I can't help you with a recipe or technique, but I have two sizes of Nesco roasters that came with instructions to heat them empty before their first use to burn off manufacturing residue. Be sure to read your roaster's instructions. I plugged them into outdoor outlets for the recommended time. Quite a bit of smoke came off of them. Then I washed the liners.

Thanks, seagrass. I did all of that when I first bought it because I intended to use it right away -- unfortunately, the pan I wanted to use didn't fit. I put it all back in the box and it's been sitting untouched ever since. lol!

Party, I just did a google search and I saw a few recipes where you can put scalloped, au gratin and hashbrowns directly in the cookwell of the roaster. Make sure you coat it well with oil, cooking spray, etc.

You can also put a baking dish on the rack.

Thanks, jasdip! For some reason, I wasn't finding it when I searched. This roaster pan is oval-shaped and smaller than I thought it would be. I have very few baking dishes that fit in it. :p

PM, I use mine for scalloped potatoes and I don't pre-cook the potatoes, so it will work. The only problem is that it heats from the side, not the bottom, so grease that thing well or you'll get a crusty ring around the edge, and don't cook it on too high, I use about 325 as my temperature, it heats more slowly so the potatoes have time to cook in the middle before that edge gets really crunchy, lower might work too although I haven't tried it. It does help if I stir regularly, but then you lose heat....

Annie

Thank you, Annie!

Annie, do you cook the pork directly in the roaster liner pan? This summer was the first time I ever used a roaster oven -- an 18qt -- and I loved it for cooking outdoors on hot days! I bought the smaller roaster thinking I could use it for all kinds of things indoors, but it's really too small to fit any of my baking/casserole type dishes, so I want to know the ways I can use it with just the liner pan.

Yes, we put the pork right into the liner. I usually use the rack, Elery doesn't, it works both ways but his way has the pork sitting in the fat. We also roast whole chickens on the rack, and I use it for bean soup, I just toss everything in there and set it to about 350F, let it cook til it's done because it's faster than the crockpot (which I only use if I'm going to be out all day). it makes a fine pot roast, a glazed ham, just about anything I can do in the oven.

I use the big Nesco to make stock, I toss all the backs/necks/feet/bones/etc into the Nesco with a couple of carrots, quartered onions, stalks of celery, salt, pepper, bay leaf. When that all gets nicely browned and roasted, I add the water and let it simmer 18 hours or so. Strain it out, give the carrots and chicken bits to the dogs, toss out the bones and other stuff, refrigerate until the fat rises to the top and skim that off. Then can or freeze the stock. Your small Nesco could do the same thing on a smaller batch/basis.

But then comes the question as to what I should do with 2 pints of chicken fat in the fridge, besides fry potatoes?

Annie

Annie, I use chicken fat/ bacon grease as a fire starter in the fire pit. Works great especially when the stuff you're trying to burn is damp.

Thanks again, Annie! Once I give it a try I probably won't feel so intimidated! I used an 18qt roaster on the back porch all summer, but roasted tomatoes and bbq beans were the only things I tried directly in the liner pan. Everything I tried always came out great though! And, gee, I've never saved chicken fat for anything!

Party, I just found some recipes. You can make meatballs, and cook them right in the liner pan, with some cranberry, barbecue sauce over top.

A ham can be baked right on the baking rack, with some water underneath for steam.

Roast chicken directly on the rack.

Baked potatoes, and you can even make rice in it.

I think you'll get a lot of use out of it!

Sounds good, jasdip -- and I do think I will use it a lot! I just gave it the maiden voyage... ham & scalloped potatoes. BUT -- I found a small oval casserole dish that fit the liner pan! They came out great!

I also think you'll like it, PM.

Cilantro, I don't have a fire pit, but Amanda does, and I do have a large pile of old kitchen cabinets that need to be burned, so I'll hold on to the chicken fat for a while!

Annie