Don’t Forget to Do This If You’re Roasting Turkey in a Foil Pan

If you’re making your turkey in a foil pan this year for the ease of cleanup it promises, there’s one smart tip you need to make this cooking method not only easier on yourself but also just smarter overall. This tip falls under the “useful but obvious” category, but we figured if it’s something we find ourselves forgetting then you might too. So home cooks across the land, here’s a reminder that you need to place that foil pan on a sheet pan before sliding it into the oven.

This tip is based on the same rational behind why you should bake your pies on a sheet pan. Setting your foil pan on a sheet tray provides a very sturdy base. Because no matter how durable that foil pan of yours is, you still run the risk of it buckling under the weight of a massive turkey. Take the precaution here and just place it on a sheet pan before sliding it into the oven.

The tray also means you can actually slide it. Pulling out the tray, rather than the pan, makes basting, temperature taking, and covering with foil (if necessary) much easier. And then there’s the whole worry about leaks; it’s a problem if turkey juices spill and splash all over the oven, but not so much if they’re just spilling and splashing in the tray.

Did we mention it just makes things easier? That’s reason alone to do it.

More tool tips for getting ready to cook the bird!

• No Roasting Pan? 5 Alternatives Already in Your Kitchen: There are a few alternatives in your kitchen right now.
• What to Do If You Don’t Have a Roasting Rack on Thanksgiving: A roasting rack lifts the turkey away from the direct heat of the pan and allows hot air to circulate underneath. There are a few easy ways to improvise if you don’t have a roasting rack, though.