A lo-fat loaf pan is a specially designed baking pan which allows fat and drippings to drain while food bakes, making the end product lower in fat than it would have been otherwise. These pans come in an assortment of materials and sizes, and they are ideal for baking bread, meatloaf, and other loaf-like dishes in a fat conscious household. The design can change the way that food cooks, however, so it is a good idea to use recipes which are specifically formulated for a lo-fat loaf pan until you get the hang of working with these useful kitchen tools.
Two cooking pans are used collectively to make up a lo-fat loaf pan. One pan is perforated, and it is designed to nest inside a larger solid pan. As the food cooks, drippings drain away through the perforations and into the larger pan. The loaf cooked in the pan will therefore be lower in fat than it would be otherwise. The drippings can be discarded or used to make a sauce or gravy.
Many pans are made from metal, since metal is easy to shape and handle. It is also possible to find ceramic and glass pans designed for low fat cooking, for cooks who desire the crust which forms on foods cooked in these materials. In all cases, it is important to remember that foods cooked in low-fat loaf pans are not inherently “low fat,” their fat content is simply lowered. It is perfectly possible to make foods which are high in fat in a lo-fat loaf pan if you use a fatty recipe.
Because the pan is perforated and double walled, it can change the texture of the resulting foods. Breads may come out with a thinner crust and a lighter crumb, for example. Meatloaf tends to turn dry when cooked in a lo-fat loaf pan, since the fat in the meatloaf drains away, rather than moisturizing the loaf as it cooks. You may need to alter favorite recipes slightly to compensate for the use of a lo-fat loaf pan.
Many kitchen supply stores carry these special loaf pans, and they can also be ordered online. You may want to check the maintenance directions to see whether or not the pan is dishwasher safe, and investigate the perforations in the pan to make sure that they will be easy to clean. If there are grooves or channels, the pan could collect grease and dirt which could be challenging to clean up.