Cooking inevitably involves various utensils and tools. Whether you are an experienced chef or someone who seldom steps into the kitchen, you probably have various equipment waiting for you. Maybe you have all sorts of pans like saucepans, saute pans and frying pans, but you may not know about this one: A broiling pan!
We all know how challenging it is to find ‘the perfectly cooked’ stage for the dish, which comes right before ‘the overcooked’ step! A broiler pan can help you with this challenging task. It can be your secret weapon to get perfectly cooked food! Today, we’ll talk about a broiler pan, what it is used for, and how to use it.
There are many types of pans and a few types of broiler pans. This can cause some confusion. That’s why people always ask, ‘What is an oven broiler pan?’, ‘What is a double broiler pan?’, and other things like that. I’ll try to give answers to all of your questions about broiler pans. I’ll also give you some tips, and in the end, you’ll see that broiler pans are relatively easy to use!
What Is a Broiler Pan?
Do you want me to put it simply? A broiler pan is used for broiling. Voila! But what is broiling? Broiling is a quick-cooking method that exposes food to direct radiant heat to cook it. It is different from baking and roasting, even though these processes use very high temperatures. That’s because you have to turn one side at a time in the broiling process.
Broiling also uses a direct flame to cook the food quickly. It differs from grilling, although these two methods have a similar cooking process. The difference is that broiling uses a heat source above the food, and grilling employs a heat source below the food.
A broiler kinda works like an upside-down grill. It usually consists of two pieces: the upper pan and the lower pan. The upper one is the one that cooks the food. The dripping from the food drains onto the lower pan, which is placed beneath the upper pan.
You can find broiler pans in different materials, just like any other pan. The common ones have anodized aluminum and stainless-steel bodies, but you can also get enameled steel and cast-iron broiler pans. If you want to use a broiler only once, you can use an aluminum broiling pan because that’s disposable.
Also Read: Best Infrared Grill – Make Delicious Food
What Is a Broiler Pan Used For?
If you do not want your food to cook in its own fat and want to drain the excess juices, you can use a broiler pan. You can prepare steaks and roasts with it. Not just these two, a broiler pan can also be used for seafood, poultry, and vegetables.
But if you want your food to cook in its own juice, you may want to look for a roasting pan. Cooking the food in its liquid can make the meat tender and juicy. Roasting is the way to prepare that. Broiling is a drier option.
How to Use a Broiler Pan?
Broiling can be seen as a little bit daunting. That’s why most people avoid cooking in them. But it is simple and easy to use! Of course, you need some practice to become skilled, but one needs the practice to become better in everything. When it comes to the kitchen, practice becomes everything. The more you do, the more experienced you become.
Here is a step by step instruction on how to use this kitchen product at home. They are usually placed above the oven racks and below the burners on the stovetop. But you can also find them in the separate drawer below. After locating the broiler, it is time to place the oven rack. There are three different options you can choose from while placing it.
The first option is to place the oven rack to the highest possible position if the broiler is on the oven’s top. The second option is to place the oven rack to the lowest possible position if the broiler is at the oven’s bottom. The last option is to put it 4 to 5 inches away from the broiler in a drawer. Do not place the oven rack too close to the heating element.
For the next step, you need to turn the broiler on and then wait for 5 to 10 minutes for the broiler to heat up. Of course, different ovens offer different broiler settings, but we are talking about the usual ones. You can turn your broiler with a simple on and off switch. If your broiler does not have that, just turn the heat high to 500F.
After that, you can place your food on the oven rack. Do not forget, you cannot put the food and forget about it. You should check it and turn it from time to time. And since broilers work at high temperatures, your food will be ready in 10 to 12 minutes. Easy peasy, huh? Whatever it is we are making, it sounds delicious already!
Tips and Tricks for Using Broiler Pans
Cleaning: Usually, we prefer nonstick coating in these kinds of kitchen products for a comfortable cleaning experience, but unfortunately, we do not have that option for broiling pans. These pans are designed for high heat, and nonstick coating cannot withstand temperature this high. As a result, it is challenging to clean the broiler pan, especially the bottom pan.
But you can make it easy by lining the broiler with aluminum foil in the first place. What is a foil-lined broiler pan? You basically line the broiler pan with foil to keep it from getting too dirty. If you want to line the upper pan like the bottom, you need to cut slits into it, so the fat and juices can drain.
Preheating: Do not forget to turn the broiler on a few minutes before putting the food in. The broiler needs to be very hot, so the food can start to cook as soon as you place it in.
Sauces: Do not just pour any sauce on the food. Use a brush to apply them to the food just a few minutes before it is prepared.
Saving the Food: Let’s assume you put the broiler pan too close to the heating source. As a result, the food is overcooked on the outside and disgustingly raw on the inside. What’ll you do? You will remove the food from the broiler and simply place it in the oven. Cook it at low heat, and it’ll be cooked all the way through. You can also do the opposite. Bake or roast first and place it under the broiler. It should take 2 to 3 minutes to get a beautiful crust.
Also Read: Griddle vs Grill – Which One Is Better?
Broiler Pan Substitutes
Broiling is an underrated cooking method. Many people do not know it or do not give it a chance. But when you give it a chance, you see how delicious the food becomes with this method! If you want to try this method but don’t have a broiler pan, you can use one of these substitutes: grill pans, aluminum foil trays, cast iron pans, and baking trays.
You can consider using any one of these to try out this method first. And when you’re much better at it, then you can get a real broiler pan. It will be worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We answered most of the questions in different parts of this article, but we’ll talk in this section about a couple of queries that are left out.
Q: Can You Broil on a Sheet Pan?
A: Yes! It is not necessary to use a broiler pan to broil the food. I mentioned the other ways you can use to broil the food without one. For example, you can use a preheated cast-iron skillet. And you can use heavy-duty sheet pans too!
Q: Can I Leave the Door Open While Broiling?
A: Yes, it can help with the process. It keeps the environment from getting too steamy or hot. The surroundings being too steamy can ruin the food.
Wrapping Up
Broiling is an excellent cooking method; quick and delicious. A broiler pan is a primary way to use this method. With its simplicity, there won’t be any confusion. You need to watch your food with this method, but it only takes 10 to 12 minutes! That should not be a problem since it gives you a perfectly cooked, memorable food.
Since you know a broiler pan and how you use one now, you can finally make one of your favorite dishes this way! I can’t wait to hear about it. Keep me updated on the comment section!
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