Some people find it easy to take meals stored in Pyrex containers directly from their fridge and pop them into the oven without checking if this is the best way to go about it. Before taking such risks have you ever asked yourself: can you put Pyrex from the fridge to the oven?
Pyrex is not safe from accidents. Therefore, it is not at all recommended that you put your Pyrex glassware from the fridge into a hot oven directly. The safer way is to take it out from the fridge and let it cool down to room temperature first.
This would avoid the unwanted thermal shocks that many glassware experience.
In this article, we will discuss further the safety of using Pyrex in ovens and tips to live by when using pyrex in your oven.
Can You Put Pyrex from Fridge to Oven?
If you follow the Pyrex Glassware guidelines to the letter, then you should absolutely not put Pyrex Glassware from fridge to oven or vice versa.
Unfortunately, it is a very common practice in most kitchens as most just go with the risks and hope for the best.
If not shatter, the extreme temperature changes can damage the structural integrity of the glassware.
Doing this is even worse when such a container already has a chip or a crack on it.
Unfortunately, when it shatters, it goes all out. It can shatter into many small pieces and can cause damage to your oven or cause injury to people.
Therefore if you want to cook in your oven, try to take your Pyrex dish out of the fridge and let it sit for a few minutes before popping it into a pre-heated oven.
Pyrex dishes have over time become more breakage resistant but less resistant to two extreme temperatures.
Borosilicate Pyrex vs Soda-Lime Pyrex
Not all Pyrex glassware is created equally.
There is certain Pyrex Glassware made out of Borosilicate that is much much more resistant to changes to one extreme temperature.
The Borosilicate glass material is used for beakers and flasks for scientific studies.
Pyrex made out of this material is much safer if taken out of the fridge and put into a hot oven.
The more common and the cheaper Soda-Lime Pyrex does not have great thermal shock resistance and hence it should be used with utmost care in such scenarios.
Some of the Precautions you Can Take When Using Your Pyrex in the Oven Includes
Bring Your Pyrex Glassware to Room Temperature
This might seem like a chore especially if you don’t plan ahead for your cooking. But this is one of the easiest ways to avoid accidents in your kitchen
If you want to prepare your dish, bring out the Pyrex ware from the oven 2-3 hours before preparation. Lay unto your kitchen zinc or counter and allow it to cool at its own pace.
When it reaches room temperature, you can then move it into your oven.
Preheat Your Oven
Preheating your oven might seem a little counterproductive but it isn’t so. Preheating your oven gives it the opportunity to reach a stable temperature. You can preheat your oven to a desired temperature that is not too high so avoid extreme heat conditions.
This is usually advised because, when you turn on your oven, the oven rises to a temperature that is higher than you have set it. Then it regulates by circulating around the interior part of the oven and eventually reduces back to the preset temperature.
When you turn on your oven and take a Pyrex container fresh from the fridge into your oven. The oven temperature hasn’t been given an opportunity to regulate and therefore rises very high.
The impact and the speed of this heat can cause your Pyrex glassware to shatter and the shrapnel can break your oven door and even inflict some injury.
To avoid this, allow your oven to preheat, and bring your pyrex to room temperature before you move your Pyrex plate into the oven
Ensure that Your Pyrex Container is Not Cracked, Chipped or Broken
Many of us know how easy and common it is to continue using chipped or cracked glassware in the kitchen.
Perhaps that container that you love so much or another that was a gift from a friend or one that holds some sentimental value.
Plates like this can be quite difficult to throw in the bin or get rid of but it is usually safer that way.
Cracked, chipped or broken glassware is more susceptible to explosion or shattering.
Therefore, if you use such container in the refrigerator and it doesn’t end up breaking, there is an even greater risk when you move it to your oven.
Explosions from ovens can be really dangerous and therefore proper care should be taken when dealing with containers made from glass
Temperature Limit For Pyrex Glass Baking Dish
One of the things you need to have in mind when you’re cooking with a Pyrex container or baking dishes is the temperature limit of the glassware.
Most manufacturers of glassware expressly state the temperature limit for their containers.
