For millions of years, human beings have been known to be lovers of meat. In fact, history has it that meat is one of the oldest foods for humans besides the plant-based foods. So, over the years, humans have developed several ways of cooking meat to avoid monotony and make the food exciting. Perhaps the most popular methods of cooking meat are grilling and roasting (on a rotisserie grill). These two methods include exposing meat to heat. However, an impressive number of people also love to have their meat simmered. So, what is the difference between simmered, roasted, and grilled meat? Find out the answer to this question by reading on.
Roasted meat
Roasting is a method of cooking meat in front of an open fire. However, over the years, developers have come up with several machines for cooking. So, today, you no longer have to cook in front of an open fire for it to count as roasting. Cooking food inside an insulated box (like an oven, roasting pan, or baking dish) over a predetermined temperature is the new definition of roasting. The insulated box contains hot air, which cooks food just like an open fire. Roasting usually takes a long time, depending on the meat. It can take up to 45 minutes. Roasted meat usually features a crispy exterior and soft caramelised interior. However, the heat can strip the meat of its moisture. So, when roasting, you have to keep adding some moisture to your meat to avoid it from drying up completely.
Grilled meat
Grilling is a cooking method where food is exposed directly to a source of heat from above or below. So, grilled meat is usually cooked directly on a gas, with charcoal or using electric grills, like a rotisserie grill. Unlike roasting, the meat has to be exposed directly to a source of fire. Grilled meat is usually moist because the exterior is scorched by intense heat causing the moisture to sip inside the meat. The heat causes a colourful crust.
Roasted meat features a smoker burnt flavor. Grilling meat can be done within less than 20 minutes, depending on the meat and the size. Using a rotisserie grill usually takes less time.
Simmered meat
Simmering is a slow and gentle way of cooking foods, like meat. Simmered meat is usually cooked inside water at a temperature that is slightly under the boiling point. This cooking method makes meat tender. When simmering, you can add different spices and ingredients to the liquid you use for the process. Through the slow cooking process, the flavours get absorbed and preserved into the meat. This is because of the process of concentration that the meat goes through while simmering. So, simmered meat is usually tender, with intense flavours.
Which cooking method to choose depending on the type of meat
Roasting is a slow cooking process. Therefore, it is ideal for cooking large pieces of meat over a longer period of time. For example, you can roast beef stakes. On the other hand, grilling is ideal for small pieces of meat that will not need to spend a lot of time on the fire, which could result in overburning of the exterior. For instance, you can grill meat cuts like chicken breasts. You can also grill meat with a lot of fat because the excess fat gets melted away by the heat.
On the other hand, simmering is an ideal cooking method for cooking meat if you want to achieve a more tender texture and more concentrated flavors. It is ideal for meats like beef steak, with harder textures.
Conclusion
Roasting involves surrounding meat with heat under an insulated box like an oven or baking dish, while grilling means exposing meat directly to strong heat, which can be above or below. Also, grilling is faster than roasting.
On the other hand, simmering is a slower and gentler method of cooking meat inside a liquid under boiling temperatures. Each of these cooking methods for meat are impressive. You can choose the best one depending on the kind of meat you want to cook, the event, or the flavour you are hoping to achieve.
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