Roasting Pan Review

Putting roasting pans through the ringer

We were surprised to find that ConsumerReports.org and Good Housekeeping have not reviewed roasting pans. Instead, we found the most credible review of roasting pans in Cook's Illustrated magazine. Editors put seven stainless-steel roasting pans and one enameled-steel roasting pan through their paces by roasting a large turkey (with gravy), searing and roasting a pork loin, and roasting 2 pounds of potatoes. Results are clearly explained, so it's easy for consumers to see where pans succeed and fail.

We also found some fairly recent comparative roasting pan reviews at Slate.com and Bon App?tit magazine and a more dated evaluation from Los Angeles Times. Denise Landis, a writer at The New York Times, also tests roasting pans. Landis tests more thoroughly than Canadian Living magazine or the Los Angeles Times, preparing turkey, beef, pork, fish and vegetables, but some of her recommended roasting pans have since been discontinued. That said, Canadian Living is the only review we found that offers photos of the foods prepared in each roasting pan -- a unique offering we didn't encounter in other reviews.

Additionally, we consulted Cooking.com and Amazon.com, where owners can post their opinions and rate their roasting pans on a scale of one to five (five being the highest score). Most of the aforementioned roasting pans can be found at these websites.

Overall, though, we were a bit disappointed in the quality of several reviews. Some publications did skimpy product testing, preparing only a single roast -- usually chicken -- in each pan. Some reviewers also didn't opt to prepare gravy on the stovetop, a routine ritual for most pan owners and a key test to see if the pan can heat evenly without scorching.

Still, several reviews do provide good general insights. For instance, a roasting pan's material can significantly affect cooking performance. While roasting pans can be made from an assortment of coated or uncoated metals such as aluminum, steel, copper or cast iron, experts say the best roasting pans are made from either hard-anodized aluminum or stainless steel with an aluminum core.

Anodizing is an electrochemical process that creates a gray, matte surface over the aluminum that's nonstick and durable. Stainless steel is not nonstick -- but cooks who select these pans get a double-duty payoff. Cooks have the convenience of using a single pan to sear meat on the stovetop before baking and to turn drippings into gravy on the stovetop afterwards -- two things hard-anodized surfaces don't do as well. Still, these superior combinations have been shown to have high conductivity and are durable and flameproof (for use on a stovetop).

Stainless-steel roasting pans also can withstand higher temperatures, be used under a broiler and are dishwasher-safe. According to reviews, however, even the most expensive stainless-steel roasting pans have a tendency to warp -- more so than anodized aluminum pans. Stainless-steel pans can also develop rainbowing, a discoloration that comes from being heated to temperatures above 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Disposable roasting pans have their own set of issues. Reviewers who tested disposable aluminum pans agree that these products don't do a very good job of browning meat and vegetables and don't retain heat well. Although they are inexpensive and widely available, they aren't as convenient, since they can't be used to make gravy on the stovetop.

Granite Ware roasters are one of the few brands that come with a lid, although the Granite Ware roasting pan tested by Slate was not highly rated. The reviewer said it trapped condensation, steaming the turkey instead of roasting it. Because of this, most experts don't suggest lid usage. Kauffman may have been pleased with the results if he didn't use the lid, since editors at Canadian Living and another reliable source both gave it good marks.