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I found this 6 x 7" squarish pan in my aunt's estate and wanted to know what it was used for. A woman that came to look at things said she'd never seen a pan like this before. It has a perforated rack in the bottom, so maybe for steaming something?

Maybe for steaming fish??? I'd sure keep that; I've never seen such a pan

Never saw anything like this pan before, but I'd sure like to have it in my kitchen. I agree with CJO about using it for fish. I think it would be very handy for steaming veggies, too.

Definitely for steaming, but probably not big enough for fish.

Found at least one on e-bay...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintag...&hash=item4abae137b8

The seller doesn't know what it is, either. LOL

My father (90 + yrs. old) said it was used for cooking meat loaf. The grease could drop through the holes and not linger on the meat loaf.

I've seen something similar advertised on TV - I suppose a modern version of something used several decades ago.

I've seen them in auctions of household goods in the past. Normally came from a home that had very old folks in it, so the pans are from another era totally.
That looks awfully wide for a meatloaf. A lot of regular loaf pans have/had the racks for meatloaf drainage...not shaped like that with a handle.

Chestnut roasting pan. The holes are there to allow the chestnuts to cook evenly. When you roast the chestnuts on the stove top you have to shake the pan occasionally with same type of motion used when making popcorn.

quote:

Originally posted by still tryin:
Chestnut roasting pan. The holes are there to allow the chestnuts to cook evenly. When you roast the chestnuts on the stove top you have to shake the pan occasionally with same type of motion used when making popcorn.

Hmmmm....maybe, but there are differences. Chestnut roasters generally have long handles to reach over open fires. They also are one-piece pans with holes, not a closed pan with a holed insert like this one. Most chestnut pans don't have lids, either.

Sandwich toaster?

quote:

Originally posted by nettiejay:

quote:

Originally posted by still tryin:
Chestnut roasting pan. The holes are there to allow the chestnuts to cook evenly. When you roast the chestnuts on the stove top you have to shake the pan occasionally with same type of motion used when making popcorn.

Hmmmm....maybe, but there are differences. Chestnut roasters generally have long handles to reach over open fires. They also are one-piece pans with holes, not a closed pan with a holed insert like this one. Most chestnut pans don't have lids, either.

Nettiejay, if you look at Weakestlinks pan the handle is attached to pan which has holes it. It looks similar to the pan on ebay but that pan's handle is attached to a pan a with a solid bottom and the insert has holes. Hers doesn't have an insert. They do sell stove top chestnuts pans with lids. I agree that the handle is short for a classic chestnut pan.
Chestnut pans were designed with long handles for roasting on open fire, such as a fireplace, or bonfire, as well as coals.

To clarify this issue - the rack with holes in it is removable and the pan is solid under it.

Maybe it's to cook bacon in and let grease drain to bottom.

quote:

Originally posted by weakestlink:
To clarify this issue - the rack with holes in it is removable and the pan is solid under it.

Well then it isn't a chestnut pan. Nettiejay is correct, it probably is some type of steaming/ poaching pan. Kudos to Nettiejay for finding another one on the internet.

The thing most puzzling to me is the size of the thing. Six or 7 inches isn't very big. Can't imagine what could fit in there.

Is there a maker's mark on it, WL?

Whatever it is, it must not have worked very well, or else it's for cooking some food that has fallen out of favor now. They'd still be made if it were truly useful.

Maybe it was the original "As Seen On TV" gadget! lol