Cooking "Quantity" On a Stovetop

[mr_misanthropy]

Hi everyone.

I'm a chef at a brick oven pizza and pasta place that just opened up last week. Among our pizza toppings are Italian sausage, onions, and caramelized onions. We prep large quantities of these things at a time. Right now I usually start with the onions and mushrooms, and have two skillets going at once. I do them in batches.

Here's my questions. Is there a larger pan or something that will cover two burners? I want to use something to cook more of these mushrooms and onions at once. Ideally I'd like to have two large pans covering four burners. The sausage I do after the veg, but I want something I can cook a lot at once with.

Can I use a roasting pan on a stove top? Are there sheet pans or anything else I should be checking out? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm just trying to cut down our prep time!

 

[Michael in FtW]

A good heavy gauge aluminum commercial grade roasting pan should work. Check your local restaurant supply stores.

 

[Katie H]

I concur with Michael. If the pan is good and heavy, it should do the trick.

 

[mr_misanthropy]

Thanks for the info! I'll look into that.

 

[mcnerd]

Reminds me of the military kitchens where everything was oversize. I wonder if there are local places for such things.

 

[Jeekinz]

Maybe a paella pan? But they are round. Have you tried on a cookie sheet under the broiler?

 

[quicksilver]

I don't know if you have a 'Chef's Warehouse' in your area, but they will have what you. Any catering supply or commercial kitchen supply will help. I have a commerial size/weight cookie tray with lip I use for bread that covers two burners. That would be bakery supply.

 

[GotGarlic]

Cast-iron pieces that cover two burners with a grill pan on one side and griddle on the other are available: Cast Iron Griddles and Grill Pans HTH.

 

[Leolady]

I think what you are looking for is this.

Heavy Gauge Aluminum RoasterMade in U.S.A.

• <LI class=bullettext>Impact-resistant 3004 aluminum
  <LI class=bullettext>Easy-to-grab loop handle on all
  four sides of pan
  <LI class=bullettext>Traditional standard with the military
  
• Cover can be used as a griddle

20⅞" x 7⅜" x 9" Aluminum Roaster w/ Cover​

Restaurantequipment.com - GIGANTIC Inventory / restaurant equipment & restaurant supply

It should cover 4 burners nicely.

 

[college_cook]

Well if you're at a pizza place I don't imagine you have a huge budget for equipment. If it were me I would just use a couple of hotel pans.

 

[AllenOK]

Try looking for a "rondeau", as we call them where I work. It's a big, heavy-gauge aluminum pan, round, and about 6 - 8" deep. It can cover two burners easily, and even four burners, although in covering four burners, not all of the burner is covered by the pan.

 

[milkdemcows]

My wife doesn't much like ground meat, so when I use Italian sausage what I try to do is cook it beforehand then cool, refrigerate, and slice it cold, since it will keep its shape that way. So what you could do for your sausage is bake it, cool it, and slice or dice it. That would change it some, and may not be what you or the restaurant want. You could also probably do some of your other things in the oven too if you wanted.

(Though since you specifically referred to mushrooms and onions, maybe you weren't doing sausage on the stove in the first place. And maybe your ovens are already occupied during prep time too, in which case this might not help anyway.)

 

[Jeff G.]

how about this....
Cast Iron Skillets - Seasoned Cast Iron Skillets, Lodge Cast Iron Skillets, Enamel Cast Iron Skillets : Iron Pots Depot

 

[VeraBlue]

I use a roasting pan on the stove top at work all the time. You could also use the roasting pan in the pizza ovens. I put those same roasting pans, even the regular sauté pans on the grill, too. Fire is fire, and heat is heat...is usually doesn't matter where you put the pan, as long as all the parts can take the heat.