Frank Lynch > wrote in
:

> I'm not sure it makes sense to pay an All-Clad price for a roasting
> pan. Pots and pans, yes, you're concerned about heat transfer, and so
> the nature of the metal etc is very important, but when roasting a
> bird the meat is up on a rack (I recommend a v-shaped one, as does
> Cook's Illustrated) and not in contact with any metal.
>
> Stepping away from All-Clad may allow you to afford a larger roast pan
> in another brand. How large? Go to a grocery store and look at the
> size of turkeys.
>
> If you really want a smaller All-Clad for your regular use (and I
> still question choosing All-Clad for a roasting pan), the smaller one
> will probably sit comfortably inside the larger one on the shelf. So
> while you'd need extra inches to accommodate the larger pan, it's not
> all wasted space.
>
> IMO, of course...
>
> Frank Lynch
> The Samuel Johnson Sound Bite Page is at:
> http://www.samueljohnson.com/

A few years back I purchased the smaller All-Clad roasting pan from
outletsonline for much less than list price. It is a wonderful pan! It
easily accomodates a small turky, the largest chicken you might roast, or
a duck. Best of all, it is very sturdy and has a heavy bottom (steel
only, no cladding). I love being able to put it on the stovetop and make
the gravy directly from the pan-drippings (yum). You can't do that with
a disposable aluminum roasting pan, or even one of those blue-speckled
enamel things (too thin, would have hot spots). If you try this with an
aluminum roasting pan there is a good chance it will warp. (Ask me how I
know.) To be honest, Cook's Illustrated is now claiming that All-Clad
roasting pans can warp when used on the stove-top. All I can say is that
I have never had that problem.

I got the small All-Clad roasting pan after going through a few
generations of aluminum roasters (mostly excellent heavy pans purchased
at restaurant supply stores) and using it was a revelation. Highly
recommended.

Debbie

P.S. Just to prove that I don't think that expensive cookware is always
the answer, I will also point out that I am doing more and more baking
and roasting on heavy aluminum half-sheet pans, which run about $10
apiece. The right tool can be very affordable.

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