Cooking For Engineers

Guest · Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 3:29 am Post subject: Casseroles

Thought casseroles was always a deep round ,2 handle dish with a lid. But now see they are using baking dishes 13x9 and 8x8 for casseroles now. How did these become replacements for the round casseroles?

Cakes

Guest · Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 4:09 am Post subject: Casseroles

I guess I should say I always thought as a casserole only being a round deep dish with a lid and handles,never a 13x9,or 8x8 baking dish. Could someone explain this a little bit more.

Cakes

Michael Chu · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 1654 Location: Austin, TX (USA)

I think a casserole (the cooking instrument) is as you described it. A casserole (the food of the same name that is usually prepared in a casserole) is any food traditionally prepared in that pot/dish but doesn't need to be prepared that way. For example, a tuna casserole is a baked dish of tuna, noodles (or other starch), a sauce (usually cream based), and (usually) a crunchy starch based topping. It's a tuna casserole regardless of what baking dish it's prepared in. I wouldn't call a 13x9 baking pan a casserole though.

Guest · Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2009 2:51 pm Post subject: Casseroles

Would you know why people are saying and seeing in stores for a casserole dish use a 13x9 or 8x8 baking dish, even right on the box say 13x9 casserole dish. Went looking to buy a casserole and found many places that say and suggest this. Is this maybe a modern day thing. And yes we measured it and it is the same as a reg. 13x9 x2 dish. Question being: when recipe calls for a 2 1/2 quart casserole do u reach for a baking dish or the reg. type or style casserole dish?

Cakes

Michael Chu · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 1654 Location: Austin, TX (USA)

When a recipe calls for a 2-1/2 quart casserole, my first instinct is probably to reach for the regular casserole dish (round), but there's a good chance I'll use a 9x13-in. glass baking dish instead as it's easier to serve out of. Now that I think about it, I rarely use a casserole dish these days. I either prepare the casserole in a large oven-safe pot (so I don't have to clean multiple pots) or I prepare it in an 9x13.

Guest · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:48 pm Post subject: Casseroles

Thank you for your advice on this. I have a daughter who is getting into cooking and she has asked me a question wish i dont think i can really explain to her like you would. Would it be possible or would it be to much trouble to ask you to help explain the answer? If you can help the question is: If a recipe tells u to use a 2 1/2 quart casserole or 2 1/2 quart baking dish but doesnt say round or square or rect. or even oval how do u decide which shape to use,and when a recipe says use a 2 1/2 quart casserole and use say a 3 qt. baking dish how can the baking dish be right to use when actually a casserole is deeper? I hope i said this right and u can help.

Cakes

Dilbert · Joined: 19 Oct 2007 Posts: 1307 Location: central PA

>>I hope i said this right and u can help.

not a problem.

use the dish you have that is about the right size.

the weird ET theories about what should be round and what should be rectangular and what should be square function only in a TV kitchen with every pot/container/dish of every description every marketed.

Guest · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:46 pm Post subject: Casseroles

I was hoping Mr. Chu would reply. But thank you for your input.

Cakes

Michael Chu · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 1654 Location: Austin, TX (USA)

I concur with Dilbert.

Use whatever you've got. For a casserole it's not that important, you're pretty much just heating a dish at that point. As long as the casserole fits in the baking dish you've selected, you're pretty much going to get the same result. I would recommend using a glass or ceramic baking dish (vs. a metal) since that would actually affect how the food comes out.

Michael

Guest · Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:13 pm Post subject: Casseroles

Ok, Thanks. Am I right to think if i use something like a oval dish would i need to leave it in the oven longer than say a rect. one?

Cakes daughter

Michael Chu · Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 1654 Location: Austin, TX (USA)

The shape (rectangular vs. round) has less to do with it than the surface area of the base. If the surface areas are similar (for example, a 9x9 baking pan and a 10-in circular dish), then the baking time would be similar as well. If you used an 8-in circular container instead of a 9x9 square, then it would take longer to cook because the total surface area exposed is less AND heat would have to penetrate further because the height of the contents would be much higher than in the square dish.