Christmas Dinner Cookware Checklist: The Pans for Prime Rib, Ham, Seven Fishes and Christmas Morning

Christmas cooking is harder to plan than Thanksgiving because there is no single menu. One family roasts a prime rib, the next glazes a ham, another spends Christmas Eve on the Feast of the Seven Fishes, and almost everyone cooks a big breakfast the next morning. The cookware you need follows the menu, and the cooking is spread over two days instead of one. This checklist goes menu by menu: the main pan, the stovetop pans, the oven pieces and the tools for each, the sizes for your guest count, the safe temperatures from USDA, and a two-day plan for sharing one oven.

The Christmas cookware checklist at a glance

If you hosted Thanksgiving, you already own most of this. The Thanksgiving cookware checklist covers the turkey menu dish by dish; this guide covers what is different at Christmas.

Prime rib or roast beef: a low-sided roaster and a thermometer

A standing rib roast is the centerpiece most often bought for Christmas, and it needs less pan than a turkey. Butchers usually sell it by the rib, and a common rule is one rib for every two people, so a 3-rib roast feeds about 6 and a 4-rib roast about 8. A bone-in roast stands on its own bones, so it needs no rack; a boneless roast sits on a flat rack. Low sides let the oven's heat reach the lower half of the meat so it browns evenly.

Use a thermometer rather than minutes per pound. USDA's safe minimum for beef roasts is 145°F with a 3-minute rest; probe the center of the roast, away from the bone. Our roasting pan for prime rib guide has the pan size by number of ribs, the doneness temperatures and how to make jus in the roaster.

For prime rib, the stainless tri-ply flared roaster is the one to buy: its listing gives 16¾ x 13¾ x 2½ inches overall, a flat rack and use on the stovetop for pan sauces. A nonstick roaster releases cleanly but builds less fond for jus. The best roasting pans guide compares all of them.

Glazed ham: what kind of ham decides the pan and the temperature

Most Christmas hams are fully cooked, often spiral-cut, and only need reheating. USDA's ham guidance says a cooked ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant can be eaten cold; to reheat one, set the oven no lower than 325°F and heat it to 140°F inside. A cooked ham repackaged elsewhere, and leftover ham, should reach 165°F. A fresh or cook-before-eating ham must reach 145°F with a 3-minute rest. USDA suggests reheating a spiral ham covered with heavy foil at 325°F for about 10 minutes per pound.

A common planning rule is about half a pound per person for boneless ham and three-quarters of a pound for bone-in, so a 7- to 9-pound spiral half ham feeds about 10 to 12. That fits a 16 x 13 roaster easily. Put it cut side down on the pan floor or a rack, add a splash of water or juice, and tent it with foil. A rack keeps the base from sitting in the glaze as it drips and burns.

Glazes are mostly sugar, so they scorch on a thin base. Simmer the glaze in a small clad saucepan such as the D3 1.5-quart ($149.99) or the D3 2-quart with lid ($119.99), and brush it on during the last part of heating so it caramelizes without burning; a stainless basting brush ($24.99) cleans up better than a bristle one. If you are choosing a roaster for ham and turkey, the stainless petite roaster with nonstick rack ($139.00) has a nonstick coating that makes burnt glaze easy to clean; its listing gives 16 x 13 inches, up to 25 pounds, oven safe to 500°F and not for induction.

Beef tenderloin: sear in a skillet, finish in the oven

Tenderloin is lean and cooks fast, so it is seared hard and then roasted briefly. A center-cut roast of 2 to 3 pounds usually fits a 12-inch skillet; a whole tenderloin is longer, so tie it into an even log and sear it in two halves or across a stainless roaster set over two burners. Then the skillet goes into a hot oven, which is why an oven rating matters: the D5 Polished 12" fry pan ($299.99, or $319.99 with lid) is listed to 600°F. Nonstick is the wrong pan here; it should not be preheated empty on high, and you want the browned fond for a pan sauce. The steak-searing guide covers the preheat, and how to deglaze a pan turns that fond into sauce.

