I’m on the hunt for a large roaster pan. I had no idea how difficult the search would be. I’ve had the same blue enamel roaster pan my entire adult life. It has been chipped over the years and is starting to rust. So, I want to buy another one. Holy moly, they start at about $80.00 for one like I have. There’s no way I’m paying that much for a pan I use a couple times a year.
The above photo is a batch of pear butter cooking in my beloved roaster pan. I use my pan to make apple butter, pear butter, and cook large pieces of meat such as turkey and ham. I don’t need something that large very often, but when I do cook a large batch of something, I don’t want to mess with two pans.
I’ve never been one to insist on new things. In fact, I find older items are often of much better quality. Therefore, my search includes considering a gently used one, not just a new one. I want to keep my options open. Some of the used ones I’ve found are in worse shape than my pan and still over $50.00. No, thanks.
While I’ve always used enamel covered steel roaster pans, I’m considering a different material. Perhaps aluminum would good. I have an enamel coated cast iron pan, but it’s far too heavy to use for apple butter that bubbles up and burns me while I’m taking it out of the oven. I used it for a batch a couple of months and vowed to never do so again.
My large roaster pan search has taken me to brick & mortar Walmart, Target, Big Lots, Dollar General, and Sam’s Club. I’ve looked online at Amazon and eBay. I’m planning to visit a local hardware store and the only kitchen supply store in our area tomorrow, but they’re both shots in the dark. I’m also planning to check local flea markets. I’d prefer to buy it from a brick & mortar store or market in order to assess the quality before I shell out my hard-earned cash.
If I strike out tomorrow, my husband has offered to accompany me to a couple of kitchen stores around a hundred miles away. Oh, we won’t be driving all the way there just to look for my pan. Jim has someplace in that city he wants to visit, or he wouldn’t have offered to go.
If all else fails, I may wait until yard sale season. We have some amazing city-wide sales around here. The Neosho City-Wide is one of my favorite yearly events. It’s quite possible I can find what I want while treasure hunting there. It’s still three months away, but the wait may be worth it. I’m not anxious to part with a ton of money for one pan.
Have you ever needed to replace something only to find the hunt to be a colossal challenge?
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