In the early days, baking trays and broiler lids were only used for baking, but today there is a lot of baking cookware available on the market. If you too are looking for any cookware that can satisfy your meatloaf cravings, then you have come to the right place. Hearing the name of this dish, you must have understood that we are talking about Meatloaf Pan.
Meatloaf Pan is an effective piece of kitchen cookware that enables one to prepare this nutritious dish with rich flavor and taste like a professional chef. It is a great choice for making fine slices of the dish and making it appealing, along with the deliciousness of the recipe. But, to retain the flavor of meatloaf recipes, you’ll need the right meatloaf pan; otherwise, your ingredients may & efforts go to waste. It is typically a rectangular or oval-shaped baking dish with high sides, which allows the meatloaf to cook evenly and prevents the juices from spilling out onto the oven. Some meatloaf pans also come with a removable insert that can be used to catch the juices, making it easier to make gravy or other sauces from the drippings.
Best Meatloaf Pans For The Money
However, many options may come before your eyes which may confuse you. If you have opted for sought after options for quality, performance, ratings and customer feedback, price and durability, then opting for meatloaf pans would be even better. Also, do not forget to check the built quality of the pan. To make your task even easier, we’ve researched and brought you a range of some of the best meatloaf pans, scroll through to check out.
1. Rachael Ray Bakeware Meatloaf Pan: Best Overall
Products by Rachael Ray are ranging from Bakeware to cookware, dinnerware, kitchen tools, cutlery and more. Their products help everyone prepare food in a beautiful style from start to finish. The eye-catching meatloaf pan by Rachael is designed to achieve the desired flavors. It should be practical yet, equipped with an extra-wide handle, which provides comfortable grip and stability to your hands. Coming to the construction of the handles, they are made of long-lasting and comfortable silicone which is easy to wash and care for. Since it comes with a two-piece set, which includes a standard loaf pan and a removable insert, you’ll be able to make meatloaves with ease. Check in below image how it looks after baking a meatloaf:
The entire pan has a sturdy and sturdy construction as strong steel is used to make it, thus providing increased roasting performance and reliable baking. Plus, the given long-lasting non-stick on the inside and outside of the pan supplies excellent food with quick cleanup.
What we like:
- The pan features wide & long handles.
- Both loaf pans are inserted are oven safe up to 450 degrees F.
What we don’t like:
- It is small in size.
2. Chicago Metallic Meatloaf Set: Runner Up
Bakewares by Chicago Metallic has been chosen in households for more than a century. The brand is known for its professional craftsmanship, sturdy material and unbeatable quality. Choosing a meatloaf pan by the brand is not only ideal for healthy cooking but also good to serve flavors on a plate.
Aluminized steel material has been used to design this meatloaf set, the non-stick coating has also been given for clean up and baking. In addition, the material is known for even baking and superior heat conduction. This grey, two-piece meatloaf pan set has an ideal gap between them for healthier meatloaf. It is one of the durable and lightweight pans with a lifting tray on this list. The tray creates mess-free slicing and easy serving, allowing you to make healthier meatloaf.
If you want to use a pan for an extended period, wash the pan by using your hands. It is not that the dishwasher is not safe, if you want, you can wash it in the dishwasher too.
What we like:
- It has superior heat conduction capacity.
- You can bake healthier meatloaf with it.
What we don’t like:
- Its non-coating is not very durable.
3. Wilton Perfect Results Bakeware: Best In Budget
A two-piece meatloaf set by Wilton is designed to let the fat drain away from your recipe into the underneath pan. The underneath pan can be used to bake a wide range of bread loaf recipes and meat recipes. As it has a non-coating surface, it can be easy to clean and provide a quick release of your delicious treats.
The top pan has a grooved surface and holes around the sides to achieve the drains into the bottom. This 9.2 x 5.2 x 2.8 inches pan is a good choice for healthier baking. Talking about construction, the frame is made of steel with reinforced non-stick coating, which is easy to clean, dishwasher safe, and is also designed for easy release. For best cleaning results, it is advisable to wash the pan manually.
Moreover, it features convenient handles that are designed for easy lifting and handling in & out of the oven. This ergonomic & durable baking cookware has a sturdy construction that ensures this will be one of your utensil collections built for a prolonged duration. This 9.25 x 5.25 x 2.75 inches meatloaf pan with the grey color is perfect for the kitchen whether you need to bring a special treat or you are hosting a party.
What we like:
- Sturdy steel construction prevents damage to the pan.