Roast goose, duck or turkey

If your Christmas bird is a turkey, the turkey roasting pan size guide sizes the roaster to the bird and your oven. Goose and duck render far more fat than turkey, so use a roaster with a rack to keep the bird out of the fat, and spoon or pour fat off during roasting so it does not overflow or smoke. All poultry should reach 165°F, per USDA. Save the rendered fat in a heatproof jar for roast potatoes. All-Clad stainless turkey lifters ($24.99) make moving a heavy bird off the rack safer.

Feast of the Seven Fishes: the stovetop menu

The Italian-American Christmas Eve seafood dinner moves the work from the oven to the burners, and it is mostly pasta, quick sautés and steamed shellfish. Plan the pans around the dishes:

• Linguine with clams or a seafood pasta: an 8-quart pot. Use 4 to 6 quarts of water per pound of pasta and fill the pot no more than about two-thirds. A pot with an insert saves draining over the sink: the Lagostina Nera 8-quart pasta pot ($49.99) has a stainless colander insert and is listed for gas and electric stoves (induction is not listed), or use the D5 Brushed 8-quart stock pot ($169.99) on any cooktop. The best stock pots guide compares them.
• Clams and mussels: a wide pan with a lid. Shellfish steam open in a few minutes in a shallow layer of wine or broth, and crowding slows them down. The D5 Brushed 3-quart sauté pan with lid ($149.99) holds a couple of pounds; for a big batch the NS1 6-quart essential pan with lid ($99.99, pan and lid to 400°F) gives more room. Clams, oysters and mussels are done when the shells open, per FoodSafety.gov; FDA advises throwing away any that do not open.
• Shrimp, scallops and calamari: a hot 12-inch skillet. These cook in minutes and need space to sear rather than steam. Shrimp and scallops are done when the flesh turns pearly and opaque.
• Fish fillets: a nonstick skillet, or the oven. A delicate fillet releases best from nonstick such as the HA1 Expert 10-inch ($49.99); thick fillets can roast on a sheet pan. Fish is done at 145°F, or when the flesh is no longer translucent and flakes with a fork.
• Fried fish or baccalà: a heavy, deep pot. Use a pot deep enough that the oil fills no more than about half of it, a clip-on thermometer, and fry in small batches.

Christmas morning breakfast

After a late Christmas Eve, breakfast is usually quick stovetop cooking for a crowd, plus something that waits in the oven.

• Eggs and pancakes: a nonstick skillet or a griddle. The HA1 Expert 8" and 10" pans come as a 3-pan set with the 12" ($129.99), or use the B1 11-inch square griddle ($44.99) for pancakes and French toast in batches. Our best pan for eggs guide explains sizes.
• Bacon and sausage: a half sheet pan with a rack in the oven frees the burners and keeps the fat off the stove. The Pro-Release bakeware 5-piece set ($74.99) includes a half sheet pan with a rack, a 12¼ x 9¾ x 2-inch pan, a muffin pan and a loaf pan.
• Breakfast casserole or strata: a 9 x 13 baking dish, assembled the night before. USDA says egg dishes should reach 160°F and casseroles 165°F.
• Cocoa and oatmeal: a 2- to 3-quart saucepan; milk scorches less in a clad pan over medium-low heat.

Sides: potatoes, gratins, Yorkshire pudding and greens

• Mashed potatoes: about half a pound per guest, cooked in an 8-quart pot for 8 to 10 people.
• Potatoes au gratin or a vegetable gratin: low, wide dishes give the most browned top. The All-Clad stainless gratins, set of two ($58.99) are about 8½ x 6 inches each and listed as oven and broiler safe to 600°F; for a table centerpiece, the C2 12-inch copper gratin ($189.99) is copper outside and 18/10 stainless inside.
• Yorkshire pudding with prime rib: a muffin pan, with a little beef fat from the roaster in each cup, heated until very hot before the batter goes in.
• Brussels sprouts, green beans or greens: a 12-inch skillet or a 3- to 4-quart sauté pan, or roast them on a sheet pan when the oven is free.
• Jus, gravy and sauces: deglaze the stainless roaster on the stovetop, then finish in a D5 Polished 3-quart saucepan ($129.99). For melted butter or a small sauce, the D3 half-quart butter warmer ($79.99) is the right size.

