When it comes to roasting a turkey for Thanksgiving, not just any pan will do. Your go-to 9×13-inch baking sheet won’t handle the weight or the drippings, and your favorite glass pan isn’t the right material for this. Even though you might not use a roasting pan very often in your kitchen, investing in one will still pay off because it will enable you to cook a bird that is more evenly browned and juicy.
Unless you’re among the fortunate people who discovered long ago the everyday value of a high-quality, go-to roasting pan, you may have one that you never use until Thanksgiving or you rush out to buy the single-use aluminum pans. Either way, most of us don’t give turkey roasting pans much thought until it’s our turn to host Thanksgiving dinner and we panic, wondering “What the heck am I supposed to cook the turkey in?”
Once you own a roasting pan, you’ll see what an essential tool it is in your cooking arsenal. The clearest advantage is its size: It can easily hold a 16-pound turkey. Although it’s most commonly used for roasting turkeys on Thanksgiving, it’s also great for roasting ham, beef, and poultry all year long.
There’s more to purchasing a roasting pan than meets the eye, though. You have several things to consider before you choose just the right one. Luckily, we’ve done the research for you so you can make an informed decision.
Hey there, fellow turkey enthusiasts! Are you dreaming of a perfectly roasted Thanksgiving turkey with golden-brown crispy skin? Well, forget the traditional roasting pan and grab a sheet pan instead! This simple swap can revolutionize your turkey game, ensuring even cooking and a more visually appealing bird.
Why Ditch the Roasting Pan?
Traditional roasting pans are often deep, with the turkey perched on a rack halfway up the pan. This design blocks the bottom of the turkey from direct heat, leading to uneven cooking. The thighs and wings cook slower, while the breast risks drying out. The result? A turkey with a tan line and flabby skin on the bottom.
The Sheet Pan Solution:
A standard 18×13-inch half sheet pan is your new roasting hero. By placing a rack (a cooling rack or the V-shaped rack from your roasting pan) inside the sheet pan you elevate the turkey, allowing heat to reach all parts evenly. This results in:
- More Even Browning: No more tan lines! The entire turkey will achieve a beautiful golden-brown color.
- More Even Cooking: The thighs and wings won’t lag behind, ensuring juicy and perfectly cooked meat throughout.
- A Prettier Bird: Let’s be honest, presentation matters. A beautifully browned turkey makes a stunning centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table.
Pro Tip for Easy Cleanup:
If you use a cooling rack, simplify cleaning by filling the sheet pan with hot, soapy water after roasting. Let the rack soak upside down for 30 minutes to an hour, and watch those stuck-on bits loosen effortlessly.
Who’s on Board?
This sheet pan technique isn’t just a random internet hack. Culinary experts like J. Kenji López-Alt and Sohla El-Waylly are also ditching the roasting pan this year. With their endorsement, you can be confident this method delivers delicious results.
So, ditch the roasting pan and embrace the sheet pan for your next turkey adventure. You’ll be amazed by the difference it makes!
TIP SHEET: What to look for in a roasting pan
With roasting pans, size does matter, so let’s begin there.
A good size. You’re roasting pan should comfortably fit the bird you plan to roast. That means if you’re cooking just a split breast or a chicken, you’ll want a smaller pan. If you’re making a gigantic turkey for a crowd, you’ll want a larger pan. Whatever you’re roasting should fit in the pan without touching its sides. This allows for good air circulation and ensures that all sides cook and brown evenly.
Even the greatest roasting pan becomes worthless if it won’t fit in your oven. So, the first thing to do is measure how big your oven is: width and depth. Consider this when you shop, and don’t forget to factor in the roasting pan’s handles when measuring.
Bigger is not necessarily better, however. Juices will gather at the bottom of an overly large pan, where they can quickly evaporate and burn. You want less surface space so the juices collect in a deeper pool. Vegetables can be arranged to fill a pan that is a little too large, which helps keep the juices from drying out and burning.
When in doubt, remember: A big pan can cook small things, but not vice versa.
The depth of a roasting pan is important for a couple of reasons. First, you want the sides to be high enough to prevent hot liquid from splattering and burning you while basting or spilling out onto your oven’s floor, producing a lot of smoke. Second, you want the pan to be able to hold additional items, such as potatoes and vegetables.
However, if the pan is too high, the food won’t cook through because the air will rise more quickly. A pan with sides of 3 to 4 inches is ideal.
Rectangular versus oval? These two shapes each have advantages. Oval roasts fit perfectly in oval roasting pans, and whisking a gravy or sauce is as simple as pie because they don’t have corners. They have limits when cooking multiple items, though, because of the loss of surface area.
The right angles of rectangular roasting pans provide a little extra room. This makes them better for cooking multiple items, but less convenient for whisking.
A rectangular roasting pan with rounded corners? That’s the best of both worlds.
Nothing is worse than attempting to take a roasting pan out of the oven when it is bent from the weight of the food that has been roasted in it. Choose one that’s sturdy but also not too heavy.
A pan that will not twist or turn on you and cause burns is what you want. It should be heavy enough to feel sturdy when lifting. Then again, you don’t want it to be so heavy that it is difficult to lift. (Imagine trying to transfer a steamy, hot heavy pan, with a heavy meal and losing your grip).
Steel, aluminum or ceramic are all good choices. Pans on the slightly heavier side also guarantee more even heat distribution and less chance of burned drippings.
Buying guide: Roasting pan recommendations
After reading the above advice, if you’re still unsure about which roasting pan to buy, we’ll tell you about three that we think are good.
Our editors & writers only recommend products that we think are awesome and you’ll love. We do occasionally use affiliate links, which means you won’t pay us anything extra if we earn a tiny commission.
Cooking & Kitchen Tips : How to Use a Turkey Roasting Pan
FAQ
Should I cook the turkey on a rack or directly on the pan?
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