Heated Debate Cookbook Author Barbara Kafka Causes A Stir With Her 500-Degree Roasting Recipes

It’s not every day that a cookbook tells you to open the windows, turn on the exhaust fan and turn off the smoke alarm before cooking.

It’s not every day that Barbara Kafka writes a cookbook.

Controversial, opinionated, outspoken and radical, Kafka is known for her acerbic style and her knack for spotting a trend and running with it while almost everyone else is still standing around wondering, “Gosh, what’s next?”

In this case, she spotted the symptoms of grilling burnout, and the beginnings of a comeback for that other age-old cooking technique - roasting.

In “Roasting: A Simple Art” (William Morrow & Co.), Kafka takes what is basically a restaurant technique - roasting quickly at high heat - and brings it into the home kitchen. Recipes for poultry, pork, beef, lamb, fish and vegetables all start with the same instructions: Heat oven to 500 degrees.

The result, say her critics, can be too much smoke and a dirty oven. The result, say her admirers, is delicious, aromatic, juicy food, and who cares about the oven? Use the self-cleaning cycle.

“My readers have been doing chicken this way for many years. They feel it is worth it, even with a little smoke,” says Kafka, who also writes “The Opinionated Palate” column for Gourmet magazine.

But what if there is more than just a little smoke? “Either your oven was dirty to begin with, your pan was too big or the chicken was too close to the top of the oven,” she retorts.

When told that the esteemed Julia Child complained that roasting turkey at 500 degrees produced a smoky house, Kafka pauses, carefully considering her words.

“I did turkey this way for ‘Good Morning America’ - a 9-pound turkey, unstuffed, in an hour and 15 minutes and no smoke,” she says. “I did so many turkeys this way I can’t tell you. Everyone was surprised it worked. But I still tell people that if you don’t like it, don’t do it.”

Kafka is no stranger to controversy. Her vanguard 1987 book, “Microwave Gourmet,” produced “enough fighting to last me a lifetime,” she says.

Now 62, Kafka thinks she has mellowed somewhat. Standing 5-foot-2, with a fragile-looking frame that’s beginning to ache from arthritis, Kafka still favors high heels and elegant designer clothes that she doesn’t bother protecting with an apron.

She faces critics of her book unflinchingly. “People today are too mealy-mouthed,” Kafka says. “I try to be honest. I would hope I’m not caustic, but I can’t tell people to do something I don’t believe.”

And she believes that roasting meat at 500 degrees keeps it from steaming and getting that unpleasant, powdery, mealy texture (think overcooked turkey breast meat). The high heat quickly caramelizes the surface, making that delicious brown crust everyone loves, and causes the fat to melt into the meat, keeping it moist.

By using such high heat, it’s also not necessary to baste or add extra fat (like rubbing butter on the chicken’s skin), the way you have to do at lower temperatures. You don’t need to use a roasting rack either, she says, unless you particularly want to have something extra to wash.

Kafka’s method is a revelation when it comes to pork loin roast, which, because of its leanness, often comes out overcooked and dry at lower temperatures. At 500 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, it has a nice brown crust and moist meat. “It’s probably the most popular of my recipes after my chicken,” she says.

There are, of course, other opinions. About the same time Kafka’s book hit the stores, Kathy Gunst’s “Roasting” (Macmillan) also appeared, although with much less fanfare.

Gunst, former culinary director at Food and Wine magazine, prefers a more moderate approach - a quick blast of heat at 450 degrees to sear the food’s outside, followed by cooking and basting with added liquid at a lower temperature, usually 350 degrees.

“Roasting at a high temperature produced a great crust, golden brown, but the inside was dry,” she says. Starting high and then lowering the heat was her answer for “utterly juicy meat and a golden skin.”

Well-known chef and cooking teacher Jacques Pepin says cooking at a higher heat produces a crisper skin and juicier meat, but he cautions against going as high as 500 degrees.

“You can cook anything at 400. That’s my standard oven temperature,” says Pepin, although he allows that roast chicken can be kicked up to 425.

But at 500 degrees, he warns: “There is much more spattering and smoking and, depending on the moisture and the pan, you can burn the juices.”

Susan Parenti, assistant director of the National Livestock and Meat Board’s test kitchen, says searing to “seal in juices” is a myth.

“It’s only for appearances’ sake. It doesn’t make meat taste any better,” she argues.

As for cooking beef or veal at high heat, she says, “It just tightens the protein and makes the meat less tender.” Restaurants can do it, she adds, because they have much more sophisticated ovens.

Parenti says 10 years of tasting-panel data have convinced her that the optimum temperature for roasting cuts of beef such as rib-eye roast is 350 degrees. Round tip roasts need 325 degrees. Only tenderloin nudges into the high-heat range at 425 degrees.

Kafka can only shrug and say that her book has gotten a terrific response from consumers.

“They’re not evaluating techniques, they’re just pleased,” she says. “Now go home and use it.”

Here are some recipes from “Roasting: A Simple Art.” To minimize smoking, be sure the food is at room temperature, your oven is clean and you use a heavy, low-sided roasting pan just large enough to hold the food. And don’t forget to turn on the fan.

Simplest Roast Chicken

If you don’t have lemon, garlic or butter on hand, Kafka says, roast the chicken without them. Or play; use peeled shallots or a small onion, quartered. Add some celery, sage or bay leaves, or orange wedges (and use some orange juice in the deglazing liquid).

5- to 6-pound chicken, wing tips removed

1 lemon, halved

4 whole garlic cloves

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup homemade or canned chicken broth, water, fruit juice or wine, or a combination, for deglazing

Place oven rack on second level from bottom. Heat oven to 500 degrees.

