Roasting Pans: The Topic

[Okbrewer]

I recently bought the Calphalon Nonstick Roasting Pan with Rack, (16x12) Simply Calphalon series, just because I got it for $29.95. It replaces a rolled steel cheapo thing that would cut my fingers on the rolled under edges every time I washed it! Don't know where I got that cheap one but it is trashed now!

I also was high bidder on eBay for a W-S Le Creuset oval roaster in Sonoma blue, on sale at W-S for $200, eBay price with shipping -- $69!! Sure it's heavy, but I like it!

[fiftydollars]

What item would be the best test of a roasting pan?

I just got two different roasting pans, the Le Creuset Oval Roasting Pan($139) from Williams Sonoma and the Calphalon tri-ply($69) from Amazon, after I returned an All-Clad roasting pan I received as a late Christmas gift.

I would like to do a head-to-head comparison and need help selecting a good item to test them with. My first thought was a turkey. Mainly because they are cheap, but also because I can make gravy and test the pan on the stovetop. But I'm not really wild about turkey and I imagine another item might be a better way of comparing performance.

[NulloModo]

Oh wow, I had no idea before seeing some of these pics, but I just realized I own several roasting pans. They are of the handle-less variety, all appear to be heavyweight steel, and likely were given to my parents as wedding gifts in the 70s, and then passed on to me when I moved into my first apartment... I've always called them 'cake pans' or 'walled cookie sheets' simply because of what I always saw them used for. Who knew?

My roomate also has a collection of large oval roasters, the kind that you see going on sale everywhere around thanksgiving, and that you would stereotypically cook a turkey in. I have no clue what the metal is, but they are glazed in some sort of shinyish fake granite grained substance. Anyone know where these fit in in the great roasting pan spectrum?

[Richard Kilgore]

Admin: Threads merged.

Although my immediate reason for asking has to do with a turkey, the more general question would apply to any large chunk of meat.

Is there a difference in the effects of different pans you might use for roasting? Say a standard roasting pan with about 3" sides vs a dark steel deep roasting pan vs a large (9 1/2 qt) oval Le Cruset enameled cast iron pot vs a thin disposable aluminum grocery store roasting pan?

[Lori in PA]

Add to Richard's types: an old enamelled spatterware type oval roaster with a domed lid. I have dh's grandmother's. It seems to work fine, but I've been curious how it would compare to, say, one of those open All Clad babies.

[gperls]

I'm not an authority, but the only differences I've read about concern applying heat to the pan itself, for browning or making gravy. The All-Clad usually comes out on top for these purposes. It's thick and heats up more evenly than others. Plus, it's color allows you to see the color of your food on the pan bottom better than the nonstick ones.

I've never heard of a difference as far as cooking the turkey or roast goes.

[Marlene]

When looking for a roasting pan, consider a few things. Size. You don't want the sides too deep, nor do you want a lot of room between the roast and the ends or sides of the pan. Dark steel and non stick will not produce much of a font for making gravy, and the cheap aluminum foil roasting pans have other issues, like bending when you try to take it out of the oven. Nor should you use one of those aluminum foil pans on top of the stove to make gravy either.

I'm not sure the pan itself other than depth and width has much of an effect on the cooking of a roast, it's the temp you roast at plus whether you use convection or not. But if you want proper gravy or au jus, get a stainless steel pan.

Certainly the All Clad roasters are amazing, in fact I have two of them. However, the Caphalon stainless steel roaster is a lot cheaper and I understand it performs as well as the All Clad.

[BarbaraY]

I was debating what to use to cook my turkey this year because it's larger than I usually do. While shopping, I found a new tin turkey pan that is much heavier than the usual cheap foil pans but is only $2.99.

I wish I had an All Clad roasting pan but don't think I would use it often enough to warrant paying the price.

If someone has to use a foil pan, for heavens sake, put it on a baking sheet unless you want turkey on the floor and hot jus on your feet.

[Marlene]

Barbara, the Caphalon stainless steel pans are $99.00. Significantly cheaper than All Clad, and I believe Cook's Illustrated recently recommended them. I'm getting one for my sister in law for Christmas.

[BarbaraY]

Guess I had better start dropping unsubtle hints.

[fifi]

Interesting. It appears that the Calphalon roaster is tri-ply like the All-Clad used to be. Sur la Table has one like that as well for about the same price.

That being said . . . I am darn curious about using the big LC oval. Yes, I know that the high sides fly in the face of conventional wisdom. But then, I always enjoy flying in the face of Conventional Wisdom, Known Truths, Established Doctrine and several other folk with whom I have made acquaintance. What I am wondering is if the big heat sink and geometry might help getting the thighs cooked a bit faster and therefore even out the cooking times between white and dark meat. Then I get curious about how the thing will brown.

I am hoping that Richard takes one for the team and gives it a try. Not much risk. It is just a damnable turkey after all.

[Richard Kilgore]

So someone please explain what is supposed to be the negative effect of sides as high as an oval LC...or an enamled dark steel/spatterware roaster...compared to a low-sided stainless steel or tri-clad (or aluminum for that matter) roasting pan.

To clarify some of the above mentions of the stainless steel roasting pans: All-Clad roasters used to be tri-ply, but when they started making them in China about two years ago they changed to plain stainless steel (and kept the exorbitantly high price). Since then Calphalon and Sur La Table started offering tri-ply roasting pans similar to the old All-Clad for about $99.

