Looking for a new roasting pan - I mainly roast fish and vegetables and sometimes reheat pizza?

If you are trying to roast veggies in a high sided roasting pan -- as opposed to a good quality sheet with a rolled side -- this would probably be the reason your vegetables don't get that nice caramelized finish. As calendargirl has noted -- they are steaming in the high sided pan. Really you want two different pans for different applications. A sheet pan -- low rolled side for dry roasting -- whether fish or veggies -- and then a roasting pan with higher sides for oven cooking something in liquid. In either case, get the absolute best quality you can afford as it will have an affect on the finished dish. But note that the best quality isn't always the faniciest, so in terms of a roasting pan a high quality heavy roasting pan will be cheaper than an enamel one -- although it you want to bring the finished dish to the table in the pan then the enamel ones do look better. In terms of the sheet -- or jelly roll -- pan, when you hold opposite corners of the pan you shouldn't be able to twist it. It should be sturdy enough to hold its shape.

If you are trying to roast veggies in a high sided roasting pan -- as opposed to a good quality sheet with a rolled side -- this would probably be the reason your vegetables don't get that nice caramelized finish. As calendargirl has noted -- they are steaming in the high sided pan. Really you want two different pans for different applications. A sheet pan -- low rolled side for dry roasting -- whether fish or veggies -- and then a roasting pan with higher sides for oven cooking something in liquid. In either case, get the absolute best quality you can afford as it will have an affect on the finished dish. But note that the best quality isn't always the faniciest, so in terms of a roasting pan a high quality heavy roasting pan will be cheaper than an enamel one -- although it you want to bring the finished dish to the table in the pan then the enamel ones do look better. In terms of the sheet -- or jelly roll -- pan, when you hold opposite corners of the pan you shouldn't be able to twist it. It should be sturdy enough to hold its shape.

Thanks all. I am leaning towards an Emile Henry from amazon....my local tj maxx and Marshall's were pretty lame....but they did have jelly roll pans for cheap. I do not want to overspend but I hate to waste $ on something that will not work out. I will lyk what I decide.

I'm late to this conversation, but I do love using a heavy metal half-sheet pan lined with foil as Lydia M does. The heft means it withstands very high heat and won't buckle, either under the broiler or in the oven. I like that the sides are only about an inch high, so things don't steam but actually roast nicely. Let us know what you end up getting.

Aha! Thanks for explaining. You will find that stainless steel pans are very easy to clean.

I am interested in ceramic because it is easier to clean. I love my lodge cast iron skillet (and use it to roast fish) but it is too small to roast for more than one person or do a "tray bake." My current el cheapo pan never seems clean - no matter how much I scrub and scrub it. I don't want to buy a pan and then not want to use it because of the cleanup factor - my handle should be LoveToCookHatetoClean. I work fulltime with a toddler and one on the way - I roast dinners 2-4x per week (almost always fish, veg, potatoes). I love caramelized veggies but it is usually luck when mine end up caramelized. I would like a tool that helps me achieve this with more consistently and less thought as dinner is such a mad scramble most days - throwing things in the oven in between chasing after the boy, bating him, and putting him to bed.

I am interested in ceramic because it is easier to clean. I love my lodge cast iron skillet (and use it to roast fish) but it is too small to roast for more than one person or do a "tray bake." My current el cheapo pan never seems clean - no matter how much I scrub and scrub it. I don't want to buy a pan and then not want to use it because of the cleanup factor - my handle should be LoveToCookHatetoClean. I work fulltime with a toddler and one on the way - I roast dinners 2-4x per week (almost always fish, veg, potatoes). I love caramelized veggies but it is usually luck when mine end up caramelized. I would like a tool that helps me achieve this with more consistently and less thought as dinner is such a mad scramble most days - throwing things in the oven in between chasing after the boy, bating him, and putting him to bed.

Sorry - All Clad, not Vlad! :-) Also, I just checked and the small AC roaster is actually a little smaller than the lasagna pan but a lot more expensive. Check it out!

Just curious -- why are you looking at ceramic type pans rather than metal? All-Clad makes a what they call a lasagna pan for about a hundred bucks. It is about 18x12, so a little larger than the Emile Henry and it is stainless steel. I have one and use it for roasting in preference to my larger AC roasting pan. It will also do all the other things you mentioned. And it will never break! I love Emile Henry, too, but if your budget for this is limited, I'd vote for the All-Clad. Check Amazon for "All Vlad lasagna" to see it.

Thanks all. I am leaning towards an Emile Henry fro Amazon like this one. http://www.amazon.com/Emile-Henry-11-Inch-Roaster-Juniper/dp/B007WSXN70/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1362155238&sr=8-5&keywords=emile+henry+roast

Cheaper than the Le Creuset but with good reviews. I am not sure I want a baking sheet as I want high sides. I also want something that can work at high heat. My cheap pan starts to smell funny at high heat and my potatoes and veggies stick to the pan.

Whichever choice you make it should be on the heavy side, such as Le Creuset or Staub. It makes a difference in performance but also in longevity.

I always roast vegetables on a sheet pan, covered first with foil. This is my favorite way to cook most anything, because instead of cleaning the pan, I just throw away the foil. You could do that in the meantime while you look for a new roasting pan - or once you get one, use this technique to keep your pan clean!

Your question has brought out wonderful answers. I would add that you should have some good "half sheet pans, those pans with sides that will fit in your oven. They were once called "jelly roll pans." You can put one or two in the oven and roast any vegetable ever invented. Roasting pans with high sides are often placed in this type of pan to avoid spills.

For re-heating pizza, if you don't already have a pizza stone, get a terra cotta saucer from a garden center (or a hardware store or place like Home Depot if you don't have a nursery nearby) of about 12" diameter. Flip it over and put it in your cold oven, before preheating. It will set you back about $10. Or $15 if you get a 16-18" one. ;o)

The Le Creuset are very good as are Staub, I bought a few of the Emille Henry and use them all the time, they are great, clean easily are pretty attractive and heat distribution seems to be very good. I use them to roast meat and fish, vegetables and also for making desserts like cobblers or bread puddings. Very versatile.