What Size Roasting Pan Do You Need For Your Turkey?

Source: DHgate, Tag: Home Garden

The pan size you choose to roast your turkey goes a long way in determining the taste of the food and the presentation. Here is how to size it.

• With Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching, you know it is time to roast that turkey and enjoy the hype. Or you might be a turkey enthusiast who likes to prepare a piece regularly.
  Well, you need to make sure you get it right at every step to come up with a delicacy that suits the occasion. You need to have all the requirements in place before you start the preparation. The inclusions and additions such as the vegetables should all be available. And the most important thing you need is the roasting pan.

• When you get the right roasting pan, you will surely end up with a well-prepared turkey that is nothing short of mouthwatering. We will be looking at how to choose the right turkey pan looking at all the dimensions.
  Before we look at the kind of pan that you need to roast the turkey, let us first evaluate how much turkey you will need. The amount depends on the number of guests that you are expecting or the size of the household. Sometimes it’s also about what you can get because you might want to preserve some of the meat for the future. Therefore, the amount you prepare will depend on the plans you have for the food. Well, if you are an avid lover of turkey, you might also want to add a few more pounds to it.
  Most of the time, we can tolerate some leftovers at home. Well, there are general guides on the amount of turkey that you need for a certain number of people. This will be of great help especially if you don’t know the correct amount for your guests. The problem of deciding on the amount of turkey will mostly be experienced by first-time cooks or if the numbers have changed.
  For a regular household, you can always use past references to decide the amount that will be suitable for the occasion at hand. If you are the family that turns to turkey on Thanksgiving, then you can always use the same amounts you used the past year to come up with estimates for the year. And if you cook the delicacy regularly, you would be in a better position to make the right guess because the memories are pretty much recent.
  Choosing The Right Size of Turkey
  Let us now look at how you can estimate turkey size correctly. Here are the formulas to use.

  • If you have up to four guests or a family of up to four members, a turkey size of up to ten pounds will be enough if unstuffed. A three-pound turkey breast will have moderate leftovers. If you go higher and choose a five-pound turkey breast, you will have more leftovers.

  • For a family of ten people, choose a turkey size of between 10 and 15 pounds. You can also choose 20 pounds but that means having many leftovers.

  • For a large number of guests up to 20, consider choosing a turkey size of 25 pounds. In some cases, you might not always get such a big turkey and you have to buy two small ones. For instance, you can choose two smaller ones weighing 15 pounds each.

• 1. Therefore, if you have a 13 Lb turkey, that will be enough for a family of up to 10 people. This will have only moderate leftovers.
     Choosing The Turkey Pan Size

