HOW A ROASTING PAN CAN SAVE YOUR THANKSGIVING
Originally published by Tramontina USA
There’s nothing like impressing your friends and family on Thanksgiving with the best meal of the year. The sides seem to be easy enough, and the dessert pies aren’t too bad either. But when it comes to the main affair— the turkey— anxiety builds. Where do you cook such a large bird? How will it turn out? What about the dressing?
There’s nothing more terrifying than trying to pull out that giant steaming turkey out of the oven when guests arrive, and not having the right vessel to cook that special piece of poultry won’t help. Do yourself a favor and steer clear of the Thanksgiving woes by grabbing a heavy-duty roasting pan. It will make your turkey days, holidays, and even your Mondays, all the easier. Here’s why:
A heavy pan for a heavy bird
A Thanksgiving turkey can weigh upwards of 15 pounds. And yet somehow many people decide a flimsy aluminum pan is the best option for roasting said poultry. Instead of grabbing that cheap disposable pan at the grocery store, opt for something that can hold the weight of the turkey and all its tasty juices.
And what about veggies— something to catch all the drippings? If you want to chop up potatoes, carrots, and sweet onions to put underneath your turkey, we recommend it. It’s an easy side dish and there’s no better way to take advantage of all those succulent juices. But if a disposable pan can barely hold the weight of a turkey, it’s definitely not going to hold those veggies too. Some recipes may even call for adding additional liquid throughout the cooking process, like white wine or a basting sauce. A deep and heavy roasting pan gives you tons of space to add enough veggies and liquid to feed the crowd and keep the turkey moist and flavorful.
Pulling out a heavy and steaming hot turkey from the oven is scary enough. There’s no reason to risk using an unstable pan and spilling hot oil all over the place. You want a pan with a good weight and sturdy handles that let you grip it tightly, even with bulky hot pads.
Circulation
The turkey sits tucked inside a pan with high walls. It’s perfect for catching the drippings, maintaining heat, and holding such a heavy piece of meat. But you also need air to circulate around the turkey so it cooks evenly and quickly. In comes a roasting rack or basting grill (important parts of a good roasting pan) to hold up the turkey away from the pan’s surface. Without a roasting rack, the pan will trap too much steam and sit in its juices. Dry heat is better for even roasting and getting a good crisp on the skin.
A real pan means better gravy
When the turkey is done, it’s time to make gravy. Once again you’ll need a sturdy roasting pan that heats evenly and can sit on your stovetop. Using the turkey pan is the only way to get all those flavorful bits off the bottom and into a delicious gravy. Set that shiny stainless steel roasting pan on two burners (depending on the size). Add onions to those mouthwatering drippings,, deglaze with wine, and simmer butter and herbs to velvet gravy goodness. It’ll be done before the turkey is ready to be carved.
Everyday use
Though the holidays are the time to cook for a crowd, a good roasting pan is great for more than just a Thanksgiving turkey. You can:
Roast two chickens and use them for leftovers throughout the week
Roast a whole fish
Sear and bake a beef or pork tenderloin
Roast a big batch of vegetables
Make a large lasagna or casserole-style dish
Bake a big tray of brownies or cobbler
The holidays should be a time to relax and be with people you love. Don’t let a disposable tin or flimsy aluminum pan hold you back from making the best Thanksgiving turkey yet.