A roasting pan is a piece of
cookware designed to suit a modern cook. It’s commonly used for roasting meat
in an oven and can accommodate vegetables and other ingredients per your requirements. Your vegetables will be able to absorb fat and juices from the meat, making it more suitable than just using a roasting rack.
As convenient as ready meals, commonly called TV dinners, are, there’s a satisfaction that comes with preparing food in the comfort of your kitchen. A roasting pan will simplify the process and help you save time, as your meat will roast evenly through heat radiation and oven intensification. The presence of lids makes the roasting process faster, as there’s no heat loss.
Unlike a
pizza pan, a roasting pan is deep and made of a heavier material. If you’re an adventurous cook, a roasting pan is a must-have cooking tool that allows you to try out various ingredients. Aside from ready-to-eat food being expensive, you are limited to the available flavors. With a roasting pan, you can explore your favorite flavors and mix ingredients to come up with a unique, tasty meal.
Roasting pans available on the market are designed to suit different needs. Whether you’re looking for a roasting pan to use at home or commercially, you’ve got different sizes to suit your cooking needs. Get smaller sizes for home use or for roasting small cuts of meat. Larger pans can be used for commercial purposes or when preparing larger cuts of meat or turkey.
Decide whether you want a commercial or home-use roast pan, one that can be used as a baking tin or a dish to hold smaller baking tins. With the variety available on the market, you can get a versatile pan you can use not just for roasting, but also for other purposes. Irrespective of your application area, you can opt for a pan to use with an oven or stove. We hope this guide can help you find a good roasting pan for you.
Price
Price is also a critical factor when shopping for a roasting pan. It’s affected by a number of factors such as production cost, consumer demand, brand, materials used, size, etc. Prices also vary depending on the type and weight of any given pan. Consider your needs to help you narrow down the various pans available on the market. Depending on your needs, you can get a quality roasting pan in a range between $10 and $50.
With a tighter budget, you can still get a roasting pan to serve the purpose for as little as $7 or less. However, such cheap roasting pans might not last, hence, are only ideal for one-time use. High-end pans built for high durability can cost anywhere from $100 and above. Shop around to compare prices and look for deals with offers of at least one extra pan to get good value for your money.
Features
You need to analyze your needs before choosing a pan suitable for you, as each on the market comes with unique features. Varying from small to large and deep pans with accompanying accessories, a roasting pan with more features stands out, as it can be more useful to meet various needs. Choose a pan of the right size, type, weight and finish for your specific needs.
Here are some features to look for in a roasting pan:
- The right type of roasting pan
- The right size and weight of pan
- Premium material such as steel or aluminum for durability
- Accessories such as lids, handles and roast racks
- User manual for proper use and care
- Easy to clean and care for
With a good roasting pan, you won't just roast your meat or poultry, but also use your piece of cookware for a longer period of time.
Construction and Design
When shopping for a roasting pan, look for the following features in its construction and design:
Type – Roasting pans come in two basic shapes: oval and rectangular. Oval-shaped pans have sleek lines and are perfect for whisking sauce or gravy, but not suitable for roasting ham, turkey, chicken or prime rib. Rectangular pans, on the other hand, though difficult to clean, are suitable for cooking more than one food item, as their right angles provide extra space. However, avoid them if you need to make sauce. Opt for a rectangular pan with rounded corners to meet all your needs and get a good bargain.
Size and Weight – The ideal size of a roasting pan depends on your intended use. For roasting large cuts, you need a larger size to comfortably hold your meat and roast it evenly. Choose a smaller pan for home use or when intending to work on small cuts. A lighter roasting pan is easier to carry around and work with on the go, even when fully loaded.
Materials – There are various materials to choose from, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The most common one is enameled carbon steel, which has been in use for ages. Aluminum, cast iron, nonstick, stainless steel, clad stainless steel and copper have also been in use. Although copper is a perfect material due to its good conductivity and durability, it’s expensive and also needs stainless steel coating, as it’s reactive, toxic, and corrodes easily.
Anodized aluminum, electronically treated aluminum with a non-reactive, nonstick surface and aluminum clad in stainless steel are durable and heat fast and evenly. On the other hand, stainless steel roasting pans are durable and non-reactive. However, stainless steel is a bad conductor, making it necessary to coat the base of such pans with aluminum for steady, even heating.
Enamel-coated cast iron roasting pans are ideal for roasting foods that require even and steady cooking temperatures. Iron will retain heat, but there is need for a heavy coat of enamel to prevent it from chipping or cracking. Though nonstick materials have gained popularity due to their nature of being easy to clean and using less oil when cooking, they’re delicate and produce food that is not as browned as we’re used to.
Accessories – The more accessories a roasting pan has, the more effective and easy to use it becomes. Consider a cooking pan that’s complete with a lid, as it’ll cook faster than one without. A roasting pan that’s accompanied by a cooking spoon and spare handles is also more user-friendly.
Washing – A useful and effective roasting pan isn’t just easy to use, but also easy to clean. You don’t want to spend an entire day scrubbing off stuck food particles and oil. Opt for a roasting pan that comes with a user guide to learn how to use and care for your favorite pan.
Performance and Ease of Use
A good roasting pan is designed to meet your needs, whether you’re using an oven or a stove. Opt for a sturdy and strong pan you can use to carry your food around without twisting or bending. The material it’s made of should be conductive and radiate oven heat evenly for fast and even cooking. The size should also be large enough to accommodate all your meat at one go.
Look out for various accessories such as lids, racks and handles to elevate your pan’s functionality. Finally, your safety comes first, and you don’t want to burn yourself while cooking on a stove top or working with oil drippings. Therefore, look for the right depth and weight in your pan for better cooking results.
When buying a roasting pan, take into account your budget, how much food you want to cook at once and the material of which the roaster is made. We’ve provided you with roasting pans in a mixture of types. Let's start with the first one.
There’s a roasting pan out there for you that meets your needs. We hope this review was helpful and you found an ideal pan. If you’d rather cook outdoors, check out our grill reviews.
