These Are the Recommended Alternatives to a Roasting Pan
Amanda from Phoenix, AZ wrote to me and asked, “What can I use instead of a roasting pan?”. I decided to write this post about the roasting pan alternatives that I recommend. Enjoy.
A big roasting pan is usually an investment and makes cooking for large gatherings and holidays more special. But what do you use it for especially when you are low on space for the rest of the year? That heavy equipment meant for roasting a turkey is not something you can easily stash away in small kitchen spaces. You can instead consider some of these items that can handle all your roasting issues and other tasks that involve cooking.
Roasting Pan Alternatives: Here Are the Best Options
A piece of multi-purpose kitchen equipment would be great, from durable skillet to attractive compact braiser. Besides, the items should also be versatile for baking, roasting, and broiling use.
If you are short on time, you can watch this video on roasting pan alternatives.
#1. Cast-Iron Skillet
A cast-iron skillet is must-have kitchen equipment. They are not only excellent for roasting but also work well cooking frittatas and searing steaks. The thick walls and low sides resemble that of a regular roasting pan alternative and come at half the price. The cast iron is thick and evenly conducts heat while the low walls allow adequate airflow thereby creating an even browning level.
Begin with a thick chunk of meat on the oven top, after which you can pop the entire skillet in the oven to cook properly. A 12-inch pan offers enough space for sizeable meat pieces.
#2. Rimmed Baking Sheet
Rimmed baking sheets are usually lightweight, thin, and easy to store compared to a roasting pan. Plus, it’s almost like an everyday kitchen essential and an ideal roasting pan alternative. If you are roasting a whole fish or spatchcocking a turkey, this would be your best bet.
You can cook your meat on the metal surface but setting the rack wire would work better. Besides, you can also place a cooling rack inside the baking sheet for different recipes to help with air circulation around the meat.
#3. Large Baking Dish
The baking dish features a low-profile design perfect for roasting. Also, it has handles that make it quite easy to raise and lower the food item in the oven. Le Creuset offers a large baking dish that you can use for making lasagna for a large family or as a roaster.
Since it’s made of cast-iron, you can put it directly on the stovetop especially when you want to turn the drippings to gravy. What’s more, the surface is made of enamel which makes cleaning super easy. You can put the pan to test with pork and shred the pieces into the baking dish then place in on the table.
#4. Braiser
For recipes that need extra moisture like stewed greens and chicken thighs, the majority of us tend to turn to the braiser. However, if you take off the lid, braiser would be ideal for roasting. The braiser is a Staub production and is made of enamelled cast iron that evenly transfers and retains heat at the pan’s bottom.
Braiser also comes with large upturned handles that make lifting it a bit easy and convenient. Test it with roast beef chunks rubbed with herbs and paprika, use the pan as a serving dish after carving the meat.
#5. Bundt Pan
A Bundt pan is the most uncommon alternative when it comes to roasting instead of going for a pan with a rack. However, it gives you the best results. Just like a beer can chicken, the bird’s cavity tends to slip around the middle column creating a crispy skin at 360◦.
Fill the Bundt bowl with potatoes, aromatics, vegetables, or even bread cubes to soak the delicious drippings from the chicken. Under the Bundt, you also need to place a sheet pan to catch the rogue juices. The Bundt pan is durable and has wider handles that make taking the chicken in and out of the oven easy.
