Exactly What is a Roasting Pan For (or at least what do you use yours for beside your annual feast)?

Question

There has been a lot of Roasting Pan talk here the last few days, and it all happens to coincide with me returning my warped All-Clad Roaster to the retailer. I do have various glass, ceramic, and stoneware dishes that I can roast in, several jelly roll pans, and an assortment of skillets and frying pans. However, my impulse is to replace my roasting pan with another, but why? Nostalgia? Presentation as the annual big bird comes out of the oven? Just because I couldn't possibly care about cooking and not own a proper roasting pan? I rather wonder if a single large (or an assortment) of oval au gratins might make more sense. Help me out here. Why do you have and use a roasting pan instead of using other pans in your arsenal, and what do you use it for other than the occasional large bird? I hope this doesn't sound inane, but I am questioning the necessity of a traditional roaster altogether, so I'd like to know.

Thanks,

Jeremy

Answer

I like to make a couple of big turkeys a year, even if only for us. To get great gravy, you have to have the right roasting pan....something that can go directly on the burner. Plus there has to be enough air around the bird to get it to cook right. I've been cooking long enough that the couple I've owned have paid for themselves, at least in my mind. When not in use in the winter, they make great holders to start my seed containers in the spring/early summer.

Answer

We own 3 roasting pans: A small oval (speckled enamel) roaster that gets used throughout the year when we roast a chicken, pork roast, or roast beef for just ourselves -- in winter months we probably use it at least 2/month. A larger, rectangular Corningware French white roaster, for larger roasts, 2 chickens, or a smallish turkey (up to about 12-14 pounds) -- it also works well for lasagna.. And, a very large, rectangular roasting pan, for large turkeys (18-22) pounds, which we use at most 1/year, when we are hosting a large Thanksgiving dinner (which we did every year for about 25 years). We have a large kitchen with lots of cabinet space, some of which is more accessible than others. The large turkey roaster is on the top shelf of a cabinet above the fridge that can only be reached by stepstool -- i.e., the perfect place for items that are used very infrequently.

Answer

I use mine for roasts and turkeys...but also when I make a mega-size baytch of "chex-mix"..and with a rack inside, I use it to slow cure-cook my home-made bacon ( I make 3-5 lbs at a time)

Answer

Like everyone so far, our large roasting pan comes out about twice a year to roast a large fowl. I think that's the only time it gets used lately. We had cooked briskets in it in the past, but a new smoker took that out of play, same for pork butts and it's too large for anything else. However, if you only need it once a year, you need it.

Answer

Hi, Jeremy:

 Why? If you were using the A-C and it warped, don't you still need a roaster?

 Nostalgia? Maybe, at least for the large rectangular shape.

 Presentation? Maybe, but also for stability and mobility.

 Just because...? Nah.

 Gratins? Yes, definitely. A range of oval gratins is spectacularly versatile; they make great roasters. The problem with gratins is that, for a large turkey or huge joint of meat, they either end up being too long to fit your oven, or not wide enough for large birds/cuts.

 The rectangular shape tends to maximize your available oven space--roasting carcasses and bones for making stock, for example. Likewise for spreading out multiple smaller birds and/or lots of vegetables--less apt to be overcrowded/steamed than in an oval.

 I do 95% of my roasting in skillets, gratins, rondeaux and on small shallow specialty platters. My one large conventional roaster gets the other 5%, which is mostly Holiday and party entertaining and stock making. 

Aloha,
Kaleo

Answer

So what I am hearing is that it is a a traditional roaster (large rectangle) is really a once or twice a year item for most. I am feeling the same way. I roast veggies all the time, but I can use any number of things for that. When I had the roaster, I would occasionally use it for veggies, but it was not strictly necessary. I only felt it somewhat 'necessary' for large birds.

So, let me ask this as a followup. What would I lose in skipping a large rectangular roaster and getting a largeish, 16"x10" au gratin instead? Is there any reason not to?

Answer

I don't cook large birds in mine, we have smoked our turkey on the bbq for probably 20 years now. No presentation factor involved in owning a roasting pan. I have an All-Clad one I've owned for about 7 years and I use it if I'm cooking brisket in the oven ( it's usually on the smoker instead too). I originally bought it for roasting meats on a bed of vegetables that's usually what I use it for. 

I also own an assortment of Le Creuset gratin pans.

Answer

My roasting pan is the largest pan I own, so I also use it for making Chex Party Mix and other Party Mixes during the holidays. 

Edit: Just noticed FriedClamFanatic uses the roasting pan for the same purpose! ;-)

Answer

There are only two of us, but I use our roasting pan every week for roasting various vegetables in a single layer so they get nice and crispy brown. Couldn't do without it.

Answer

I use my roasting pan for four or more turkeys a year, maybe two to three times for two chickens at once, a prime rib or two, perhaps a leg of lamb, and a fresh ham or two. 

Moreover, I probably use it eight to ten times a year to steam soft shell lobsters (works for hard shell too, but I'm more inclined to boil the bigger bugs). Up to four lobsters are placed on racks over water, the pan is covered with foil, and then placed across two burners. Takes around twelve minutes and is easy as can be without introducing too much water to the meat.