[Blondelle]

Potsandpans.com has the KitchenAid 5-ply fully clad stainless roaster for only $69.99 with rack. Too late for turkey day, but a great buy for that item. Other items in that line on sale too. I think it's 11 X 15 and a very nice roasting pan.

[andiesenji]

I just came back from a trip to Costco. They have their brand of heavy anodized aluminum, virtually identical to the Calphalon that I have.

Theirs is $29.99.

It has the stand-up handles which is great if you have a narrow oven.

In my opinion this is a great buy.

I have several roasting pans and use them for different purposes. For very large birds, I do like to either cook them partially on top of the stove or covered for part of the time as I find that this reduces the cooking time and keeps the turkey meat moist and juicy.

I use the low-sided open roasters for beef, pork and lamb or "Blasted Chicken" per Sara Moulton

[halloweencat]

Admin: Threads merged.

hi

i'm in search of the best roasting pan, or a really high-quality one. i'm primarily going to be using it to roast vegetables and if it's inducive to deglazing that would be great.

regarding price: i'm willing to spend a couple of hundred or so, if that's really what's going to get me the best, most durable, usable pan (although i'm not on a +quest+ to spend that much).

i think my preference would be for non-stick or stick-resistant, but that's not a requirement.

i'm sure there must be a thread on this already, but i never have much luck with the site search, as the hits it returns are in such a broad range.

thanks in advance.

cheers --

[Blair P. Houghton]

I think America's Test Kitchen did roasting pans last year.

Yup. I just looked at the Cook's Illustrated website and there's an article from July.

To save you the trouble of logging in, they picked the All-Clad Roti first, but then decided it warped on the stovetop and now say the Calphalon Tri-Ply does better (then give a cryptic note that says its name might have changed, or it might be discontinued; can't tell which). Bonus points for switching from a $279 pan to a $100 one.

Frankly, I get by with those $2 tinfoil jobs from the supermarket, but I don't need one much.

[Marlene]

hi

i'm in search of the best roasting pan, or a really high-quality one.  i'm primarily going to be using it to roast vegetables and if it's inducive to deglazing that would be great. 

regarding price:  i'm willing to spend a couple of hundred or so, if that's really what's going to get me the best, most durable, usable pan (although i'm not on a +quest+ to spend that much).

i think my preference would be for non-stick or stick-resistant, but that's not a requirement.

i'm sure there must be a thread on this already, but i never have much luck with the site search, as the hits it returns are in such a broad range.

thanks in advance. 

cheers --

←

Non stick is not indusive to de glazing. You'll need a stainless steel roasting pan for that. If you can find the Caphalon Tri Ply, it's the best bang for your buck right now. I have All Clad, but they aren't making them as well as when I bought mine and besides, they're rather expensive. The Caphalon is just as heavy and works really well. I got one for my sister in law for Christmas, and it's been great.

I don't have much trouble cleaning up the All Clad and they do go in the dishwasher.

[k43]

I'm very happy with my AllClad, which is heavy enough to brown things on all sides by radiant heat. The NY Times did a test two years ago and put the AllClad and the KitchenAid in a dead heat for best. Both are around $150 at Zabar's or Sur la Table.

Both come with excellent racks, and for what it's worth, the AllClad comes with two oven mitts.

I wouldn't worry about warping. You don't deglaze at that high a temperature.

[Richard Kilgore]

The Sur La Table house brand tri-ply roasting pan is similar to the old All-Clad roti (which now is all stainless --- no aluminum layer). I assume it is similar to the Calphalon pan. The SLT comes in two sizes, both under $100. I got the larger one last year and have been pleased with it so far. Click here to see them.

[Chris Amirault]

I'm in need, too, of a roasting pan, though mainly for big cuts of meat.

I've been trying to justify buying this Mario Batali lasagna/roasting pan (here at Crate and Barrel), which I keep seeing at Whole Foods. It feels pretty solid, and while it's a bit smaller than what I'd like (13"x9"x3 1/2"), for $80 I'd grab it if I wanted something just for vegetables.

While it doesn't say "Tr-Ply" in the description, this Amazon link has the Calphalon roaster with "3-ply 18/10 stainless steel surround[ing] a highly conductive full-aluminum core." A Benjamin'll get you one of those with free shipping -- very tempting. But it's the "Contemporary" line. What does that mean?

[Blair P. Houghton]

I wouldn't worry about warping.  You don't deglaze at that high a temperature.

←

As I read further, I saw that by "warping" they meant a slight bulging of the bottom of the pan at deglazing heat, which isn't that high. If you're not deglazing in a lot of liquid, that could cause some uneven results as things flow to the edge; maybe to the point of making it impossible to deal properly with the fond in the center.

[Chris Amirault]

In fact, some pans are designed in fact to have a bulge built into them, a rectangular area that is raised about 1/4" in the middle. This is my main problem with my current pan, which drives me nuts. The Calphalon pan I linked to above seems to have this problem.

Of course, if you want burned fond while roasting meat, this is a good way to go. It also drains oil away from the center into the sides, helping to burn those roasted veggies, too, if that's your thing.

Edited February 15, 2006 by chrisamirault (log)

[Marlene]

The Caphalon pan I bought for my sister in lawdid not have that bulge Chris, so that's interesting. Nor do my All Clad pans bulge when deglazing, but then I got them a few years ago before they changed design.

[Chris Amirault]

Hmmm... so does the Sur La Table model (click). It's clearly a design feature. Anyone know why?

[Marlene]

That doesn't look like a raised bulge, but it could be my eyes. It looks like the smaller square is set in, which would alleviate the problem with juices running out to the ends.