Standard Schaffer Pans: Capacity Insights

The capacity of a baking pan is an important consideration when preparing a recipe. The standard Schaffer pan, also known as a full-size food pan, typically measures 12 inches by 20 inches and is commonly used for cooking large batches of food. Its capacity can vary depending on its depth, which is usually 2 inches, 4 inches, 6 inches, or 8 inches. To determine the volume of batter a standard Schaffer pan can hold, measurements should be taken from the inside of the pan, and the depth should be multiplied by the width and length. This will give you the volume in cubic inches or cubic centimetres.

Standard food pan sizes

Food pans are an essential tool in any commercial kitchen, providing a versatile and efficient way to store, transport, and serve food. They are designed to withstand high temperatures and are suitable for use in ovens, steam tables, and cold storage. The standard full-size food pan is approximately 12" x 20" (or 20 3/4" x 12 3/4" according to some sources). All other food pan sizes are a variation of these dimensions. For example, a half-size pan measures roughly 12" x 10", so two half pans can fit into the same space as one full-size pan.

Food pans also come in a variety of depths, with typical depths ranging from 2 1/2" to 6", though sizes from 3/4" to 8" are also available. The most common hotel pan depths are 2", 4", 6", and 8", but they are also available in 1/2" or 1/4" increments. The depth of the pan is an important consideration as it determines the number of servings in each steam table pan.

• A two-thirds pan measures roughly 12" x 13 1/3". A two-thirds pan will fill two-thirds of a full-size cutout and leave room for a third-size pan or a combination of smaller pans.
• A third pan measures roughly 12" x 6 2/3". Three third pans can fit into a full-size cutout and are suitable for serving side dishes on hot food bars.
• A quarter pan measures 6" x 10", so four can fill the same space as a full-size pan and two can fill the same space as a half-size pan. Quarter pans are often used for holding side dishes and salad toppings.
• A sixth pan measures 6" x 6 2/3", so it takes six to fill the space of a full-size pan and three to fill a half-size pan. Sixth pans are commonly used for soups, dressings, and salad toppings.
• A ninth pan measures 4" x 6 2/3" and is the smallest of the available steam table pan sizes. They are used for holding small quantities of seasonings, spices, garnishes, toppings, and condiments.

In addition to the standard sizes mentioned above, food pans also come in gastronorm (GN) sizes, which are standardised sizes of containers used in the catering industry. The main intention of gastronorm sizes is to promote flexibility in the kitchen and allow containers to be used with various appliances. Here is a list of the standard gastronorm (GN) steam table pan sizes in millimetres:

• GN 2/1: 650 x 530 mm
• GN 1/1: 530 x 325 mm
• GN 2/4: 530 x 162 mm
• GN 2/3: 354 x 325 mm
• GN 1/2: 325 x 265 mm
• GN 1/3: 325 x 176 mm
• GN 1/4: 265 x 163 mm
• GN 1/6: 176 x 162 mm
• GN 1/9: 176 x 108 mm

How to measure a pan's capacity

To measure the capacity of a pan, you must first measure its dimensions and volume.

First, measure the width, length, and depth of the pan. To do this, measure the inside edge of the pan to get the most accurate reading. For round pans, measure the width of the inside of the pan at its widest points (the diameter) and divide that by two to get the radius. For square or rectangular pans, simply multiply the width by the length to get the area. For oval pans, multiply half the length by half the width and then multiply that by 3.14 (pi).

Next, measure the depth of the pan. Place a ruler straight up from the bottom of the pan, without slanting it, even if the pan has slanted sides.

Finally, to determine the volume of the pan (how much batter it will hold), pour pre-measured water into the pan until it is filled to the brim. You can either fill the pan a cup at a time and keep track of how much you're adding, or you can fill the pan and then pour the water into a measuring cup.

If you prefer to use metric measurements, 1 cup of liquid is equal to 237 milliliters.

It's important to note that the capacity of a pan is how much it can hold when filled to the brim. In baking, pans should only be filled halfway to three-quarters full to allow room for rising.

How to substitute baking pans

Baking pans come in a wide range of sizes, from round cake pans to loaf pans. The first step in substituting one pan for another is to determine the capacity of the pan you have and the one the recipe calls for. This can be done by measuring the pan's dimensions (length, width, and depth) and multiplying those numbers together to get the volume in cubic inches or cubic centimeters. You can also fill the pan with water and measure how much it holds in cups or millilitres.

Once you know the volume of your pan, you can compare it to the volume of the pan in the recipe. The best pan substitutions are those that keep the same batter depth in the pan by having the same pan area. This will ensure you don't have to make any changes to the baking time or temperature. For example, an 8-inch square pan has the same area as a 9-inch round pan, so these two pans can be substituted for each other without any adjustments.

If you are using a pan that is larger than the one in the recipe, your batter will be shallower and will bake more quickly. In this case, you should shorten the baking time and raise the oven temperature slightly. Conversely, if you are using a smaller pan, your batter will be deeper and will take longer to bake. You will need to lengthen the baking time and lower the oven temperature to prevent over-browning.