Usually, this set temperature can range anywhere between 250°-500° Fahrenheit. Most times the manufacturers have taken note of the temperature limit of these containers and have put it on their products.
Pyrex on the other hand usually has a limit of 490-500° according to the manufacturers.
Users on the other say that you should not put your oven above 425° while your Pyrex container is in the oven.
Of course, the higher the temperature you expose your Pyrex glassware to, the more it will be prone to shattering if you were to immediately place it in a cold environment.
Why Does Glass Shatter When Taken from Fridge To Oven?
The science behind this can be explained in one word: Thermal Shock.
A thermal shock occurs when a rapidly changing temperature puts stress on the material.
When one part of the material contracts or expands at a different speed than the rest, it can cause it to have cracks and in a worst-case scenario, shatter it.
When glassware is in the fridge, its material tends to contract, since cold temperatures shrink objects.
On the other hand, when the glassware is in a hot oven, it tends to expand due to the heat.
When both of these changes occur rapidly i.e going from a contracted material in the fridge to an expanding material in the oven, it puts unwanted forces on the material which can shatter it.
Some Tips to Avoid Major Kitchen Hazards Includes
Do not Add Liquid to Hot Glassware
This idea goes in hand with the fact the thermal shock can shatter glassware.
If you have very hot Pyrex dish right out of the oven, do not pour water on it.
This means any washing or cleaning should be avoided until the Pyrex glassware comes to room temperature.
Don’t Use Pyrex to Broil
The manufacturers of this product have expressly stated on their products that this glassware should not be used to broil.
This is mostly because the heating process that is implemented when broiling is quite different from other oven uses.
In this case, the heat is directly focused on the meal for a long period of time for it to be properly cooked.
Glassware is vulnerable around extreme temperatures and this includes broiling. The focused heat can cause the glass to shatter.
Do Not Use Pyrex in Toaster Oven
Pyrex is clear in stating that their glassware should not be anywhere near a direct heat source.
In a toaster oven, both the broiling and the baking heating elements are very close to the cooking rack. Hence this can cause damage.
Conclusion
In this article, we elucidated on the topic ‘can you put pyrex from fridge to oven’. Though pyrex glasswares are compatible with most ovens, you should never move your Pyrex containers from your fridge to your oven
As earlier mentioned, extreme changes in glassware can cause them to break, shatter or explode.
When you want to use your Pyrex container in your oven try to bring it to room temperature first before using it to cook in your oven.
With these tips, you can avoid major kitchen hazards that might occur as a result of using pyrex to prepare food in your oven.
FAQs
1. Is it OK to put cold Pyrex in the oven?
No, Pyrex Has Restrictions.
While Pyrex is capable of withstanding both heat and cold, it cannot do so simultaneously. Pyrex may be transported from the freezer or refrigerator to the oven, but the journey must be lengthy. Sudden temperature changes have the potential to break any glass, including Pyrex.
2. Will Pyrex crack from hot to cold?
Yes, in a nutshell—but there are a few guidelines you should follow. First, avoid extreme temperature swings while using Pyrex or other glass bakeware or cookware—very cold pyrex dish should not be placed in a hot oven, and vice versa. Sudden temperature variations might fracture or destroy the plates.
3. Why did my Pyrex dish exploded in the oven?
There are a few things that could cause your Pyrex dish to explode in the oven. One possibility is that the dish was not meant for oven use. Pyrex dishes are often labeled as "oven-safe," but that doesn't mean that they can be used at every temperature. Another possibility is that the dish was too full. If there is too much weight on the glash dish, it can cause it to shatter.
4. What temperature is Pyrex safe in oven?
Pyrex is safe in the oven at temperatures up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Although the Pyrex representative claimed the glass bakeware is oven-safe to 425°F, do not exceed that temperature. This is because thermal shock can occur at extremely high temperatures.
5. How do you reheat Pyrex in the oven?
Pyrex can be reheated in the oven by placing it on a baking sheet and heating it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes. This provides a buffer against sudden heat at the locations of contact with the oven racks.