Use the Broiler Pan

Use the broiler pan. You read that correctly. Use your broiler pan for more than just broiling. And, by the way, do you ever use the broiler function on your oven? Lots of people use their broiler pan and rack for cooking bacon, but I believe that's it. 

How do I use my two broiler pans? Yes, I use them to cook bacon, of course. But I also use them to:

• Roast chicken with vegetables.
• Bake a sheet cake. (Trim the edges when the cake has cooled, and no one will know.)
• Store ripening tomatoes. You'll want to set them of top of the rack for proper air circulation.
• Use with flour or breadcrumbs to dredge fish or pork chops or just about anything for frying.
• Mix large batches of ingredients like meat and marinade or vegetables and olive oil before roasting. As a matter of fact...read on.
• Roast vegetables.
• With the rack, broil hamburger patties or lamb chops.
• Broil eggplant for eggplant parmesan when you don't want to fry. Brush each slice with olive oil and broil one side. Flip and do the other side. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with grated Parmigiano.
• Bake a Greek SPANAKOPITA! I must admit, this is my favorite use for the broiler pan. In traditional Greek cuisine, the baking pans are quite large. We cook once and eat many times. We also like to share with neighbors, friends and those who live alone.

When you don't have a fully stocked kitchen, the broiler pan can jump in as a kitchen helper. It's especially helpful in a vacation rental kitchen.

Broiling tips from my kitchen are many. My favorite is to use it when I've got roasted chicken parts. At the end of cooking time, I turn the broiler on high and move the pan to a higher rack in the oven. This will crisp up the chicken skin and add those delicious roasty-toasty spots to potatoes and other vegetables.