Roasting

Roasting is a general term that refers to cooking in an oven at relatively high temperatures. Usually, the meat or other roasting food is cooked uncovered so that its exterior browns and caramelizes nicely. The conventional line between baking and roasting is the oven temperature: 350°F. or below for baking, above 400°F. for roasting. The truth of the matter is that it was probably restaurant menu writers who converted us all to universal use of the term roast for all uncovered oven cooking; at this particular moment, it just sounds better. Roasting works equally well with whole chickens and chicken parts.