It is also important to consider the type of pan you are substituting. While it is generally safe to switch between similarly-shaped pans (e.g. square to square, round to round), some specialty pans like springform pans, Bundt pans, and tube pans are designed for specific recipes and may not work as well if substituted. Additionally, loose batters (such as those for cakes and cornbread) are more finicky about pan substitutions than thicker batters like brownies or cookie dough.

Finally, keep in mind that most home ovens can only accommodate a pan up to 17 x 14 inches (43 x 36 cm).

Different types of food pans

A standard Schaffer pan holds 8 cups or 64 fluid ounces.

Now, onto the different types of food pans!

Food pans are an essential tool in any commercial kitchen, and they come in a variety of materials, shapes, and sizes. Here are some of the most common types:

Stainless Steel Food Pans

Stainless steel food pans are versatile and durable. They can go from the freezer to the oven or steam table, making them suitable for a range of applications. Stainless steel is a hard metal that resists scratches and dents, and it's easy to clean. These pans come in different gauges, with lower gauge pans being thicker, more resistant to warping, and better at even heating but also more expensive and slower to heat up.

Plastic Food Pans

Plastic food pans are available in regular, cold, and high-heat models. They are often transparent or coloured, making it easy to identify their contents. Plastic food pans can withstand a wide range of temperatures and are a more economical option.

Display Food Pans

While stainless steel and plastic are the most common materials for food pans, other materials like melamine and china can add an upscale and attractive touch to your food presentation. Melamine food pans, for example, are durable and practical, while china food pans offer superior heat and cold retention, distributing heat uniformly.

Fry Pans

Fry pans are a kitchen essential, featuring a round shape and moderately high, slightly sloped sides. The long handle keeps hands away from the heat, and the curved sidewalls make stirring and sliding food out of the pan easy. Fry pans are ideal for frying, browning, scrambling, sautéing, or searing.

Sauté Pans

Sauté pans have a wide, flat bottom and high, vertical sides, maximising the cooking surface and allowing them to hold more liquid. The straight sides also help contain food and expose all sides to heat. Like fry pans, sauté pans have a long handle for easy maneuvering. They are perfect for sautéing, searing, braising, deglazing, poaching, and stir-frying.

Saucepans

Saucepans have tall sides and narrow bases, heating liquid ingredients from all sides. They are ideal for creating sauces and can also be used for simmering and boiling liquids. Saucepans come in straight-sided or tapered designs, with the latter having a smaller bottom and flared sides for better stirring.

Cast Iron Skillets

Cast iron skillets are incredibly versatile and can be used for a wide range of cooking tasks, from searing steaks to baking a fruit cobbler. Cast iron distributes heat evenly and consistently, and it can go directly from the stovetop to the oven to the table. With proper care, cast iron skillets can last a lifetime.

Woks

Woks are a type of Asian cookware with deep bowls and steep, high walls. They are ideal for stir-frying, as they cook food quickly and thoroughly due to even heat distribution. Woks can have round or flat bottoms, and they typically have one or two loop handles.

Roasting Pans

Roasting pans are rectangular with flat bottoms and shallow sides, allowing for optimum heat distribution. They are typically made from steel or aluminum and are perfect for cooking roasts, whole turkeys, chicken, vegetables, or baked goods.

Baking Pans

Baking pans come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including round, square, rectangular, and loaf pans. The type of baking pan you choose will depend on the recipe you're making. For example, a Bundt pan is ideal for making cakes with a unique shape, while a loaf pan is perfect for bread or cake.

How to calculate the capacity of round pans

Baking pans come in a variety of sizes and shapes, and it's important to know how much batter they can hold, especially when substituting one pan size for another in a recipe. The volume of a pan is calculated in cubic inches or cubic centimetres.

To calculate the capacity of a round pan, you need to first measure the radius (half the diameter) of the pan. Then, multiply the radius by itself and also by pi (3.14). This will give you the area of the pan. For example, the radius of a 9-inch round pan is 4.5 inches. Multiplying 4.5 (radius) by 4.5 (radius) by 3.14 (pi) gives you approximately 64 square inches.

To determine the volume of the pan, you need to include the depth of the pan in your calculation. Simply multiply the depth measurement along with the squared diameter and pi. For a 9-inch round pan with a depth of 2 inches, you would multiply 4.5 (radius) by 4.5 (radius) by 3.14 (pi) by 2 (depth) to get 128 cubic inches.

You can convert cubic inches to fluid ounces by multiplying by 0.5. In the above example, 128 cubic inches is approximately 64 fluid ounces, or 8 cups.

If your pan has slanted sides, the calculations can be more complicated. In this case, you can simply fill the pan with water and measure how much it holds, either by filling it a cup at a time or pouring the water into a measuring cup once the pan is full. Alternatively, you can use a digital kitchen scale to measure the weight of the water in the pan, knowing that 1ml of water weighs 1 gram.

It's important to note that most pans should only be filled halfway to three-quarters full to allow room for the batter or dough to rise.

Frequently asked questions