For what it's worth, it's a twenty-some year old Calphalon with those floppy, stainless handles.

(Oh, and it's also great to keep meat in (ribs, shoulders, etc.) while it absorbs the rub the night before I fire up the offset.)

Answer

I use my All-Clad roaster for roasting chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, vegetables, potatoes, lasagna, and anything else I can think of. Nothing else works as well.

It's a beautiful addition to my kitchen, highly utilitarian, and I would never think, even if it 'warped?' not replacing it.
My pot/pan collection is just that....a collection of anything I've purchased and those that I've inherited from past generations of family and friends...all shapes and sizes and copper, metal and ceramic.

Answer

I have two roasting pan. One of which is nearly perfect straight edge and I use it for many bake goods (like rugelach squares and key lime square....etc). The other roasting pan I use for catching drips from hang roasting. I also use it for making my jerk pork.

Answer

Honestly I don't know. I have owned several, including a very vintage one which had a vent in the lid. I have kept three, I think. (They are packed away at the movers, and I don't remember exactly.) My smaller roaster also handles chicken. The larger ones handle turkeys. I only do turkey for a holiday, and I don't do holidays all that much any more. My roasters are all enamel over steel, with domed lids. I like using these very well. I have learned to pull the lid off during the last 45 minutes or so, to brown the bird nicely. 

If you can put your hand on a vintage enamel steel roaster, you will use it a couple of times a year. The price for one of these should not be more than moderate. 

When I had a huge roaster, I put it over two burners and boiled water in it for a lot of fresh corn. it seems to me that I also made caramel corn in it as well. 


These used to be sold in hardware stores.

Answer

My roasting pan is a 10"x15" All-Clad whose best feature is that it fits in the 24" oven here. Many things, including half sheet pans, don't.

It was an impulse purchase about twelve years ago, on a garden-visiting trip. My companions wanted to stop at a cookware store along the way where a friend worked. I thought at least one of us should spend some money, and lo, there was the smallest A-C roasting pan, on sale. Even so, it cost more than I'd spent for any piece of cookware up to that point.

It's seen action just a bit more than once a year, the most glorious occasion being the goose of Christmas 2010. But just yesterday a chow post called my attention to a use that might change that: a big batch of caramelized onions (about two hours at 350F). There's appeal in the relatively unattended aspect (turn/stir every half hour or so), which would fit well into a stovetop stock or bean cooking session. Plus, it would allow me to do a lot more onions at once than I could easily manage on the stovetop.

Not to mention make me feel better about that roasting pan.

Answer

BTW.if we have company for breakfast, it's a great way to do a lot of bacon. I put it in cold, set the oven for 425, and about the time the oven is fully heated, the bacon is just about done. Sometimes with thicker cuts, theyh do require turning.

Answer

Great when making quantities of pan-fried noodles (pancit, chowfun, chopchae, etc.).

Answer

Mine gets used in fall to keep glass jars hot in the oven for canning. We are not turkey fans so I use it for large ducks and geese. Other than that I roast everything else using my other cookware, including chickens in cast irons pans (I dislike high sides for most roasting).

Answer

I have a large (I'm guessing 12" x 16"), medium-quality roasting pan that rarely gets used for actual roasting, but it's my go-to pan when I'm braising a whole brisket. For braising, I put all the ingredients into the pan and then cover it tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil. If the braising liquid has tomatoes, I put a layer of parchment paper over the top and then cover that with the HD foil.

Answer

I don't think there's any perfect pan for all tasks. Hence we equipment junkies. I've got arthritis in my hands and can no longer handle big, heavily laden pans, so my preference these days is to go with a lighter weight pan. I don't recommend nonstick under any circumstances, they flake and peel, you can buy one good pan for the price of several of these. I speak from experience, sadly.

I've got a big enamel roasting pan that I'm mostly happy with, but it's a bit thin for putting on the burners. It does a great job of holding other nested pans, though! I use it for making Chex Mix, roasting veggies, roasting two chickens, briskets, turkeys with lots of veg in the bottom, caramelizing onions, whole fish, ribs, all sorts of things that are just plain too big for anything else I'd prefer to use. The enamel is really nice for roasting tomatoes. Because it's on the thin side, there are limitations, but the same can be said of heavier pans you can't lift or twist your back out trying to heave it out of your oven. Like the idea of using it to keep hot jars in the oven when canning. and, it's a good water bath for quantities of ramekins or two cheesecakes, etc.

Answer

I have a big metal roasting tin with a rack and a stoneware roasting pan. I use either at least once a week. Even though they're large, I like them a lot because they collect all the meat juices.

Answer

I primarily use mine for whole turkey or turkey breast & whole goose. Also the occasional smaller bird like chicken or guinea fowl if I'm going to be roasting mixed vegetables along with them in the pan (otherwise I always use my rotisserie for the smaller poultry).

The other very handy use for my large roasting pan is for reheating Alaskan King Crab legs. I put about an inch of water in the bottom lay the whole legs in, & bake/steam them for around 15-20 minutes or so - just until they're heated through. Keeps them tender & juicy without drying out.

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Exactly What is a Roasting Pan For (or at least what do you use yours for beside your annual feast)?

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