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A roasting pan earns its place twice: in the oven, where it has to brown a roast evenly without scorching the drippings, and on the stovetop, where those drippings become gravy. We judge every pan on both jobs, plus how safely it handles a heavy load.
As Featured In
MADE IN™
BEST FOR: Cooks who roast chickens and turkeys up to about 12 pounds and want to finish gravy right on the burner, including induction. The heavy carbon steel browns evenly, shrugs off high heat and builds a slick seasoning, provided you keep it dry and oiled.
KEY SPECS
| Roasting Pan | Score | Quality | Durability | Material | Size | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Made In™ — Blue Carbon Steel Roasting Pan | 9.82 | Premium | Carbon Steel | 10 In. | Shop Now | |
| All-Clad — Hard Anodized Non Stick Roaster | 8.54 | Good | Good | Aluminum | 16 In. | Shop Now |
| Cuisinart — Stainless Steel Roasting Pan | 8.12 | Decent | Carbon Steel | 16 In. | Shop Now | |
| Le Creuset — Steel Roasting Pan | 8.49 | Good | Good | Stainless Steel | 16 In. | Shop Now |
We evaluate a roasting pan on four tests. A whole roast chicken shows how evenly the pan browns skin and renders fat. Crowded root vegetables expose hot spots and scorching at the edges. Deglazing over two burners checks for warping, fond trapped in corners and induction response. Lifting a loaded pan tests handle grip and rack stability.
#2 · RUNNER-UP
All-Clad
SCORE 8.54
#3 · THIRD PLACE
Cuisinart
SCORE 8.12
#4
Le Creuset
SCORE 8.49
Buy for the roasts you cook most, not the one holiday bird. A pan sized for a 12-pound turkey handles chickens and pork loins with less empty floor, so drippings stay concentrated instead of spreading thin and burning.
Sharp square corners trap fond and small bits of food, which scorch during roasting and resist a whisk. Rounded corners and a flat floor let you scrape every bit of browned residue into the sauce.
The best roasting pans go straight from oven to burner for searing and deglazing. Confirm the base is flat and heavy enough to resist warping, and that it is magnetic if you cook on induction.
Season the pan before first use. After each roast, wash by hand with hot water and a soft brush, dry it over a low burner, then wipe on a thin film of neutral oil while warm. Never soak it or use the dishwasher.
Wine, citrus and tomato strip seasoning, so deglaze quickly and never let acidic liquid sit. Patchy spots are normal and fade with use. Preheat gradually on the stovetop to limit warping, and scrub carefully around the sharp rim.
Allow about an inch of clearance on each side of the bird. A pan roughly 16 by 12 inches handles turkeys past 20 pounds, while a more compact pan suits chickens and turkeys up to about 12 pounds and fits more easily across two burners.
Carbon steel browns aggressively, tolerates extreme oven heat and usually costs less than fully clad stainless, but it needs seasoning and dislikes long contact with acid. Clad stainless needs no seasoning and handles wine braises well, at a higher price.
A rack lifts the roast so hot air reaches the underside and the bottom does not stew in its juices. It also makes lifting the bird out for gravy easier. Choose one that fits snugly, since a sliding rack is dangerous under a heavy, hot turkey.
Yes, if the pan is stovetop-safe. Set it across two burners over medium heat, deglaze with stock, and scrape up the fond. Heavy steel with a flat base holds up well; thin pans and enameled models can buckle, blacken or crack over direct flame.
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