Why roasting and charring are becoming this fall’s hottest techniques

The appeal of roasting is as old as cooking itself.  Cooking something in the oven or over an open fire, at high heat with an uncovered pan, produces juicy, well-browned food that patrons love.  Beyond the additional flavor and color, adding “roasted” to the description of a menu item can help increase the perceived quality of the dish.  Of all proteins, chicken is the most often roasted.  But roasted fruits and vegetables are also popular, as roasting accentuates their natural sweetness.

Just add fire

Fire-roasting, a method of roasting, is an important prep option to consider for your menu this autumn.  The more intense, complex flavors and rich color that vegetables develop when cooked over an open flame are popular with patrons and a great match for the season.  And as wood-burning stoves and open-flame cooking continue to grow in popularity, so does the technique of charring.  It is most commonly used to add smokiness and texture to a wide range of vegetables and seafood. 

Exercised with care, the dark arts of charring can conjure a world of flavor. And this can translate to higher pricing power.

Top nine charred items:

Turn up the heat this fall

Techniques like roasting and charring add a dimension of homemade authenticity to the menu, perfect as temperatures begin to drop and diners start to seek out more comforting dishes.  And with great products available like Simplot RoastWorks^® Roasted Vegetables and Fruit, it’s never been easier—or more profitable—to offer these unique flavors to your customers.