Roasting is something you can do with any strong heat source, you can spit roast with nothing more than a campfire, a stick and a hunk of meat.
Baking is a specific branch of cooking where you measure very specific amounts of ingredients and cook them with a usually dry, indirect heat.
An oven is capable of performing both functions. As well as others in addition.
Can you roast vegetables on an open fire?
Yes, you absolutely could.
But sometimes the lines a little blurred, like what is the difference for meats? Chicken gets called baked or roasted when it’s cooked pretty much the same in the oven, maybe baked for pieced vs roasted whole?
Colloquially, it just strikes me as language drift. Much like how people say “google” for any internet search, even though the word only really makes sense if you’re using that one company’s search engine.
Because it’s drifting like this, the definition for colloquial usage won’t necessarily be technical, they’re more slang usages. “Baking” probably becomes anything done in an oven. Roasting probably remains something cooked with high, dry heat.
So yes, some overlap if you dispense with technicality.
I love how every answer is different. Makes it clear as mud, doesn’t it?
After reading all answers I can confidently say I am now more confused than ever.
The type of food and temperature is what makes the most of the difference. Roasting is 400F/~200C and above, baking starts at 350F/~150C, I believe.
What’s happening at less than 350?
It won’t be well roasted.
Depending on the type of food, certain parts of it might still be raw.
Roasting tends to be a very long and low heat cooking done over 6-8 hours usually with thick meat cuts like turkeys or hams or chicken in a covered pan. This makes the meat juicy and tender. Baking is just putting something on a flat sheet pan and exposing it to the ovens heat directly for 20-30 minutes to quickly heat it up and crisp it.
roast alaska
Roasting Alaska is pretty easy! I mean, Sarah palin came from there…
I thought roasting implied directional heat?
Me and a buddy spit roasted this pig last night.
Can’t spit bake ‘em.