Christmas cookies and baking

Cookie baking is a sheet-pan job, and having two or three half sheet pans lets one batch cool while the next bakes. Light-colored pans brown cookie bottoms less than dark ones; whatever you use, bake one test cookie first and rotate the pan halfway if your oven runs hot at the back. Cool pans before reloading so the dough does not spread. Check each piece's oven limit before it goes in, especially lids and nonstick, using our oven-safe cookware temperatures guide.

Two days, one oven: a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day plan

1. 1Two days before: bake cookies and pies, make the ham glaze, horseradish cream and any sauces that keep. Take the roast out of its packaging and let it dry, uncovered, on a rack in the fridge if your recipe calls for it.
2. 2Christmas Eve: cook the Seven Fishes on the stovetop: pasta pot, sauté pan and skillet. Assemble the breakfast casserole and refrigerate it. Wash the pasta pot; it becomes the potato pot.
3. 3Christmas morning: the casserole and bacon share the oven; eggs and pancakes go on the stovetop. Take the roast out of the fridge ahead of time if your recipe says to.
4. 4The main event: the roast or ham goes into the oven, then the stovetop handles potatoes in the 8-quart pot and greens in the sauté pan. Use the thermometer, not the clock.
5. 5While the roast rests: this is the oven window for gratins, Yorkshire pudding and rolls. Meanwhile, make jus in the stainless roaster across two burners and finish it in the saucepan.

Leftovers should go into the refrigerator within 2 hours, per USDA, in shallow containers rather than a deep pot.

Sizes for 6, 8, 10 and 12 guests

Our pan size calculator sizes everyday pans by household, and the stock pot size guide shows what each pot holds.

Cooking on induction?

Check every piece before the day. Of the pans above, the petite roaster, the B1 and HA1 roasters, the Essentials pots and the Lagostina pasta pot are listed as not for induction or do not list it, and a roaster spanning two zones heats unevenly. The tri-ply roaster, D3, D5 and Copper Core pans and the HA1 and NS1 nonstick pans are listed for induction. The best cookware for induction guide has the full list.

What to buy if you are missing pieces

Buy in this order, because each piece does the most work across the most menus:

1. 1A roasting pan with a rack. It handles a rib roast, a ham, a turkey or a goose. The stainless tri-ply roaster ($165.99) is the best all-rounder because it also makes jus on the stovetop; the NS Pro nonstick roaster with V-rack ($99.99) is the cheaper easy-clean choice.
2. 2A thermometer. The single best insurance for an expensive roast. Capital lists an All-Clad analogue thermometer ($15.99); a digital probe left in the roast is easier to read.
3. 3A 12-inch oven-safe skillet. Tenderloin, seafood, sides and Christmas morning. The D3 10-inch ($69.99) is the budget start; the D5 Polished 12-inch with lid ($319.99) is the upgrade.
4. 4An 8-quart pot. Potatoes, pasta for the Seven Fishes and next week's soup: the D5 Brushed 8-quart ($169.99).
5. 5A 3-quart saucepan. Jus, gravy and glaze: the D5 Polished 3-quart ($129.99).

Shopping for a cook rather than hosting? The best cookware gifts guide has gift picks by budget, including the roaster and gift cards.

Who this guide is for, and who can skip it

• For you if you are hosting Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and want to know which pans each dish needs, what size to use for your guest count, and how to fit it all into one oven.
• Skip it if you only need the roaster for a rib roast; the prime rib roasting pan guide goes deeper on that one pan.

Common mistakes

Bottom line

Christmas dinner needs fewer special pans than you might think, but the right ones: a sturdy, low-sided roasting pan about 16 x 13 inches with a rack, a thermometer, a 12-inch oven-safe skillet, an 8-quart pot, a 2- to 3-quart saucepan, a baking dish and sheet pans. Add a lidded sauté pan for the Seven Fishes and a nonstick skillet for Christmas morning. Choose by your menu, check your temperatures, and use the two-day plan so the oven is never the bottleneck.