Baking pan

A pan used for roasting foods in a conventional gas or electric oven. A roasting pan should be large enough to place a metal roasting rack in the bottom, heavy enough to be used on the stovetop burner for making gravy and sauces from the drippings, and well made of thick metal with sturdy handles for maintaining a good grip on the pan to easily control it when filled with foods being cooked. For use in an oven, the pan should be of a size that allows at least 2 to 3 inches of space around the pan and away from the oven walls, so air can circulate effectively. The size of the item being roasted determines the proper size of the pan to be utilized, making sure to roast smaller foods in smaller pans, or juices from the food will be dispersed too widely, causing them to evaporate and burn on the bottom of the pan.