P&P CHEF Stainless Steel Baking & Cooling Rack, 2 Pack

Many of us have fond memories of those Thanksgiving dinners from years gone by. We have a pretty clear picture in our heads of a parent or grandparent in an apron, putting the turkey into a roasting pan with all the trimmings.

Of course, if your folks were doing it right, that food wasn’t the only thing going into the pan. The often-overlooked roasting rack is a crucial piece of equipment when it comes to cooking turkey, pot roast or most large cuts of meat.

What is it? Roasting racks come in many different sizes, shapes and materials, but their primary function in the same: To keep the meat off the bottom of the pan. Your dish sits on a mesh cradle of some type, which might be flat or concave. That mesh is raised up on protrusions that serve as tiny “feet,” and this allows the real magic of roasting to happen. In order for large birds to get properly cooked, they need heat all the way around. This can’t happen when your main course is sitting flat at the bottom of the pan. Sure, you’ll get some marination as the fats drip out and form a pool, but you’ll also get uneven heating and the possibility of your turkey burning onto the pan. With a roasting rack, all that fat drips off, leaving the dish free to cook evenly.

In that case, you might ask why you need the pan at all. In some cases, you might not, but a good roasting pan still helps to conduct heat — and you can pile some nice veggies underneath the rack to cook in all that fat. With that in mind, the first thing to look for in a roasting rack is how well it fits inside your pot. In some cases, you can get a v-shaped “cradle” rack that adjusts to fit a variety of containers.

As with anything, it depends on what’s cooking. There are also flat racks that are meant to sit on top of baking sheets. These are best used for cookies, fish or even homemade dried fruit, and such racks will typically have a tighter mesh so that flakier dishes stay elevated. Most of these flat racks will be stainless steel, but silicone ones are also available if you don’t want to break the bank. Just be advised that they’re usually a little harder to clean.

If you’re going with a cradle rack for main dishes, make sure the material is sturdy. Flat racks usually don’t have to worry about bending, but it can be a disaster if your rack breaks while you’re taking out the turkey. Go with high-gauge steel that has a non-stick coating of some kind, otherwise, the rack might peel off some of that juicy skin.

How high off the pan does your roasting rack have to be? That really depends on the dish. One or two inches should be enough for your standard turkey, but sometimes you might want to allow for some veggies to be placed underneath. Dripping fat may not be great for your meat, but it can give a dose of flavor to your sides.