Heat Holding Capacities

• For rapid heating and quick adjustments to temperature changes, metal pans display more flexibility than glass. Glass, however, heats more evenly and often holds heat longer than aluminum or stainless steel.

Heat Sensitivity

• Structural differences between metal and glass mean that metal pans tolerate high or sudden heat changes over a portion of their surface as glass cannot. This makes a metal pan a better choice if your recipe involves direct heat from a stovetop burner, in order to sear the roast first or make a gravy afterward, or from the broiler, for extra browning. Sudden or partial surface temperature changes also govern how you add ingredients to a roast during cooking. Adding cold liquids or solids to a glass pan can shock the surface, resulting in cracking or breakage. Once cooking has started, heat ingredients before sending them into the pan .

Reactivity

• If you are concerned about reactions between recipe ingredients and your roasting pan, glass is your best choice. Metal pans, through discoloration and sometimes a change in flavors, can display chemical interactions between acids in foods and cooking vessels. To prevent any possible reactions, dishes like citrus chicken or wine-braised beef can be roasted in glass.

Weight

• Although cast-iron and ceramic-coated metal may be the heavyweights of roaster pans, glass pans are often heavier than their aluminum or stainless steel counterparts. Factor in the possible weight of your roast when assessing how easy a glass or metal pan will be to handle.

Size

• Glass baking pans offer a wide range of sizes for small roasts, like a pork tenderloin, beef eye-round or small roasting chicken. Larger sizes, however, are approximately 5 quarts in capacity, with dimensions of roughly 11 inches in width and 17 inches in length. Good roasting depends on good air circulation around the meat, and your pan should offer a margin of 1 to 2 inches on all sides to assure thorough browning and even cooking. Metal pans may offer more options, especially for broad-beamed turkeys or bone-in roasts. Choose glass as your go-to for small-family roasts.