As a general rule, meat should be seared first, either on the stovetop or for a short time at a very high temperature in the oven, then left to roast in its own juices. Poultry, which already has a nice layer of fat beneath its skin, does not need to be seared before roasting. See the tips below for more specifics.
Tips
• Bring poultry and meat to room temperature before putting them in the oven.
• Never season poultry or meat in the roasting pan, as excess salt can make the meat juices overly salty.
• Searing meat at a very high oven temperature for 10 to 20 minutes (depending on the size of the meat) at the beginning of the cooking time will brown the meat, caramelizing the sugars and amino acids.
• Rotate the meat during roasting to encourage juices and for even cooking.
• It is worth using an instant-read thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the poultry and meat. There is nothing more frustrating than cutting into a piece of poultry or meat and having to return it to the oven, or more disappointing than discovering that it is dried out or overcooked.
• DEGLAZING THE PAN: When your poultry or meat has finished roasting and has been removed from the heat and covered to rest, place the roasting pan with the meat juices over medium heat, scraping up any caramelized bits that cling to the bottom. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes (depending on the amount of cooking juices you have), scraping and stirring until the liquid is almost caramelized. Do not let it burn. Spoon off and discard any excess fat. Add several tablespoons cold water to deglaze (hot water will cloud the sauce). Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a sauce boat for serving or pour directly over the meat or poultry.
• An instant-read thermometer can be helpful. Though I do not like to rely on it exclusively, I use temperature as a doneness guideline. But nothing can replace past experience, which is why I like to make the recipes in my repertoire over and over again, perfecting them.