A roaster oven is a miracle when cooking a big batch dinner for your guests. No doubt that it saves time and energy during the holiday season. You can take advantage of its smart heating element system and compact design to roast turkey, prime ribs, and side dishes effortlessly. Yet, the use of easiness is not the only benefit. A roaster oven will also allow you to cook restaurant quality food at home. The meat will come out exceptionally good. It is simply superior to old-style big ovens.

Nevertheless, you can also take things a bit further by using some of the vital electric roaster accessories. And completely turn this thing into a luxurious sports car in your kitchen. Here is a quick look with tips on how you can achieve that!

Necessary Roaster Oven Accessories

You might realize that you never heard some of these tools before. However, they are all essential in different ways. Some of them make it easy for you to clean, while some enable you to cook better and serve charmingly. It is best if you review them all with an open heart; they can help you out tremendously in the kitchen.

Buffet Server

Did you know that some roaster ovens do come with a buffet server option? You can cook three different side dishes simultaneously, and then serve them all together. This is why I own multiple roaster ovens. I can cook the main meal in one of them while preparing the side dishes on the other one. Turn your roaster oven into an open buffet! Note that this option is not available on all models.

How to use a roaster oven buffet server?

The buffet server accessory is easy to use. First of all, you need to fill the inner pan with water up to half. Place the buffet server on top of the pan. Once you assembled it, then close the high-dome lid. Turn the knob to your desired temperature that is necessary for the side dishes.

Pan Liner

Pan liners for roaster ovens are my favorite accessories. Let me put it this way; I cannot cook without them, end of discussion. They can help you out while cooking soup or stew. I personally use them almost every time I turn on the roaster oven. There is a simple reason for this; it transforms the cleaning into a complete breeze! When you are done cooking, just remove the pan liner and discard. Then all you have to do is to wash the inner pan with water and mild detergent. This easy cleaning helps me to focus more on the cooking and the recipe itself, instead of battling with grease all around the pan. Protect your roaster oven from the stuck food and drippings.

Turkey Lifter Forks

Most electric roaster ovens do come with racks that have lifters on the sides—this help to remove the turkey. However, lifter forks are much better at taking big meats out of the roaster oven without any issues. Trust me; you don’t want to drop that roasted turkey on the floor just before the guests arrive. You can use them as a big tong. They feature sharp edges that get stuck on the meat. Just pierce them and grab the bird all safely. Most lifter forks are ergonomically designed for easy grabbing.

Tip

You can use your turkey lifter forks for carving the bird too! Plus, you can put on a excellent show for the guests while slicing the meat professionally. They are incredibly presentable.

How do you lift a turkey in a roaster?

Use a set of lifter forks and transfer the cooked turkey from the roaster oven to the cutting board with one simple move. Do not tolerate any accidents on the way. The lifter forks pierce into the meat and anchor the turkey without any damage.

Meat Thermometer

Large meats require you to monitor closely during roasting. If you get one of those oven safe digital meat thermometers, then you can cook the perfect meat with high precision. It becomes so easy to target the right temperature for each meat type. Oven safe meat thermometers are safe to use in roaster ovens. Hook them up before you start cooking and watch carefully during the whole process. I never cook one of these when I am roasting turkey or prime ribs.

Suggested Internal Temperature Settings

Temp Setting	Fish	Poultry	Pork	Beef
Rare	–	–	–	125°F
Medium	–	–	–	145°F
Well	145°F	165°F	145°F	160°F

Can you cook a roast with meat thermometer in it?

If you are using an oven safe version, then you can cook a roast with a meat thermometer in it. Be careful that the needles do not touch to any bone. Otherwise, you would not get an accurate temperature reading from the meat. And, it would be challenging to evaluate the exact status.

How do you use a roaster to warm up?

Most electric roaster ovens come with options to keep warm and defrost. All you need is to switch the know to the desired temperature setting. Once the food is cooked, turn the knob to the keep warm setting. The roaster oven will apply a low heat just enough to keep the food warm until it is served.

Does a roaster oven cook the same as an oven?

Roaster oven cooks at high heat similar to an oven. However, the cooking environment is much smaller, and the heat control is superior because of the unique heating element system. Both of these features enable the roaster oven to cook in less time, and with better results in terms of even cooking.

Is turkey better in oven or roaster?

The roaster oven is specifically designed for turkey roasting and similar large meats. Hence, it produces a much tender, and juicier bird in comparison to a regular oven. In short, the smaller space produces perfect turkey. The only concern is that the turkey comes out less brown. However, this can easily be solved by applying browning sauce on the meat before cooking. You can also brush honey to improve the browning on the turkey.

Tricks:

• Make sure you stick the meat thermometer needles into the breast or in a boneless area of the meat to monitor precisely.
• You can use the settings on the digital thermometer for each meat types to cook at restaurant quality.

Warnings:

• Watch out the sharp edges of the turkey lifter forks. They can pierce into your own meat if you are not being careful.
• Check and remove the weak batteries of the meat thermometer regularly to avoid power loss during cooking.

In Conclusion

An electric roaster oven is a strong challenger against your traditional oven. It can do everything with less energy and much quicker in comparison. But it does not just stop there. Take advantage of the roaster oven accessories such as the turkey lifters, pan liner, buffet server, and the meat thermometer. You can change the game into a different direction entirely. It is a great way to step up the level and cook amazing yummies. All these essential tools will make your life more comfortable in the kitchen when cleaning, cooking, and serving your delicious food.