buy a digital instant-read thermometer You will never over- or undercook a piece of meat again Do it No more excuses, no more timing charts or poking with your fingers Just buy a good thermometer, and don’t look back I guarantee you will not regret it With that out of the way, on to the introduction F or most Americans (and many others around the world), a roast is part and parcel with holiday meals What would Thanksgiving be without its golden brown crisp-skinned centerpiece, or Christmas without its rosy-centered prime rib or shiny glazed ham? But roasts aren’t just for the holidays I can think of no better way to feed a large group of people when you’ve got a bit of time and want to pull it off with minimal fuss For the most part, roasting requires only a simple set-it-andforget-it approach, or at least a set-it-and-check-with-adigital-thermometer-occasionally approach, allowing you plenty of free time to throw back a cocktail with your guests, or, if you’re like me, focus on side dishes while avoiding unnecessary social contact But roasts frighten many people, and, to a certain degree, rightfully so We’ve all been exposed to far too many dry turkey breasts, overcooked standing rib roasts, and stringy chickens than we care to recall (yes, I’m looking at you, Mom) But it doesn’t have to be that way! Roasting is, in fact, quite simple and nearly foolproof All it takes is a bit of know-how DIGITAL INSTANT-READ THERMOMETERS O nce you bite the bullet and spring for a good digital instant-read thermometer, it will quickly become your best friend in the kitchen When buying one, look for a thermometer that gives accurate readings to within 1 degree or finer, has a nice large readout that you can quickly check (the less time spent with the oven door open, the better), is robust enough that it won’t fail if you drop it on the floor or in the sink, and gives you a reading within a matter of seconds At around $96 (at the time of this writing), the ... readout that you can quickly check (the less time spent with the oven door open, the better) , is robust enough that it won’t fail if you drop it on the floor or in the sink, and gives you a reading within a matter... DIGITAL INSTANT-READ THERMOMETERS O nce you bite the bullet and spring for a good digital instant-read thermometer, it will quickly become your best friend in the kitchen When buying one, look for a thermometer... enough that it won’t fail if you drop it on the floor or in the sink, and gives you a reading within a matter of seconds At around $96 (at the time of this writing), the