I only use spray oils when "greasing" a pan for baking purposes. It is not necessary to grease any sort of roasting pan when roasting meats. Unless something - like cake batter - covers the spray, it will cook onto the pan and just complicate clean up.

so how does this sound rub herbed butter over turkey and under skin , then put onions and celery on pan put turkey on rack and roast and baste occasionally with pan drippings, save dripping to make gravy.

I always use Pam when cooking any kind of meat on any pan except cast iron. So yes, when I cook my turkey I use Pam. I don't have the all clad brand, but it is stainless steel. It makes it much easier to clean.

Every time I use pam on something that isn't completely covered with batter or such, I end up getting a dark, gummy residue that is almost impossible to remove. I made the mistake of using it on a SS broiler pan top and never again. I'd oil it if you are concerned, but no pam.

No, I wouldn't use it on a roasting pan. As you mentioned, just use the herb butter on the turkey.

I don't have a problem, but to each his own. Now, herb butter, shudder, no one would touch the turkey!

Pam leaves a residue that's terrible to clean off. Don't use the stuff.

Herb butter on and under turkey (or chicken) skin can look and taste amazing. However, I agree with Sherry regarding "to each his own." Makes things interesting. :-)

I do occasionally put herbed butter under the skin of turkey, but I do that more often with chicken and use an Algerian spice/herb mixture. Turkey really doesn't need as much flavoring as chicken, but adding some thyme or parsley wouldn't hurt. When I season a turkey for roasting, I generally do a dry salt rub and nothing else. If I am putting it on the barbecue where it will get smoked, I use a Cajun seasoning mix that I make myself.

It's fine if you want to grease a pan, just use a spray that is 100% oil, a misto or brush.

I use a pastry brush and oil never use spray except bak-klene for cakes.

I agree with Bumblebeez about what to use, but I agree with everyone else that you don't need it.

What you do need is either a pan rack inside for the turkey, or a bed of root vegetables (thick sliced onions and/or carrots, parsnips, etc.) It sounds like you plan on both, which is just fine. The turkey cooks best when it's not in contact with the pan, and then it doesn't stick to it. You might give the rack a once over with oil, however, depending on how fine it is, so if the turkey sinks into it a bit, it's easy to pull out.

For cleaning of your new pan, remove all the main bits, the liquids and solids. If there's good "fond" (solidified/caramelized juices), you can deglaze over heat with wine, water, stock, or your favorite liquid. Use a wooden spoon or silicone cooking spoon/scraper to loosen the bits on the bottom, as either works better than a metal spoon, and neither will scratch. Poor off your deglazed liquid. If there are stuck on bits left, fill the pan with warm to hot water and set it out of your way to soak. By the time it's the only thing left to deal with, they should all be loosened and come off with a non-scratch scrubby.

If you burn your lovely new pan (things happen! Though it probably won't), saving it is easy. Let the bad words out first. Then boil some water, get out the baking soda and find a nice rag(s) or heavy duty paper towel. Sprinkle the baking soda liberally over all the burnt stuff. Cover with the rag or paper towel. Pour on just enough boiling water to dampen completely without making it soppy wet. Go to bed. In the morning, most of the char will be loose and just wipe out. If there's a lot left, repeat. If there are only a couple of little spots, you can use the scrubby and a little elbow grease. Even if it's really BAD, this will work with patience and repetition. We learned this from Trailrunner, whose husband is a chemist. This is science in action. :)

I also dislike Pam and other sprays because of the residue they leave behind, which is nearly impossible to remove. I do have a spray bottle of olive oil on my counter and I see that the company that makes Pam now sells pump bottles of olive oil, which is probably a good idea.

Anyway, I don't think a pan with a turkey in it needs greasing and I don't, but it very well may help with clean up later. I do grease the insert to my Nesco if I'm making something that I think is going to stick to the sides, like today's collard rolls but I just use oil, not a spray.

Annie

No pam on a roasting pan.....about the only thing i use those baking sprays for it to spray on a piece of saran when covering a pan of rolls to rise....If it needs greasing use butter or olive oil....or cooking oil....or chicken fat....or suet....

I've never used or bought Pam. I do have a couple Misto oil sprayers that I keep clean (dishwasher) and use on occasion. Never for a roaster, chicken or turkey. I've used the rack or two big onions cut in half, cut side down for 'feet' to set the poultry on....sometimes the rack sits the bird too high. A chopped rib of celery and onion will keep the roaster bottom moist as the bird give off juices. A 1/4 cup water or stock if the bottom of the roaster seems dry.

All my stocks are made for the holidays, veg, chicken, beef. Some frozen In ice cube trays and bagged. Easy to add a cube or two if needed.

I'm glad to read I'm not the only one who is anti-Pam. lol!

I'm anti-pam. If I have to grease something such as muffin tins I use butter.

