What Size Roasting Pan Do You Need for a Turkey?
The turkey is bought, the guests are coming, and you pull out the old roasting pan. Will the bird fit? Here's how to size a pan for your turkey, so you know before Thanksgiving morning.
Start with the turkey's weight
The easiest check is the weight. Many roasting pan listings say the largest bird or roast the pan holds. Match that number to your turkey, and give yourself a little room.
Here's what the pans in our comparison list:
| Pan | Stated size | Stated capacity |
|---|---|---|
| All-Clad stainless roaster | 16 x 13 x 5 in | 25 lb |
| Circulon nonstick roaster | 17 x 13 x 3.8 in | 24 lb |
| Granite Ware oval roaster with lid | about 19.5 x 14.6 x 7.1 in | 20 lb |
| Cuisinart Chef's Classic | 20.7 x 12 x 4.9 in, with handles | Not stated |
| Farberware nonstick roaster | about 16 x 11.25 x 2.25 in | "Small turkeys" |
If your pan's listing doesn't give a weight, use its size instead and measure your turkey.
A rough size guide
As a loose rule of thumb:
- Turkey breast or a bird under about 12 lb: a smaller pan around 15 to 16 inches long is usually enough. A flat rack works well here.
- About 12 to 20 lb: most standard 16 to 17 inch roasters with a rack cover this range. Look for a stated weight to be sure.
- 20 to 25 lb: pick a pan whose listing names that weight. Of the five we compared, the All-Clad lists 25 lb, the Circulon 24 lb and the Granite Ware 20 lb.
- Over 25 lb: none of the pans we compared lists a capacity this high. Look for a listing that names your bird's weight, and measure your oven first.
These are guides, not promises. Turkeys of the same weight can be shaped differently.
Leave room around the bird
The turkey shouldn't touch the sides of the pan. A gap of an inch or two lets hot air move around it so the sides brown, not steam. If the bird hangs over the edge, drippings can run onto the oven floor and smoke.
Think about depth
Depth matters as much as length.
- Too shallow (around 2 inches) and the drippings from a big bird can slosh over when you lift the pan. Shallow pans suit a turkey breast or a chicken.
- Around 3 to 5 inches holds a lot of juice and still lets the lower part of the bird brown. The All-Clad is 5 inches high and the Circulon 3.8 inches, per their listings.
- Very deep or covered pans, like an oval roaster with a lid, hold more steam. The skin browns less unless you take the lid off near the end.
Measure your oven
A pan that fits the turkey still has to fit the oven. Before you buy:
- Measure the inside width and depth of your oven, wall to wall.
- Count the handles. A pan's listed length may or may not include them. The Cuisinart's 20.7 inch length includes its handles.
- Check the height. Take out the upper rack and measure from the lowest rack position to the top, then add the height of the turkey on its rack.
If you have a small or apartment-size oven, measure twice.
Don't forget the rack
A rack lifts the turkey out of the juices so the bottom browns. It also makes lifting the cooked bird out easier. All five pans we compared include one. For more, see do you need a rack to roast a turkey.
The short answer
For most Thanksgiving turkeys, a 16 to 17 inch pan with a rack and a stated capacity of 20 lb or more does the job. Our top pick, the All-Clad stainless roaster, lists 25 lb in a 16 by 13 inch pan, and it can go on the stovetop to make gravy.
For all five pans side by side, see our best roasting pan for turkey comparison.