Best Roasting Pans For Thanksgiving

Though it would seem custom-made for turkey feasts, a good roasting pan is a kitchen tool that should get regular use throughout the year. These large pans are designed to withstand hours of direct, high heat. When it's not being used to roast a turkey or chicken, a roasting pan can handle your homemade lasagna, a weeknight casserole or even steamed fish and vegetables. If the upcoming holiday has you thinking about buying a new roasting pan, here are several we recommend.

Care to guess when the first Thanksgiving dinner was held? It was a three-day festival in 1621 and included 50 Pilgrims and 90 members of the Wampanoag nation. It's believed only five women were present. Maybe if they had this chef-friendly roasting pan, it'd have been a real party. This roaster from Circulon features a U-shaped rack to keep your meat off the bottom of the pan. The nonstick surface means cleanup will be a breeze. The wide handles reduce the chance of dropping the pan. It can handle turkeys up to 24 pounds.

Buy Now: Circulon Nonstick Roasting Pan

Most attentive students of American history probably know that turkey wasn't on the menu on that first Thanksgiving. Instead, the crowd dined on venison, duck, goose, oysters, lobster, eel, and fish. Pumpkins and cranberries were likely served, but not in the familiar forms we eat them today. The carbon steel construction is designed to make this roasting pan last for years. It measures 18x13 inches and can hold up to 25 pounds of meat.

Buy Now: Chicago Metallic Nonstick Roaster

Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863 thanks to Abraham Lincoln. But give the real credit to author Sarah Josepha Hale – the woman who penned "Mary Had A Little Lamb" – for lobbying for it after writing letters to the White House for 17 years. This roasting pan from Mr. Captain has a beautiful stainless-steel surface that won't discolor over time. It's safe to use in any stove, induction cooker, oven or grill. There's room for 24 pounds of meat inside.

Buy Now: Mr Captain Roasting Pan with Rack and Lid

The tradition of the U.S. president pardoning a turkey each fall was begun by John F. Kennedy. George H.W. Bush formalized the tradition beginning in 1989. This roasting pan is identical to the one still used by many of my relatives – the tradition of the kids being forced to clean it after each feast has thankfully been passed along to the grandkids. These black-and-white speckled pots are nonstick and built to last long enough to pass it along to the next generation. This particular pan is designed to hold up to 20 pounds of meat.

Buy Now: Millvado Roasting Pan With Lid, Turkey Roaster Pan

Here's the bad news about Thanksgiving: It's estimated that the average American consumes 4,500 calories on that fall day. And don't blame the turkey and L-tryptophan for making you sleepy afterward – that nap is more likely caused by all your blood flowing to your tummy where it's needed to help with digestion. This heavy-duty cast aluminum roasting pan heats up fast and requires little maintenance. It has a removable rack and side handles that make it easy to bring to your car for the drive to dinner. It can handle up to 25 pounds of meat. You, on the other hand, should try to eat less than 4 ounces yourself that day.

Buy Now: IMUSA USA Heavy Duty Cajun Oval Cast Aluminum Roaster