- It makes cleaning and handling tasks easier as it features convenient handles.
What we don’t like:
- Inner room space is too small for quick cooking of meatloaf.
4. Volar Non-Stick Meatloaf Pan: Considerable
If you have a collection of copper coating cookware in your kitchen, and you have thought of choosing a copper meatloaf pan, this would be a great option. This two-piece set for baking meatloaf by Volar is not only eye-catching but is a versatile piece of bakeware.
Copper coating over the above and underneath pan make it one of the classy pieces that are a must-have. This 12 x 5.75 x 3 dimension pan weighs 1.39 pounds, making the pan lightweight and easy to store.
Since it comes with a non-stick copper coating, the complete frame allows cooking meat throughout. Plus, it helps cook meatloaf evenly and keep it from falling apart. The true colors and flavors will be achieved by this premium and classy pan meatloaf set.
You can use this bakeware at high heat temperature as it is oven safe up to 425 F. If talking about cleaning, then you can wash it in your hands, if you want, you can put it in the dishwasher. Overall, everything from the quality of the pan to the material and finish is perfect.
What we like:
- The pan has an eye-catchy finish and colour.
- It is an affordable pan on this list.
What we don’t like:
- The coating will crumble if washed regularly in the dishwasher.
5. Anolon Advanced Nonstick Meatloaf Pan
With Anolon Advanced Nonstick Bakeware, you can create special treats, savoury & sweet dishes. This meatloaf set consists of two premium quality non-stick loaf pans that are ideal for making meatloaf of baking bread. Both are highly durable, sturdy, and well-built as they have a non-stick base that provides optimum food release. The inserted plate helps regulate air, and drain unwanted fats away.
This 12 x 6.5 x 3.2 inches carbon steel bakeware provides even heat distribution. The steel that used in construction is free from warping and tearing. Your unbeatable kitchen creativity begins with high quality non-stick and comfortable handles feature in bakeware. Their handles also provide a slip-free comfortable hold and stability to your hands. The best part is there have two different sizes available in the same bakeware.
What we like:
- The two size options are available.
- The rubberized handles provide a comfortable grasp and solid grip.
- It has enough room space to cook a large batch of food.
What we don’t like:
- A bit expensive.
How To Choose The Best Meatloaf Pan – Comprehensive Guide
As we mentioned earlier, meatloaf recipes require special pans like meatloaf pan. They are designed to achieve the perfect moist, crisp layers of meat or bread. But, when it comes to buying a meatloaf pan, you will come across several types around the market. You can cook meatloaf on your own at home with exact flavors and textures.
But, all pans are not ideal for baking meatloaf. The point is to say that you should keep several aspects in mind while buying a meatloaf pan. These aspects include material, non-stick, surface, size, durability, color, price, review & rating, etc. In this section, we are going to discuss them briefly. Check it out:
1. Material of Pan
A meatloaf pan can be made from varieties of materials, such as stainless steel, glass, carbon steel, aluminum, and glass. Pan made up of ceramic provides a high heat source, which allows meat to baking thoroughly. Moreover, ceramic pans are very easy to clean after baking. The only drawback of using ceramic skillets is that they can dissolve after frequent use. Plus, they won’t be hard impacted, so be careful never to drop them.
Some other materials like aluminum & stainless steel are generally the ideal option to bake meatloaf as they are extremely resistant to dents, resilient, durable, and long-lasting and can tolerate both hot & cold temperatures. Apart from metals, glass is also a very good choice for baking dishes like bread, cake and meatloaf. That means don’t forget to check out the material for great value for money.
2. Size
Size is an important factor that you should take into consideration. However, there are many meatloaf pans available in different sizes. A typical-sized meat pan is about 9 3/8 inches, 5 1/2 inches wide, and 2 3/8 in. Simply, it is about 24 cm long, 13 cm wide and 6 cm long. When making meatloaf, don’t forget to check the portion of the dish according to the size of your pan to save you time and effort. It is advisable to choose a pan that is neither too big nor too small.
3. Non-Stick Coating
Baking will disappoint you if your food sticks to the surface of the pan due to poor non-stick coating. When it comes to the pan, there should be enough gap between the above and the underneath tray and the coating should be perfect so that you can enjoy doing baking.
4. Durability
If the coating of the pan starts peeling from repeated use, then understand that the pan will not last long. When buying, make sure it is designed to last as long as possible. To check the sturdiness & durability of the pan, you can check its warranty. Some skillets come with a lifetime warranty while some have a warranty of a few years. It is better to check the durability once than make the wrong choice. Reviews of your previous user can also help in this.
