Roasted vegetables are delicious when cooked right and they make an easy side dish for any dinner. When you roast vegetables in oil the oil breaks down the cells resulting in a sweet caramelized flavor. For even better flavor however you may need to adjust your technique a bit. While many recipes call for tossing your vegetables in oil before roasting them that’s not the best way to bring out their natural flavors. In fact pre-oiling them is one of the mistakes that can keep you from getting perfect roasted vegetables. Try dry roasting them next time.
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 Bestie Health | 2020-12-30 15:45:01 |  2,552,443 Views |
12 Ways You're Cooking Vegetables Wrong Decreasing Their Health Benefits
One potential problem with roasting vegetables in oil is that the oil on the outside of the vegetable doesn’t mix with the moisture inside the vegetable. As the oven gets hotter and hotter the water naturally present in the vegetable eventually reaches steaming point. This occurs at 212 degrees Fahrenheit much lower than the temperature you want to roast vegetables (usually around 400 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit). Once this happens the moisture starts to escape from the vegetable but it can’t cope with the oil. This often results in splattering and it doesn’t always smell very nice.
If you dry roast your vegetables however you won’t have this problem. Dry roasting is also a great way to intensify the natural flavors of your vegetables. “Summer squash takes on an incredible tropical flavor like really ripe mango or papaya but more vegetal” chef Nick Balla of COAST Big Sur Cafe told Food & Wine. To dry roast simply place your vegetables in the oven without adding anything else to them. As they cook they’ll naturally release their flavors as the moisture evaporates and the sugars caramelize.
Adding oil after roasting gives your vegetables a better chance to absorb the fat and flavor than if you add it before cooking. When you roast vegetables without oil they lose a lot of their moisture because they’re not fighting the oil in the oven. This results in a drier vegetable that’s ready to soak up whatever you throw at it. Whatever you add after your vegetables come out of the oven will enhance their flavor even more whether it’s a bottle of good quality olive oil or garlic butter (which also enhances frozen pizza crusts in the same way). Experiment with the flavors you add to your dry-roasted vegetables and you’ll have a delicious new side every time you cook.