Turkey has enough fat in it that if it sits on a rack you shouldn't need to grease the pan. Are you going to toss the vegies with anything such as olive oil and salt/pepper or just through them in. You don't have to but I was just wondering.

I don't understand why someone will use oil or butter, but not use Pam? Pam is a canola oil blend. I use less oil with Pam than when I use any other type. I just washed a glass Pyrex dish last night that I had sprayed with Pam and baked a meatloaf in the pan. It baked an hour and 15 minutes at 400*. There was nothing baked on, even around the top edges, and everything just washed right off. No residue at all. I made breakfast muffins and sprayed the aluminum muffin tins with Pam. Not only the insides, but the flat top was sprayed. Again, nothing burnt on or residue. Everything just washed right off.

‘Essentially, cooking spray is oil in a can, but not just oil; it also contains lecithin, which is an emulsifier, dimethyl silicone, which is an anti-foaming agent, and a propellant such as butane or propane. Cooking spray varieties are made using canola oil, olive oil, with flour for baking, and with butter flavor.’

To each their own as far as comfort level with food ingredients.

Sherry, I don't think I've had a problem with Pam on glass, but I am usually baking cake or such in glass, not a roast or poultry. On metal, Pam can leave a gummy residue that is nearly impossible to remove. Not so plain oil, even if it bakes on. Perhaps its the lecithin when baked on? Looks like this:

It never bakes on like that for me and I use it both on aluminum and stainless steel????

What is in Pam http://yourlivingbody.com/2013/02/25/whats-in-pam-cooking-spray/

Butter only has one ingredient and I can pronounce it. Olive oil only has one ingredient and I can pronounce it. Pam has several ingredients one of which I can't pronounce. That is why I don't use it.

In general, I try to not use food stuffs that contain ingredients that I can't pronounce. It;s not just Pam.

Well, I do use butter and olive oil. I also use Crisco (solid and liquid), I don't like lard. I have used Pam since Mom and Dad bought it in the sixties. I'm not dead yet and extremely healthy. Nothing else puts as fine of a non stick surface on a pan.

my shiny pan is still shiny, here's what I did , rubbed Crisco in the area that the bed of vegetables rested (onion and celery) the rack then herb buttered turkey, it was delicious and the fon made perfect pan gravy and the pan cleaned up great. thanks everyone for the input. by the way I am a seasoned cook but i never had a ss roasting pan, my pitted old roasting pan has been recycled, my children thought I needed a new pan, so I had to practice before the holidays.

Thanks for the report! Nice kids. :) So glad you had a good outcome with your new pan!

Sounds great, jn! You could also just toss the onion and celery with olive oil instead of using the Crisco. I've yet to find a need to oil/grease a stainless steel pan for turkey, chicken or anything else that releases fat when roasting. Either way, it's good to know yours was tasty!

Thanks for the update, I'm glad it turned out well. I LOVE my stainless steel roasting pan, I got rid of an old aluminum one that wasn't big enough for anything more than 10 pounds.

Sherry, I don't have anything at all against anyone using PAM, I just don't because I gunked up my sheet pans and had to scrub for hours to get the residue off. Apparently PAM changed their formula in 2013 or thereabouts, to cause less residue. I haven't used it since before then, so maybe the new stuff doesn't cause the sticky nasty film that the old stuff does.

https://www.aol.com/2013/01/23/new-pam-cooking-spray-leaves-up-to-99-percent-less/

I still hold a grudge about those pans, though. (grin)

Annie

well, I'm goofy and put parchment paper in the bottom ... facilitates cleanup

Sorry OT

I have PAM. I never use it for cooking.

Winter is coming. Use PAM to spray on a snow blower's rotary parts and in side the blowing path. You will be amazed how much better your snow blower works.

dcarch

I would never use Pam or other sprays. They leave a sticky film/coating.

Pam and the other like brands caused the sticky gunk on to much of my bakeware. Like Annie my pans required hours of scrubbing with brute force. My husband did a great job.

When my mother passed and we moved to her home I found all of her baking and muffin pans had this residue. She must have loved pam.

I likely eat a lot of stuff I can't pronounce.....but Pam is not one of them. I knew an antique dealer that used to use Pam to put a "finish" on cast iron things.
I love herb butter....parsley, rosemary basil, chive....or a mix. I like it stuffed under the skin on the breast of a chicken or a turkey...spread on a just grilled steak or a burger...or a butterflied leg of lamb...on my bread...or a popover.
I guess to each his own.

i know athletes that spray pam on the bottom of their cleats, the mud doesn't stick as bad

Have the ingredients in Pam changed? I don't use it but seem to recall labels at the grocery store saying it's pure now.

Still don't need to use it.

At least in the old days, Pam had silicone in it. That's what makes parchment paper non-stick too, except the "all plant" parchment which has lycra (rubber) instead.