Sheet Pan Tools
May 1, 2018
There’s no question that the most important tool in your kitchen for pulling off successful sheet pan dinners is the sheet pan itself. One of the best things about these workhorse pans is that their low sides allow maximum exposure to the hot, dry air circulating around the oven – this means that the ingredients brown more easily than it would if it were tucked into a standard roasting pan with higher sides. This means lots of delicious caramelized flavor. Sheet pans are great at holding lots of food which means they’re awesome for cooking for a crowd. They’re a win-win!
I’m only slightly embarrassed about the sheer quantity of sheet pans that I own, but this means I’m well researched! If you’re looking for a brand to turn to in the sheet pan department, look no further than Nordic Ware. They are consistently well reviewed and I’ve had nothing but excellent results. I have also liked the gold non-stick sheet pans from Williams Sonoma and even Target, but I’m finding that they don’t last nearly as long. If you find that your sheet pans “buckle” when they’re in the oven, it might be time for a replacement. Take a look at a few of my favorites below!
- Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker’s Big Sheet
- Williams Sonoma Goldtouch Nonstick Half Sheet Pan
- Nordic Ware Compact Crisping Sheet
- Williams Sonoma Traditional touch Half Sheet Pan
- Nordic Ware Prism Big Sheet Baking Pan
- Jumbo Cookie Sheet Gold
- Nordic Ware Quarter Sheet Baking Pan
I can’t say enough good things about pre-cut parchment paper. Whether I’m cooking savory sheet pan suppers or baking on my sheet pans, I reach for these multiple times a week. They are the best! If you don’t want to order off of Amazon, Reynolds also makes a precut sheet that you can pick up at most grocery retailers. They save so much time when it comes to cleaning up dinner. In fact, most nights I just have to give my sheet pans a quick once over and I’m done thanks to these liners.
If you have sheet pans that look well used and loved, it might be time to give them a good cleaning. My FAVORITE product for cleaning my sheet pans (and my Dutch ovens) is Bar Keeper’s Friend. With this product and a little elbow grease you can make ANY stain disappear. I don’t think any kitchen should be without this product. It’s awesome.
I swear that I go through oven mitts faster than the average home cook, but I’ve finally found my favorite kind. These Cuisinart Quilted Mini Mitts are the perfect size and always protect my hands/fingers. I don’t like a big oven mitt where my hands get lost – I like something that makes me feel like I have more control when dealing with hot kitchen tools. These are really great and I’ll likely only purchase this variety moving forward. (but those yellow stripey ones sure are cute!)
