A Black And White-Speckled Classic

Do you recognize this roaster? It's been around for six generations, manufactured since 1871 by Columbian House Products, a company based in Indiana. There's a good chance your mother, grandmother and great-grandmother baked their Thanksgiving turkeys, holiday hams and Sunday roast beef dinners in one.

The pan, a Granite Ware roaster, is made of porcelain over steel. It comes in several sizes and lasts a lifetime. My mother cooked delicious meals in hers for over 40 years, and I don't remember a time when her main course wasn't savory, tender and browned to perfection.

When it was time for me to buy a roaster of my own, I shopped around. While some pans were shockingly expensive, costing hundreds of dollars, others were too heavy to lift out of a flaming hot oven. Eventually, my search for the perfect roaster lead me back to a Granite Ware ... and with good reason.

The pan is light, but due to its steel core, a 3 to 7 pound chicken, or roast beef, or butterball turkey cooks fast and evenly every time.

There is a distinct tree design embossed on the bottom of the pan, which lets the food cook elevated and allows the juices to collect. The meat stays moist until tender. Another wonderful feature is after you remove the meat, you can put the roasting pan on the burner of your stovetop and cook your gravy without using a separate pot. When you are done, the Granite Ware cleans easily also, with hot soapy water by hand, or loaded in your dishwasher. And, the lid stores inverted inside the bottom, saving space. A 19’’ Oval Roaster costs $24.95. What a deal for a pan that stands the test of time.