Showpiece roasts … beef, lamb, and pork

Sunset, Wntr, 1992

Place meat on rack in 9- by 13-inch pan. Roast at 450|degrees~ until thermometer in center registers 125|degrees~ for rare, 20 to 30 minutes. Let stand at least 10 minutes. Slice, discarding string. Serves 6.

Per serving: 189 cal.; 21 g protein; 11 g fat (3.5 g sat.); 0.5 g carbo.; 190 mg sodium; 61 mg chol.

Beef Tri-tip Roast with Couscous and Peas

1 3/4 pounds boneless beef triangle tip (tri-tip} or top round roast

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons hoisin or soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

About 2 1/4 cups regular-strength beef broth

1 1/2 cups couscous

1 package (10 oz.) frozen petite peas, thawed

1/4 cup sliced green onion

Fresh parsley sprigs

Salt and pepper

Trim and discard any excess fat from roast; rinse meat and pat dry. Set meat in an 8- by 12-inch metal roasting pan.

In a bowl, combine wine, hoisin, garlic, and coriander. Brush wine mixture evenly over roast. Bake in a 425|degrees~ oven, brushing 4 times with mixture (if pan drippings begin to burn, add 4 to 6 tablespoons water to pan and scrape browned bits free). Reserve any remaining wine mixture.

Roast until a thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 125|degrees~ for rare, 35 to 45 minutes. After 25 minutes, check the temperature every 5 to 10 minutes.

Transfer meat to a board; reserve all meat juices. Let roast stand, loosely covered.

Measure meat juices and remaining wine mixture; add broth to make 2 1/4 cups total. Pour into roasting pan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat; stir and scrape browned bits free.

Add couscous and stir until boiling. Cover pan very tightly with foil and let stand until all liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Stir in peas, onion, and any newly accumulated juices from the roast on the board.

Arrange meat and couscous on platter. Garnish with parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Per serving: 388 cal.; 39 g protein; 4.9 g fat (1.6 g sat.); 44 g carbo.; 311 mg sodium; 76 mg chol.

QUICK REFERENCE FOR ROASTING SOME POPULAR CUTS

Trim roasts of fat and tie, if specified, for uniform shapes that roast evenly. To determine temperature for boneless roasts, insert a thermometer in the middle of the thickest section of meat. For bone-in roasts, insert the thermometer through the thickest part until it touches the center bone. Always check meat after about half the estimated cooking time, in case your oven is running hotter than the thermostat indicates.

Rinse meat; pat dry. Season as desired. Place on rack, fattiest side up.

Let cooked roasts stand at least 20 minutes before carving so hot juices can settle back into the meat.

TABULAR DATA OMITTED