How to Clean and Care for Your Meatloaf Pan?
Many of you worry about taking care of a meat pan because these pans are full of grease and hence make the cleaning task difficult. However, cleaning a meat pan isn’t as difficult as you might think, as following a few steps immediately after serving the dish will make it easier. Even so, you’d be surprised to find that cleaning meat pans becomes as enjoyable as cooking. Let us discuss how to clean and care for a meatloaf pan.
Steps for cleaning a meatloaf pan:
- Before you start cleaning your pan, all you have to do is transfering the meatloaf dish to the skillet immediately after it is removed from the heat. Clean and wipe off all extra grease or oil from it.
- Next, fill your pan with water and let allow a boil, and keeping it aside for a few minutes.
- Now take a wooden spoon to remove the residue from the surface of the pan. A wooden spoon comes in handy when it comes to removing waste safely. While stainless steel can injure you during stirring and also damage the surface of the pan.
- Once used, immediately empty it and clean it with a few drops of lemon-based cleaning solution. The walls of the pan should be gently scrubbed. Alternatively, you can also tip a few drops of lemon to clean thoroughly. Don’t forget to set it aside for at least 10 minutes before washing it off.
- The next step is to hold your pan under running tap water. Now check that there are no traces of grease in the pan. If visible, follow the same cleaning steps. If gone, take a clean damp cloth and wipe it for the next use.
- If you are not ready for immediate cleaning or do not have time to clean immediately after use, take a grease to clean it. Remove its residue and fill it with warm water to set it aside for further cleaning. Repeat the same steps for effective cleaning of your meatloaf pan.
Caring Tips for a meatloaf pan:
Following caring steps will help hold the durability of your meatloaf pan. Let’s take a deep insight:
- Because of the use of grease for making meatloaf recipes, it is important to move the dish after each use for immediate cleanup.
- Never use harsh objects or metal spoons to stir as it can damage the pan.
Meatloaf Pan Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it compulsory to grease a meatloaf pan?
Meatloaf is a recipe that retains moisture and the loaf pan is one that helps ensure that the meat won’t lose moisture. The grease on the bottom of the pan prevents the loaf from forming a delicious, crisp crust and the outside simmers instead of baking.
- How can parchment paper make a change in a meatloaf pan while cooking?
A rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper with cooking spray for baking the meat dough will help to completely collect all the excess fat and moisture. Using parchment paper also enables the sides and top to be brown and crisp.
- What is the best temperature to cook the meatloaf?
The adequate temperature for baking meatloaf is 350 degrees F. However, depending on the shape and size of the meatloaf, the duration of baking varies. But, usually, a meatloaf recipe takes approx 1 hour to 1/5 hour to cook thoroughly. The given duration is perfect for a 2-pound meatloaf. Additional tip: Don’t slice the meatloaf immediately after it’s cooked, let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes after cooking.
- How do I keep the meatloaf from sticking to the pan?
Sticking ingredients on the base of the pan is a concern of many meatloaf lovers. To prevent food from sticking, place the loaf in a loaf pan covered with aluminum foil or on a baking sheet. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray so that the loaf doesn’t stick to it. If you’re worried about the meat burning on the bottom, placing a strip of raw bacon before adding the meat will help prevent the meat from sticking to the bottom during baking.
- Is it OK to cover meatloaf with foil when baking?
The idea of placing a piece of aluminum foil over the meat during cooking will help keep the meat moist. Remember, leaving the foil in place throughout the cooking process will ruin the recipe. Remove the meatloaf cover and leave it uncovered for the last 15 minutes of baking.
- Which meatloaf pan is better – a glass or a metal pan?
Unlike a metal pan which is a conductor, a glass pan takes longer to heat up and is an insulator. For this reason, non-vegetarian lovers usually opt for glass pans. However, cook times in glass cookware vary depending on what a recipe requires.
Final Words:
Meatloaf is a delicious dish loaded with vital nutrients and minerals. To satisfy the craving for meatloaf, you will need the right baking pan. That is none other than a meatloaf pan that should have sturdy two handles and enough room space with a perfect non-stick coating. Check out the given above top best meatloaf pan available on Amazon.
Hi, my name is Ashley Robinson. I’m a food blogger and a part time chef in Food & Drink Junction, Denver. With my blog I’m sharing information & tutorials about different kinds of cooking pans.
