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| Customer Reviews: | | Average Customer Review: ( 25 customer reviews )
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55 of 56 found the following review helpful:
My Experience with the roaster Dec 03, 2009
By Tiffany N. Davis
I bought my roaster for Thanksgiving. I usually do a lot of cooking and baking for Thanksgiving and this year I made 6 baked desserts alone. I started looking for something to help me with the lack of oven space for this year and found out about the turkey roaster, I had never heard of one before. I started reading a ton of reviews on several different sites to educate myself prior to buying one. I also asked around and called a few people I knew cooked a lot for thier opinions. I got good overall feedback, so I bought this one. Maybe I shouldn't have tried a new method for the first time on such a big day as Thanksgiving... but this has a happy ending. I had a 23.22lb turkey this year. Typically I will cook a bird that big on 300-325 degrees for about 4.5 to 5.5 hours. All the reviews and the instructions stated to cook anything you are making in the roaster at the exact same temperature and time as you would a regular oven. The only two things I saw were about not opening the lid because of how much more of a loss of heat you have on a roaster vs. a regular oven. Also the complaints about a crisp outside which can be easily solved by placing your bird in the oven for just the last 20 minutes of cooking time.
So I got my turkey in the preheated turkey roaster at just below 325 degrees and decided I would cook it for about five hours. I knew I didn't want to keep checking on it because of the notation about heat loss so I decided on that time from the get go since it always worked for me in the past. I got a little nervous and about 3 hours and 45 minutes into the cooking time, I decided to take a peak. A turkey is done and still tender in the thigh at 175 and more like 165 degrees in the breast, and since the turkey will continue to cook 5-10 degrees after you take it out of the oven, I usually take my bird out at 155-160 degrees when taking the temp from the breast. I freaked out when the thermometer read 215 degrees after only about 3.5 hours. I turned the roaster off and took the inside pan out and set it out in the cold to cool down as fast as possible. I admit, I started to cry at the disaster and couldn't help but think about how much that turkey cost that I worried would be a waste of money. And what would my family eat as far as meat went. But let me tell you something... I have never had a juicer turkey in my entire life. I have NO CLUE how at 215 degrees, but I went to grab the leg and the bone just came out completely clean. I guess because it is more of a steam cooking process that it stayed so juicy, or maybe because I wrapped it in bacon, but it was so good! I read someone said it took an extra hour and half, perhaps you didn't preheat the oven or thought you had it at the right temperature but it wasn't... or maybe you opened the lid too many times or didn't secure the lid to begin with, because I had the exact opposite problem. I guess I would just say to check whatever you are making just one time, half way through the originally cooking time to see how it is doing. Otherwise, I love my turkey roaster!
27 of 27 found the following review helpful:
 Just purchased, so far I LOVE IT . . . Nov 01, 2009
By L. Bernstein
"Knitting is Gluten Free"
I just bought the HB 22-Quart Roasting Oven and used it for the first time last night.
I have food allergies and intolerances (primarily wheat, gluten) and needed an oven I could dedicate to cooking gluten-free foods.
I roasted a chicken, and it was succulent and flavorful -- really, really, REALLY good. I prefer lean mean, and the white meat was particularly moist and delicious. Since I have never used the oven, I used a meat thermometer to make sure the chicken was cooked perfectly -- very easy.
You can also bake in the roaster oven (cakes, cookies, etc.). I am looking forward to trying it.
What I love about this item is that you never put the food directly on cooking surface. Instead, you use your own cook and bake ware, which makes the oven MUCH easier to clean. The inside cook service is removable, and it also has a rack.
I am so happy that I purchased the 22-quart instead of a smaller unit. This one is large enough to roast a turkey and also easily holds large casserole dishes, etc.
There is an instruction booklet inside that gives instructions on how to order an insert to turn the unit into a three-sectioned buffet server.
There are only a couple recipes included in the instruction booklet, but because you can use the roaster oven to make the same things you'd roast or bake in an oven, separate recipes aren't really necessary (as they would be for a Crock Pot, for example).
Recipes included are:
Party meatballs
Chili
Quick Roast Turkey
Turkey Browning Sauce (this oven will not brown poultry unless you use the sauce, which is easily made with butter or margarine, browning sauce such as Kitchen Bouquet, and paprika).
Baked potatoes (can bake up to 10 pounds)
The Perfect Cheesecake
Baked eggs
As time goes forward, I'll add more to the review as I try other recipes. So far, I am extremely pleased with my purchase and very excited to use it.
Update, July 2010: Baking: I've made gluten-free banana nut bread in the oven to great success! I used the recipe on the back of a bag of Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix. Oh my gosh, this is such an easy and INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS recipe! Not only is it one of the best banana breads I've tasted (rich, buttery), it browned nicely, too. Very moist. Hint: Gluten free mixes stick a little easier. I lined the bottom of the bread pan with parchment paper to make it easier to get it out of the pan.
A friend gave me this tip for using the oven: If you have access to an outdoor area and can do so safely and with supervision, on a hot day, use an extension cord and cook/bake outside to keep things cool in the kitchen. I haven't tried it yet but plan to do so soon.
18 of 18 found the following review helpful:
An inexpensive way to get more out of your kitchen Nov 07, 2009
By Mark G
My wife and I have been inhibited from having large groups for dinner, basically due to the oven in our kitchen. It is built into a cabinet and is smaller than most conventional ovens. This leaves us with very little ability to cook a large item, such as a turkey, along with all the other things that need to be in the oven. The Hamilton Beach Roaster has helped solve this problem. We are now able to cook the turkey in the roaster, while using our oven for all other baking. Also, the turkey comes out more moist and jucier than when baked in a conventional oven. At one dinner, we had a problem just prior to serving dinner, and didn't get to take the turkey out at the time we planned (we got it about 1/2 hour late). When we got to it, the turkey meat was falling off of the bone, and was still delicious. I would recommend this to anyone. We recently cooked a 21.5 lb turkey with no problem.
14 of 14 found the following review helpful:
Careful, it gets hot outside! Dec 21, 2009
By M. Burningham
"gramma on the go"
The roaster oven worked great for our 22 lb Thanksgiving turkey, which was stuffed. However, it took about 60 minutes longer than the directions said it would for a stuffed bird. I used the browning sauce recipe included with the oven and the turkey looked perfect. It was moist and delicious! However, I did not expect the outside to heat up as much as it did and burned my hand when I touched it. I put a Post-It note on the cupboard above the roaster warning others not to touch!!
I have since used the roaster to steam about 12 lb of King Crab legs. I improvised a large enough colander from a disposable turkey roasting pan and set it on a rack I had that fit the roaster perfectly. I added 1 qt of water after preheating the roaster to 450 F, then piled in the crab legs. They were done perfectly in about 15 minutes. What an easy way to get this job done!
The roaster looks great and cleans easily -- once it has cooled.
All in all a great investment that has freed up my oven for other foods I make for our big family parties. I am very happy with this purchase.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
Hamilton Beach 22 Qt. Roaster Oven, Stainless Steel Oct 09, 2010
By Gail Jewell
We are Farmers and I do a lot of cooking. I got this Roaster Oven so I could cook two in the time of one ,freeze the extra and have an almost ready source of quick dinner. Summer here is long and HOT, so using my kitchen oven is avoided about half the year.I have this roaster oven out on our porch.
This is the biggest non-comercial roaster I could find with cost being a facter also. I have been using the roaster at least once a week since I got it and I am very pleased with it. The only thing I don't like is how thin the cover is so I tent it with heavy duty alluminum foil to help insulate the top. This seams to cut the cooking time down a bit.
See all 25 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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