Now that we know what amount of turkey we need for our occasion, it is time to choose the turkey pan size. These are considerations that you will be making in advance so that you can go out and make the purchases at a go. Alternatively, you can get the meat preserved and get some time to look for the suitable turkeys pan size.
The pan size will depend on the turkey size. If you are cooking a 12-pound turkey, you will need a turkey pan size measuring at least 14 by 10 by 2 inches. for turkey size up to 16 pounds, you need a pan size measuring 15 by 12 by 3 inches. Turkey weighing 20 pounds will fit in a pan size of 16 by 13 by 3 inches. A 16 by 13-inch roaster can fit a 25-pound turkey.
Remember the sizing of the pan has to be accurate because it affects the quality of your meat. When you choose a big size, the juices will burn. On the other hand, when you choose a small roaster, the airflow will be restricted and cooking won’t happen in the proper manner.
So what if you have changing number of guests for every occasion? If it is okay with you, you can have the different sized pans for the different sizes of turkey. However, most people want to have a safe option that can work on all occasions. Well, you are better off with a medium size that can hold the average size of a turkey. This way, if you have a large number of guests, you can always do the cooking in two shifts.
Also, remember that the dimensions we are mentioning are for the inside part of the pan because that is the area that will hold the meat. Some pans can have very thick walls and this means that the inner side can be a few inches smaller.
If you are using a medium size pan, you might face the challenge of having excess room and this might lead to browning of the juices. Well to avoid this, you can stuff some vegetables at the bottom to occupy the space and smoothen the process of cooking the turkey.
Choosing the correct depth of the turkey pan will ensure that the cooking is on point. As in the examples above, you can see that three inches is the average depth for optimal cooking. When you pick a shallow depth, the braising will not be perfect and when you go too deep, the food is steamed and not roasted. A shallow pan also makes it difficult to move the pan. When you try to remove it, you might end up spilling things all over the place.
The Other Attributes to Consider When Choosing the Right Roasting Pan
Besides the size and the depth, there are many other things that you need to consider when choosing the best pan to roast your turkey. All these will contribute to the outcome of the food you are preparing. It goes down to the finer details such as colour because this also affects how much time it will take to ready your meal.
The Material
One of the things you need to consider is the material of the pan. Copper and stainless steel are the two most common materials that you will find on the market. Copper is a good material because it cools faster once you pull it out of the oven. The downside is that it can be more expensive. It can also react with acidic food and maintaining its new looks for a long time isn’t the easiest of tasks.
Stainless steel is your other option. It has good heat distribution and tends to maintain the original flavour of food. The heat distribution however may not be as good and it gets expensive when bound to other kinds of metals.
Aluminum is lightweight and is very affordable. It can also react with acidic foods and it is not the most resilient of materials. Cast iron is a good material for a roaster but it is heavy. It is durable and has non-stick properties. It might also take a little longer to heat up and therefore your food will stay longer in the oven compared to most of the other materials.
The Weight of the Pan
While the weight of the pan will largely be influenced by the material, it is an essential attribute to consider. You want a pan that can hold the bird and it won’t bend when you lift it. Therefore, something sturdy will do just fine. You don’t need a very heavy pan unless lifting is no problem for you. Aluminium and steel come with optimal weights and you will not face trouble with them. The problem with the very weighty ones is the difficulty that comes with transferring them. And you don’t want any mishaps when you are handling them. Although they have generally better heat distribution, it is better to find a balance of the attributes.
The Shape
The roasting pans come in either oval or rectangular shapes. Each of these has their advantages and disadvantages. The rounded shapes make it easy for whisking but they don’t have enough room to hold multiple items. The rectangular shapes on the other side have adequate room to hold multiple items. If you are undecided on which options to pick, you can go for a shape that incorporates both outlines. You will definitely find a roasting pan that has a rectangular shape but the corners are rounded off.
Is A Rack Included?
Some roasting pans will come with a rack whereas others do not. Well, it all goes down to individual preferences. A rack is not a necessity. However, when it is in place, the meat will be lifted off the bottom of the pan. This allows room for debris to fall and get collected at the bottom. You can use those to make gravy. A rack also ensures that the bird fits well on the pan. The rack increases the overall weight of the rack and sometimes, it can hold drippings that could stick and become a bother. If you really want the rack, you can always purchase it separately in case your pan didn’t come with one.
The Type of Handles
When choosing a turkey roasting pan, you will have to look at the kind of handles. While this will be solely determined by your preferences, it is worth noting that they will have some impact. For instance, some pans come with permanently long handles. This will take more space in the oven but they are easy to handle because you can pull them out without worries. The other kind of handles can be extended or reduced in size to fit in an oven. These will occupy less space in the oven but might present a challenge when it is time to pull out the pan.
The other features to consider include whether the pan is covered or open. The covered pans usually produce crispy skin and a juicy inside. This is what most people want to achieve. And the skin can be made crispier by removing the lead during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Just make sure to take caution when lifting the lead because the steam that gathers inside can cause burns. The open plan will also result in crisp skin but it needs precision to prevent the bird from drying up. You can also get the electric pan which allows for slow cooking and it is portable. This makes a good option for people going on a picnic or to a remote holiday destination. It keeps the food warm and retains heat well so you can be sure to have something for your travels.
Conclusion
When roasting turkey, make sure to get everything right from the amount to the cooking procedure. The food is phenomenal when you have the right roasting pan. You only need to put the ingredients together and turn up the heat. You don’t need lots of experience to come with an awesome meal.
When choosing a pan to roast your turkey, you need to consider all the attributes mentioned in the previous sections. Of course, your preferences should take precedence but it is also good to make the decisions when you have the information.
If you are wondering where to get these turkey roasting pans, take a look at DHgate and browse through the collection. There are lots of options in terms of size, material as well as general appearance.