Remove the fat from the tail and crop end of the chicken. Discard the neck and giblets or freeze for making chicken stock later. Reserve chicken livers for another use.

Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the lemon, garlic and butter, if using. Season the cavity and skin with salt and pepper.

Place the chicken in a 12- by 8- by 1-1/2-inch roasting pan, breast side up. Put in the oven legs first and roast 50 to 60 minutes, or until the juices run clear. After the first 10 minutes, move the chicken with a wooden spatula to keep it from sticking.

Remove the chicken to a platter by placing a large wooden spoon into the tail end and balancing the chicken with a kitchen spoon pressed against the crop end. As you lift the chicken, tilt it over the roasting pan so that all the juices run out of the cavity and into the pan.

Pour off or spoon out excess fat from the roasting pan and put the pan on top of the stove. Add the stock or other liquid and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom vigorously with a wooden spoon. Let reduce by half. Serve the sauce over the chicken or, for crisp skin, in a sauce boat.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings.

Simple Rib Roast

Kafka calls her roast beef “rare, but not Saxon pillage.” She suggests a high oven temperature initially, then lower and finally higher again. Total roasting time is 1 hour and 12 minutes for the small roast, 2 hours and 15 minutes for the large roast.

1 4-1/2-pound short (without short ribs) standing rib roast (2 ribs), or 2 6-pound standing rib roast (7 ribs total)

2 to 6 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled and slivered (optional)

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 to 2-1/2 cups red wine, for deglazing

Place oven rack on the second level from the bottom. Heat oven to 500 degrees.

Place small roast in a 14- by 12- by 2-inch roasting pan, bone side down. The large roast will need an 18- by 13-by 2-inch roasting pan. Snuggle most of garlic, if using, under fat and spread remainder under meat. Season well with salt and pepper. Roast 45 minutes. With meat in oven, reduce heat to 325 degrees and roast 12 minutes more for small roast, or 1 hour, 15 minutes more for large roast. Increase heat to 450 degrees and roast 15 minutes more for both sizes. Meat temperature should read 135 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

Remove roast from oven. Transfer to a serving platter. Pour or spoon off excess fat, reserving about 1/8 cup for the small roast and 1/4 cup for the large roast. Put pan over high heat and add wine. Deglaze pan well, scraping with a wooden spoon. Let reduce by half. Pour liquid into a small sauce boat and reserve for serving over roast.

Yield: Smaller roast makes 6 servings; larger roast 20 servings.

Roast Pork Loin with Apple Compote

Far better than the usual applesauce, these apple wedges turn a rich dark brown along with the roast. If adding the optional cream/mustard mixture, don’t stir; pour over the apples, and turn the apples from the bottom (they’ll be soft and fragile).

4 large Granny Smith apples, about 2 pounds, peeled, cored and each cut into 8 wedges

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

2-1/4 pounds pork loin, boned and rolled, 7 inches long, at room temperature

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon canola or olive oil

1/2 cup heavy cream mixed with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, optional

1/2 cup deglazing liquid (water, wine, chicken or vegetable stock)

Place rack on second level from bottom of oven. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Toss apple wedges with lemon juice, and set aside.

Place loin in a 14- by 12- by 2-inch roasting pan. Rub salt all over the loin, and smear top with mustard. Roast for 20 minutes. Move the loin around with a wooden spatula so it won’t stick. Roast 15 minutes more.

Add the apples coated with lemon juice and the oil, spreading them out around the loin. Roast 10 minutes. Turn apples gently. Roast another 10 minutes.

In total, the loin should roast for 55 minutes, or until meat reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees. (The meat might still be slightly pink, but this is fine; don’t overcook or it will be dry.) The apples will be dark brown and will have absorbed the juices.

Remove loin to a platter. Snip off strings. If using optional cream and mustard, stir carefully into apples. Let meat rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Carefully remove apples with a metal spatula, and place around roast.

Pour fat out of pan. Pour in deglazing liquid, and cook over medium high heat, scraping up all the bits. Pour over the loin, and serve.

Yield: 6 servings.

Melting Potatoes

Not for the diet-minded, but Kafka says: “I would gladly sacrifice fat and butter for several days to eat as many of these potatoes as I can.” You can also use red potatoes, although the texture will be firmer.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 6 pieces, plus 1 tablespoon reserved in refrigerator

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 large baking potatoes (3 pounds)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cups fresh or canned chicken stock (see note)

Place rack in top third of oven. Heat oven to 500 degrees.

Put the 3 tablespoons butter into an 18- by 12- by 2-inch roasting pan. Set pan over medium heat just until butter has melted. Remove. Add olive oil.

Peel potatoes. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut each half in half again across. Cut each quarter into 3 wedges. Put into roasting pan. Roll wedges in butter and oil until evenly coated; arrange so that they touch as little as possible. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast 15 minutes. Turn wedges with pancake turner. Roast 10 minutes more. Turn again. Roast 10 minutes more. Remove pan from oven. Turn wedges again, making sure to turn white sides of each wedge face up. Add stock. Return to oven for a final 15 minutes. Potatoes can be made to this point and held 4 to 6 hours.

When ready to serve, dot wedges with small pieces of reserved tablespoon of butter. If potatoes have been at room temperature, roast 15 minutes. If they are still warm, 5 minutes will do nicely. Remove potatoes to a platter right away or they will stick to the pan.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Note: Canned broth lacks the gelatin that makes this dish so sumptuous in texture, and usually has lots of salt; add no more.