The Broiler

I want to make a tuna/egg noodle casserole. The recipe says to finish it in the broiler.

1. Can I use an All-Clad Ovenware pan in the broiler?
2. If not, what sort of oven cooking will substitute?

The recipe: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1949756

The pan: http://www.all-clad.com/collections/Gourmet+Ovenware/ProductLine.htm?index= (the square baker)

Yeah, I wouldn't have any qualms putting that under the broiler for 3 minutes or so.

I'd agree - no worries using that All-Clad under the broiler. All metal and thick, so no worries about cracking (like with glass or ceramic) and it will take the heat (depending on how far it is from the broiler element, the top of the pan can see 750 - 800 deg F).

The only real substitute for a broiler is a flame, like a creme brulee torch (or propane torch). Or a salamander (basically a broiler element not in an oven).

Thanks! It worked and I only browned the meal a little, and didn't completely burn it, like the last time I used the broiler.

I was told to the leave the broiler door open when broiling. True or false?

True. The idea is to apply heat only to the top of whatever you're cooking, not heat up the entire oven. With the broiler element hitting 1000 deg F pretty quickly and staying there, the entire inside of your oven would heat up pronto with the door closed. Also, you should be standing there watching whatever's under the broiler while it's cooking, so if it catches fire you can deal with it asap - easier to see if the door's open. There's probably some sort of combustion deal where if your food catches on fire with the door closed, the flames could surge when you open the oven door from the additional O2, but not really sure about that.

Doesn't really apply for gas oven broilers where it's a drawer underneath the bottom gas jets that slides out though. With those you just have to keep constantly checking progress.

I have gas and the drawer. I guess next time I'll try to keep it closed.

I never get more than a step away from the broiler when I'm making garlic toast or finishing a pan of cornbread. You can go from perfect to ruined in ten seconds.