18 qt roaster
DeeJay
04/04/11 		I read another poster's question about putting water inside the roaster UNDER the removable pan, and your reply. This has been a bone of contention between me and some church folk for some time. There is a Lutefisk Dinner every year that involves many roasting units cooking at the same time---somewhere between a dozen and 20--they are numbered and stored in their own very special storage shed. Obviously a lot of money is invested in the entire enterprise. They insist that there must be water UNDER the pan, or stuff will burn, and it's like reasoning with Eric the Red himself to convince anyone otherwise. It is a royal pain in the patoot to do it that way, because doing it their way, so little water can fit betwixt and between once weight is added to the cooking pan--too much will spill out.
A guy who caters there chewed me out (non-lutefisk event) for 'forgetting' the water; said that not adding it would cause the pan to warp. It is the 'Gospel According to Lutefisk' and heresy to contradict it. I'm 'bout ready to buy a roaster of my very own (like we need another) for comparison, not to prove a point, but just to avoid the whole conversation for small events. Is there any brand you favor, and any that you would pointedly avoid?
ellen
04/04/11 		It says right in the manual NOT to put the water in. It is NOT a chafing dish. The only way to warp the pan is to overheat it. The way you keep from burning food when used as a giant crockpot is two part:

PREHEAT the base before inserting the pan of food, 20-30 minutes

TURN DOWN the temp

I like the Nesco because the element goes around the side instead of under the bottom, resulting in more even heat and less scorching. However, when used as a giant crockpot/cooker instead of an oven, it has to be at least half full to heat evenly and well.

mark
05/05/11 		How many 18 qt roasters will I need to hold 75 pounds of uncooked pork shoulder after I smoke it.
ellen
05/06/11 		3.