The Best Sizes of Pans to Use in a Convection Oven

Cookie Sheets

• Cookie sheets are good for use in convection ovens because the pan is flat, allowing air to freely circulate around the sides of the cooking item. Keep the cookie sheet in the center of the oven and on the center rack for the most airflow. Most cookie sheets are approximately 11-by-17 inches in size.

Shallow Pans

• Using shallow pans with sides that are only about an inch high is also a good choice for convection cooking. Use an inverted rack setting the food higher off the pan’s base for even better air circulation. Place aluminum foil over a cookie sheet and set a rack on top of the cookie sheet if an inverted pan is not available, or stack a layer of cut vegetables on the pan’s bottom lifting up the food when cooking meat or fish. Most shallow baking pans are about 10-by-15 inches in size.

Roasting Pans

• While roasting pans have higher sides and may not be as productive for convection cooking as shallower pans, they are useful for roasting meat. Most roasting pans are about 11-by-16 inches in size and come in both glass and aluminum. Do not lower the cooking temperature more than 25 degrees Fahrenheit from the original baking recipe for glass pans.

Tips

• Other cookware types that work well for convection cooking include pizza or baking stones, as long as the stone is left in the oven during preheating so that the stone becomes warm enough. Light-colored cookware, glass and aluminum are the best types of material, as anodized cookware or dark bakeware can cause foods to darken too quickly during convection cooking.