Is this safe to cook in?

[ammiga]

We've been having a hard time finding a roasting pan that isn't aluminum or teflon coated.

We found one of those old black and white speckled roasting pans at my mom's house... are those safe? I noticed that Macy's is selling them too... what are your thoughts on them? Or is there another alternative that's not too expensive?

[swede]

I thought that was enamel, and it is "safe".  I will be watching to see what others say...

[mamadelbosque]

Safe as far as I know. We eat off of enamel-ware plates/bowls every day. They've been around forever - if there were any serious concerns I'm pretty sure we'd have heard about them by now and stopped using them. :shrug 

[cynotgirl]

from what I know (which isn't much!) enamel-ware is considered safe ... but roasting is at such a high temp, I don't know about leaching... couldn't find any info stating it's not ok!

[Llyra]

Why not try tempered glass? (like Pyrex) That's what we use for roasting.

[Arduinna]

I prefer enameled cast iron and clay pots for roasting.

[Llyra]

Originally Posted by Arduinna 

I prefer enameled cast iron and clay pots for roasting.

I do too. But aren't those terribly expensive? The OP specified that she was looking for something inexpensive. I got my Pyrex roasting dish for less than $10.

[Arduinna]

clay pots don't have to be expensive. I bought some of mine for about 30 dollars and they are big enough to roast chicken, a leg of lamb or beef with veggies in.

[ammiga]

Originally Posted by Llyra 

Originally Posted by Arduinna 

I prefer enameled cast iron and clay pots for roasting.

I do too. But aren't those terribly expensive? The OP specified that she was looking for something inexpensive. I got my Pyrex roasting dish for less than $10.

Is the glass dish large enough for a whole chicken? We have several Pyrex dishes, but none are that big.
 

Originally Posted by Arduinna 

clay pots don't have to be expensive. I bought some of mine for about 30 dollars and they are big enough to roast chicken, a leg of lamb or beef with veggies in.

Where did you get the clay roaster? I've never heard of those.

[Arduinna]

When I lived in out west they had them in the Mexican markets. But you can find them online too, there are a lot of different kinds and in different price ranges at places like La Tienda  and The Culinary Garden . Check out Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking by Paula Wolfert for a bunch of info on the different types and recipes for using them.

[Llyra]

Yeah, my Pyrex is big. It's the same size as my old stainless steel roasting pan. I like the Pyrex because I find it's easier to keep clean.

[SophieAnn]

I see clay roasters at the thrift store pretty often too.  Some are well-seasoned from years of use, others look brand new.  It's worth a try to check your local thrift shops!