The History of Roasting Foods

Cooking is the act of preparing food by applying heat. Man’s earliest attempts at cooking were to hold foods directly above a flame and dry cook them. Long before roasting pans were invented, people were roasting food, first on a stick, and later on a spit so that large portions could be turned to avoid overcooking.

Prehistoric people broiled or roasted meat over small open fires, but over time, they learned how to carve out shells or rocks and place the meat in them before placing the “dish” on the fire. Egyptians were among those who cooked over open fires. Ancient Romans, however, cooked their food on raised brick hearths which, when covered, formed open ovens. These ovens were most often outside of their home.

From the late 400’s to the early part of the 1900’s, people roasted foods over fireplaces inside their homes. Not only could they roast large portions of meat on a spit, they could also place smaller cuts of meat in a pan, which were held above the flames by a piece of green wood. By the late 1900’s, those pieces of green timber were replaced by metal rods, which prevented the tumbling hot mess that occurred when a piece of green wood became dry and would no longer hold up the metal pot of food.

Today “roasting” is the act of cooking in an uncovered pan, in the oven or over a fire. The ancient methods are most often reserved for campfire cooking and luaus. No liquid is added, when roasting, but the meat may be marinated or covered with a rub of spices and seasonings. Roasted items are usually cooked in portions large enough to serve multiple persons, such as the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. Roast Beef is the perhaps the most common roasted food, but poultry, fowl, and fish can also be roasted. Roasting vegetables are a particularly healthy way to prepare them since roasting cooks them quickly, searing in nutrients.