Roasting pan

A roasting pan is a large, sturdy pan with sides about 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) high. It is made to roast big things such as a whole turkey, a leg of lamb or a rib roast, along with vegetables. Many come with a rack that lifts the meat off the base, so hot air reaches the underside and the meat does not sit in its own fat. In the UK it is called a roasting tin.

How to use it

1. Pick a pan that fits the meat with a few centimeters (about an inch) of space on each side. Too large and the juices burn, too small and the meat steams.
2. Put the meat on the rack, or on a bed of thick-cut onions, carrots and celery that work as a rack and flavor the drippings.
3. Roast in the lower third of the oven so the top does not brown too fast.
4. If the drippings start to burn, add a splash of water or stock to the pan.
5. Rest the meat on a board while you make the gravy.

To make gravy in the pan, pour off most of the fat. Set the pan over one or two burners, add wine or stock, and deglaze by scraping up the browned fond with a wooden spoon. Thicken and season.

Substitutes

A rimmed sheet pan with a wire rack works for smaller roasts and chicken pieces. A large cast iron skillet suits a chicken. A disposable foil pan works for a turkey, but set it on a sheet pan because it bends when you lift it.

Common mistakes

• Using a thin pan. It warps in a hot oven and burns the drippings.
• Using a deep pan for small cuts. High sides trap steam and the meat does not brown.
• Using a glass dish on the stove to make gravy. Only metal pans go on a burner.
• Letting the pan dry out. Drippings burn and turn bitter.
• Lifting a heavy pan full of hot fat without a plan. Clear a space first and use dry oven mitts.

In recipes

"Roasting pan with a rack" means the meat is lifted off the base. "Roasting tin" in UK recipes means the same pan, often without a rack.