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Roaster with lid

Discussion in 'Cooking Equipment Reviews' started by vita-man, Oct 20, 2004.

  1. Oct 20, 2004 #1
    vita-man

    vita-man

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    Hey all:I'm new to this forum but needed some advice so hopefully you can help me.

    I'm looking for a heavy duty anodized roaser with a lid. Don't laugh. I'm just a novice. I guess I have read that to properly "roast" something you need the air to circulate around it so the outside gets crispy, but I want to roast a large turkey and we always take the skin off so I don't really care about having crisp skin. I guess one with a lid just seems easier and maybe juicier.

    I have a whole bunch of Magnalite professional pans, but I think they are out of business. I wanted to buy a Magnalite Professional Roaster but I'm not having any luck finding one.

    Got any suggestions where I could find one? Any reasons why I definitely should not buy one?

    Thanks for your help.

    Jeff
     
  3. Oct 21, 2004 #2
    jock

    jock

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    I don't think I have seen a roaster with a lid! Actually that's not strictly true. I believe that you can buy a super thin, cheap, enameled steel, oval shaped roaster at the grocery store housewares isle or at hardware stores.

    Since it is such a specialized use I wouldn't spend the money. Tenting the roaster with heavy duty aluminum foil will hold in enough steam to do the job I would think.

    Jock
     
  4. Dec 13, 2004 #3
    vita-man

    vita-man

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    Well, it's not anodized, but I bought a Le Cruesett 15 quart roaster. It is awesome. Probably not worth the money, but cooked an awesome turkey for Thanksgiving.

    Jeff
     
  5. Dec 14, 2004 #4
    joepiebaker

    joepiebaker

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    Wouldn't a roaster with a lid technically be a dutch oven?
     
  6. Dec 14, 2004 #5
    vita-man

    vita-man

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    Don't exactly know the difference between a dutch oven and a roaster, so I can't say. Whatever it is, it made a great turkey.

    Jeff
     
  7. Dec 14, 2004 #6
    keeperofthegood

    keeperofthegood

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    Hey oh

    If its got a lid, and the lid is used on, then its not a roaster.

    Roasting only occurs when the procuct is open to the air. Baking is roasting, only baking generally refers to flour based product, and roasting to meat based product.

    Braising is done lid on. It is a two part processe that involves first pan frying, then in a cover pot with fluid (water, wine, stock etc.) 1/3 to 1/2 the way up the meat.

    Meat in a closed container cooked in it own excaping moisture is steaming.

    Moistness in meat comes from the fat in and on top of the meat.

    Dutch ovens are usually a stovetop cast iron pot with flat lid.

    Ahhhhh, well that is how I was taught the differences anyway.
     
  8. Dec 14, 2004 #7
    vita-man

    vita-man

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    Thanks for the lesson. I appreciate it.

    Jeff
     
  9. Dec 20, 2004 #8
    gonefishin

    gonefishin

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    Hi vita-man,


    I was a bit leery of using an "open roaster" at first too. But go ahead and give it a whirl...not just for the occasional turkey, but also for everything else such as whole chickens, beef roasts, pork roasts and so on.
    One thing, that I've found, that you do have to watch is that you don't have a size mismatch. Don't put a 3 pound chicken or smaller roast in a giant roasting pan made for a large turkey.
    I've had good luck by fitting the meat to the pan, so the pan is just a bit larger than the meat I'm cooking in. If you don't mind or want a little crisping on the skin or outside of the roast I've had good luck with small sided pans. If you want things a little more protected as they cook, I've looked for something with higher sides.
    Most of the time I'm cooking for my wife, child and myself. So my birds or roasts aren't that big. So I usually end up cooking in a calphalon style frying pan. It's just a little larger than the meat...and is made with no plastic parts and no non-stick surfaces...so it can be used either on the stove-top, in the oven...or in the broiler.

    But, if you cooking a large turkey (over 18 pounds or so) you may want to inquire here or with other cookbooks about cooking very large birds. You may end up cooking it either with foil or upside down for almost the entire time, so the breast meat doesn't get over cooked and dry out.


    Happy Holidays,

    dan