Cookware

Roasting Pan

Heavy-duty pan with a rack for roasts, birds, and pan gravy

A sturdy, low-walled pan sized for roasts and whole birds, usually paired with a rack to lift meat above its drippings. Those browned drippings are the foundation of a great pan gravy. Choose one with riveted handles you can grip with mitts.

A roasting pan is a sturdy, low-walled vessel sized to hold a whole turkey, a standing rib roast, or a big tray of vegetables, almost always paired with a rack that lifts the meat above its own drippings so hot air circulates underneath and the bottom browns instead of stewing. Those drippings aren't waste — they're the concentrated foundation of pan gravy, and a heavy pan that can go straight onto the stovetop lets you deglaze and build that gravy right where the flavor lives. Because it bridges oven and burner, construction matters: thick, warp-resistant metal and riveted handles you can grip with bulky mitts are what separate a confident roast from a dropped one.

Types & varieties

Tri-ply stainless

Goes from oven to stovetop for deglazing and gravy; the most versatile.

Enameled cast iron / steel

Even, retained heat and an easy-clean surface; heavy.

Anodized aluminum

Lighter and a fine browner, but skip stovetop gravy on thin models.

With V-rack vs. flat rack

A V-rack cradles a bird upright; a flat rack suits roasts and ribs.

What to look for

Choose a pan that's stovetop-capable if you make gravy — being able to set it across two burners to deglaze and reduce is a genuine upgrade. Walls around two to three inches are the sweet spot: tall enough to catch juices, low enough to let air brown the sides of the meat. Insist on large, riveted, upright handles; flimsy folding handles are dangerous with a heavy, hot, liquid-laden pan. A matching rack should fit snugly and sit high enough to clear the drippings.

How to use it for gravy

Roast on the rack so the bird sits above its drippings. When the meat comes out to rest, set the pan over a burner or two, pour off excess fat (keep a few spoonfuls), and scrape up the dark fond stuck to the bottom while you whisk in flour and then stock. That browned residue is pure roasted flavor — deglazing it is the single best reason to own a stovetop-safe pan.

Common uses

Roasting whole turkey, chicken, and duckCooking standing rib roasts and large jointsMaking pan gravy from the drippingsRoasting big trays of vegetablesSlow-roasting pork shoulder and lambHolding a water bath for large bakes

Tips & pitfalls

Always use the rack so air circulates and the bottom doesn't go soggy
Scatter aromatics and a splash of stock under the rack to flavor the drippings
Don't substitute a flimsy disposable foil pan for a heavy bird — it can buckle
Let the roast rest on a board while you build gravy in the hot pan

Good to know

Material: Tri-ply stainless (best, stovetop-safe), anodized aluminum, or enameled steel
Typical size: 16–18 in (holds an 18–22 lb turkey)
Oven-safe to: Stainless and anodized: 500°F+
Care: Deglaze to lift fond; soak baked-on bits, then scrub
Price range: $40–80 basic; $150–300 for heavy clad stainless
Best for: Whole birds, large roasts, big-batch vegetable roasting