In Baking meats—or in baking anything else for that matter—the greatest
heat is needed at first, in order to give the same shock of surprise
that frying gives to anything that is plunged in hot fat. The reason
for this is to form a crust as quickly as possible and prevent the
escape of the juices. An oven that is only just warm will dry the
surface without forming this crust, but one that is thoroughly hot
will bring the juices up to the surface and make a brown coating very
quickly. In the same way pastry or bread will rise when plunged into
good heat, but remain white and heavy if the oven is cool. To know
whether an oven is hot enough for baking it can be tested by spreading
a little dry flour on a piece of tin and putting it in the oven for a
few minutes. If it does not brown the oven is too slow; if it browns
readily it is hot enough for meat. Pieces of thick white paper will
prevent the surface of anything from scorching.
It is usually reckoned that beef and mutton take from twenty to
twenty-five minutes per pound for both roasting and baking; veal and
pork want half an hour per pound, but a fowl or pheasant should not
require longer than fifteen minutes per pound weight.