Postby Metcarfre » 24 Jan 2012, 18:00
Most big chunks of meat that you roast/bake are best cooked by time at temperature per unit weight, if that makes any sense. Are you looking to make something special, or just an everyday meal?
My #1 tip for meats is you should always let meat rest for a couple minutes post-cooking. Otherwise you will lose all the juices and it gets tough.
My best easy meat recipe is for chicken breasts. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Heat a non-stick, oven-safe frying pan to medium-high heat. Put some olive oil in the pan, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Season the chicken breasts with kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried oregano. Sear on both sides, two minutes per side. Slice a lemon in half; squeeze one half over one side of the breast as it cooks, and the other over the... other. Toss the squeezed lemon halves, cut-side down, in to the pan with the chicken. Put the pan in the oven for about fifteen minutes, less if they're smallish breasts. Remove (use an oven mitt!) and put the breasts out to rest for a couple minutes. Serve.
The 'cook's treat' here is gnawing on the roasted lemons soaked with chicken-y goodness.
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