Review on 🖤 Black 18 Quart Weston Roaster Oven (03-4000-W) by Darion Wooten

I've used fire bowls in the past and they come in very handy, but there are some misconceptions that need clearing. Similar to your standard slow cooker, this oven has no direct flame or heating element for browning meat. So if you put raw meat in this appliance like you would in a slow cooker, it will cook, but it won't have the nice brown color you would expect from a standard grill oven. So when I use this appliance or any other grill, I typically either reheat a pre-cooked dish (like a ham) or finish cooking a dish that I've already roasted with a pan, grill, or grill (like a rib racks). ). Okay, with that said, here are my thoughts on this particular roasting oven. According to the instructions, I washed mine thoroughly before using it for the first time. I saw a warning that it smokes and gives off a chemical odor when you first use it (or few times). It's not really something that's unique to this device. My new Whirlpool oven did the same and it's a good quality oven, not cheap. So I was kind of expecting smoke and smell. But for that reason, after washing, before actually using it for cooking, I turned it on and heated it to max temperature and left it empty for a good hour. I was actually surprised that it didn't smoke or smell anymore. My oven did both for several days. After this initial warming up of the brazier, it became convenient for me to cook something in it. Decided to try some racks with ribs. Knowing this product doesn't brown, I took both of my racks and browned them in a regular oven for about 15 minutes per side. Long enough so they get a nice brown, but not too black. I then placed a rack on the bottom of the oven and (that's just me, you don't have to) cover the rack with aluminum foil. I placed my first basket of ribs on the aluminum foil, added some BBQ sauce, covered with another sheet of foil and placed a second basket of ribs on top, again covering them with BBQ sauce. I had enough room to probably make two more ribs, but I didn't this time. I think I could do more for my annual 4th of July BBQ. Anyway, I then turned on the grill oven to 200 degrees and let go. There is no timer so I had to keep it in mind when checking the edges. I checked them out after 3 hours and they looked pretty good but weren't as tender as I'd like so I left them on for another hour. When I finally took them off, they were perfect. Tender and juicy. I've also prepared pre-cooked ham the same way. Put it in, turn the oven down to low and let it cook. Using a grill in this way is a great way to free up your oven when you have a lot of food to fix and need oven space for other things. This is how I mainly use this roaster. But it can also be used for a big batch of chili or soup, or I think we once used a similar grill to hold nacho cheese when we were making a nacho bar for a party. It's pretty versatile. Now about the disadvantages of this particular brazier. I totally agree with the reviewers who say they need some kind of light or beep or something to indicate the correct temperature of the grill. It's just a nice feature. Yes, it's very hot outside too, so I try to keep it away from other things on the counter that can be negatively affected by the heat. I also use oven mitts or an oven mitt to handle this appliance while cooking so I don't burn myself. as if it were a necessity.