The Cheap Way To Roast Meat To Juicy, Tender Perfection

You bought the best cut of meat you can afford, read up on how to cook a prime rib without making any mistakes, and prepped everything to make some delicious sides. Obviously, this is the moment you realize you don't have a roasting pan. This always seems to happen with those kitchen items we only use a couple of times a year. You vaguely remember having to throw the old one out, but what now? Luckily for those of us who don't make a Sunday roast every weekend (and are either tight on kitchen storage space or a little forgetful), there's another easy, simple way to roast meat to perfection. It's close to free, too, as long as you have a baking sheet with a rim and some aluminum foil. 

A good roasting pan has a few specific features, all of which need to be replicated in a replacement. Firstly, it has to be big. Specifically, large enough to fit your cut of meat in, with enough space for the juices to flow out and, in many cases, for basting. Speaking of those juices, your pan needs walls tall enough to keep them in. If they escape, you will have a dry piece of meat and nothing to make a gravy or jus with. That's why only baking sheets with raised edges work for roasting meat. Finally, your temporary roasting pan will have to fit in your oven. Of course, this probably won't be a problem if you're using a rimmed baking sheet you already own, but be sure to measure if you're asking a friend to bring a sheet or grabbing a new one.

If you have a suitable baking sheet, use it just like a roasting tin. As the edge of the sheet will be lower than the edge of a roasting tin, there may be a few spills. A sheet of aluminum foil that is slightly larger than the sheet, placed under it in the oven, will catch any juices if they do splash while cooking. Additionally, you could create a DIY roasting rack to make sure your meat is cooked uniformly, with heat circulating throughout the cooking process. You could use a cooling rack, or the rack from below your broiler (if you have one), as long as it fits inside your baking sheet. This will also give the juices more space to pool, so you are far less likely to lose them. Of course, you will still need to be very careful when taking your roast out of the oven, particularly as those juices will be extremely hot.

When using a baking sheet with raised edges to roast meat, it is important to think about cooking time. Since sheets are not nearly as deep as roasting tins, your cut of meat will probably cook more quickly than usual, as more of it will be exposed to the oven's heat. For the best (and safest) results, use a meat thermometer. If you do not have one, just keep an eye on the oven and use the cues you usually would to check when your meat is done.

While there are some kitchen tools you really do need for roasting meat, a roasting pan may not be one of them. If you do not have a roasting pan or a sheet pan with raised edges, you have a few other options. A foil roasting pan is a great choice for anyone who truly only cooks a whole turkey at Thanksgiving. You could even buy a few and have them in stock for years. Of course, this is not the most environmentally friendly choice, and if you cannot get to the store and do not have a foil pan, it is not going to help you quickly finish making dinner. However, there are lots more common kitchen tools you can utilize, such as a large casserole dish or a cast-iron skillet. Both would work great in the place of a roasting tin, and a skillet can go on the stovetop, just like a great roasting pan. 

Essentially, if it is big enough for your cut of meat, oven safe, and has edges, anything can be used as a roasting tin. A casserole dish also works for baking many favorites, and quality versions of either could last a lifetime. So you could easily cut down on kitchen clutter by buying one kitchen staple instead of three. As is true in most areas of life, little bit of lateral thinking goes a long way when you are trying to be frugal and keep things sustainable in the kitchen.