniquebeginnerdraft
Roasting in the oven
Also searched as: roast vegetables, sheet pan, oven roasting
In short: Hot oven, hot tray, space between the pieces: that way vegetables brown instead of steaming in their own vapour.
Picture it
Like hanging out washing: spaced out, every piece dries; in a heap, everything stays damp.
What happens
The dry oven air takes up the surface water. If the pieces are too close, steam gathers between them and keeps the surface at 100 °C. A preheated tray gives the underside contact heat at once, and that is where the best crust forms.
Why it matters
Wedges, , Brussels sprouts: the difference between steamed and roasted usually comes down to space and heat.
How it’s done
Sequence · Step 1 of 5
Preheat the oven with the tray to 220 °C (fan 200 °C).
All steps as a list
- Preheat the oven with the tray to 220 °C (fan 200 °C).
- Dry the pieces and toss them thinly in oil.
- Spread them out on the hot tray, cut side down.
- Turn after about 20 minutes, once they release.
- When done, put them on a rack rather than stacking them.
Rules of thumb
- Better two trays than one full one.
- What sticks is not done yet: wait until it releases.
Related entries
Sources · 1
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004), Kapitel Kartoffeln, Stärke, Frittieren