When we bought our first home, we were so excited to take up the torch of hosting big meals for family and friends. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, you name it – we wanted them to be occasions for fellowship and delicious food. If you know us and we are even slightly concerned that you might spend a holiday alone, you have an invitation to our table! And I will cook enough to feed a small army – I’m always ready to add “just one more side” to the menu.
The only problem? We have a very small kitchen. With just a little bit of counterspace, only one person can realistically cook at a time. There isn’t room for lots of gadgets. And let me tell you, when you’re cooking for a crowd, you need a big main dish.
A 20+ pound turkey is going to hog your oven for a good chunk of the day, and probably longer than you expect. If you aren’t blessed with a double oven, how will you make all of the sides?
Do yourself a favor and get an electric roaster oven
I had never heard of an electric roaster oven before I stumbled upon an old 18-quart roaster at a thrift store a month before Thanksgiving last year. It was half off (on top of the already ridiculously low thrift store price), so I figured it was worth the risk of a few dollars if it landed in the trash a few weeks later.
It is still the best purchase I have ever made. And you better believe that when it bites the dust, I will be buying another one!
How does an electric roaster oven help for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and other large meals?
Instead of roasting your turkey or ham in your oven, you can roast it in the electric roaster oven. Now your main oven is available for all of your side dishes (and you can get strategic with timing those and using chafing dishes to keep food warm). And the electric roaster oven can be left in another room unattended, as long as you have it on a stable, heat-safe surface.
The best part is that you can roast as big a turkey (or ham) as you’d like (within the limits of the roaster you have). The rule of thumb is that you can roast a turkey that is the quart capacity of your roaster plus four. That means that in my 18-quart roaster oven, I can make a 22lb turkey. That’s a big bird, but roaster ovens get even bigger. With a 28-quart roaster oven, your only problem will be finding a turkey that big!
And the turkey comes out moist and tender as can be! And your ham won’t be overcooked or dry! Last year, my turkey finished over an hour early without me realizing it. I was so upset because I thought I had overcooked it and that it would be inedible and dry, but no! It was the best turkey anyone at the table had ever had.
Who has ever heard of a turkey finishing early and being so juicy and tender? Truly, the electric roaster oven works miracles!
What else can an electric roaster oven be used for?
Just as it comes in handy with the Thanksgiving turkey, it also is a lifesaver with the Christmas or Easter ham. It’s great for any large gathering – if you’re making a lot of food, it’ll come in handy.
The rest of the year, it’s basically like a giant crock pot combined with an oven – you can use it for meal prepping giant batches of soup or for making a giant roast. I have used my roaster oven to cook three chickens or two pork shoulders at once. I especially love it in the summer when I don’t want my oven heating up the whole house because I can put the roaster down in the basement (or in another closed room) to cook.
The electric roaster oven also is a life saver when I’m processing suet to make tallow. This may not be something that everyone does, but when I buy my beef liver (and other organ meat), my butcher throws in a couple lobes of suet on the house. God bless him – we love tallow for everything – but it is quite a process to turn it into tallow. But the roaster makes it a breeze!
Yes, it is large and you won’t use it every day. However, when you use it, it will be the hero that saves the day. You may have to store it outside of the kitchen, but it can live in a corner of your basement or garage or on the top shelf of a closet until you need it.
It is absolutely worth the storage space. Even as someone who likes to ruthlessly declutter, the roaster oven is always safe from my purges.
Recommended Electric Roaster Ovens
There are many electric roaster ovens available on the market, but Amazon has some great deals, especially for Black Friday (which usually begins at least a week before Thanksgiving). If that’s when you’re shopping, take advantage of the sales and get one before Thanksgiving!
Best Value: Sunvivi Electric Roaster,18 Quart Roasting Oven with Self-Basting Lid
This is a great deal, at over 50% off at the time of posting! The 150-450°F range is great for making a beautifully crispy turkey, then keeping it warm until serving. The self-basting lid also makes it easy to keep the turkey moist and juicy without adding another task to your Thanksgiving to-do list!
Most versatile: Sunvivi Electric Roaster Oven, 24 QT Turkey Roaster Oven with 3 Bin Buffet Server
At 24 quarts, this roaster oven can cook a bird up to 28lbs. And when you aren’t using to cook a turkey, you can use it as a warming tray to keep other foods warm at a party or other gathering. Or take the turkey out and move the smaller trays with sides in to keep them warm while you eat dinner in case anyone wants seconds, thirds, or fourths!
Large Roaster for Big Feasts: Sunvivi Electric Roaster,28 Quart Roasting Oven with Self-Basting Lid Removable Pan
A 28 quart roaster oven can tackle a 32lb turkey – that’s bigger than my toddler! You might struggle to find a turkey that big, but you could also use it to cook two 16lb turkeys. That’s enough to feed 25 people! I can only hope to host a Thanksgiving that big someday
Small Roaster Oven for Easy Storage: Sunvivi 14-Quart Electric Roaster Oven with Self-Basting Lid
A big roaster oven can be a bear to store (though I’d argue that it’s worth it). However, if you’re really tight on space, a smaller roaster can still pack a punch. This 14-quart roaster is enough for a big turkey, but a bit smaller and easier to wrangle.
What tool makes hosting large gatherings a breeze for you? Comment below!
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