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You may be familiar with the name brand Pyrex from the cookware department, or you may have picked up antique versions of the glassware at a yard sale and wondered, “Is Pyrex oven-safe?” Raul Ruiz, SVP, Global Housewares and Modern Design Business Unit, Pyrex, Corelle, CorningWare, Snapware, provided us with the answer, as well as correct use and safety requirements for using Pyrex in the oven and microwave.

What Is Pyrex?

Pyrex is a glass cookware brand that has been in business since 1915. Corning invented Pyrex, which was constructed of borosilicate glass and hence resistant to heat stress.

According to legend, Corning Glass Works began producing its own unique form of borosilicate glass called as Nonex in 1908. Non-expansion glass, which is thermally resistant, was utilized in railroad signal lights and other industrial uses. Jesse Littleton, a Corning employee, brought this pristine glass into the kitchen. He gave his wife Bessie a sawed-off battery jar, and she used the shallow mold to create a cake. Corning jumped on the concept that the durability of glass might assist the home sector, and by 1915, it was offering Pyrex, a range of pie plates, casserole dishes, and bakeware.

Pyrex has been manufactured in both soda lime and borosilicate glass throughout the years. Instant Brands still manufactures Pyrex-branded glass cookware using both materials today.

Can You Put Pyrex Cookware in the Oven?

The simple answer is yes. Pyrex glass may be used in the oven for cooking and baking.

However, keep in mind that using pyrex on your cooktop is a poor idea. You should also avoid moving the pyrex pan from one extreme temperature to the other.

Thermal shock has occurred, and the pan will most certainly break as a consequence.

Temperature Capacity of Pyrex

As a general guideline, just heat the pyrex pan or dish in the oven to 400-450 F.

Anything greater than that may significantly compromise its structural integrity.

Limits

Your pyrex dish has its limitations. Remember that you may only move it from the fridge to the freezer, then to the oven in short bursts.

Aside than that, here are some additional limitations to be aware of.

  • Preheat the oven before adding the pyrex plates. Heat exposure should be kept to a minimum.
  • Never use pyrex on your stove, toaster oven, or grill.
  • Allow the pyrex to cool before returning the hot dish to the fridge or freezer.
  • Allow the pyrex pan to cool before adding liquid.
  • Do not microwave popcorn or cook food in browning wrappers in Pyrex.
  • Empty glass containers should not be microwaved.
  • Don’t overheat cheese, oil, or butter in a pyrex pan in the microwave. Heat for the shortest amount of time possible.

Warranty

Examine the guarantee that comes with your pyrex dish or pan. There are frequently stipulations that allow you to replace damaged plates or pans caused by oven heat.

You should definitely verify this warranty before purchasing the dish as a precaution.

Precautions

  • If you’re going to be cooking with pyrex, wear closed-toed shoes. This will prevent glass from getting into your shoes or cutting your feet if it breaks.
  • Wear strong gloves while cleaning up the glass. This will keep your hands safe.
  • When picking up fragmented fragments, take extreme care. Small fragments might enter your eye or harm your skin.
  • Throw away any food that was in the pyrex dish when it shattered. Tiny fragments may get embedded in food. It is futile to clean the meal of any fragments. Any little bit of glass entering your body isn’t worth the world’s most wonderful cuisine.

Keep in mind that these precautions and warranties only apply to pyrex cookware and plates.

They are not applicable to the pyrex pan covers. Only microwave heating and storage are permitted with the covers.

Safely Using Pyrex Dishes

Despite being a very well-made tempered glass, Pyrex may readily fracture under the correct circumstances. As a result, you must know how to handle pyrex glass professionally.

So here are a few steps you may take to avoid injuring yourself. These will save you from getting burnt, cut, bruised, or hurt in any manner.

  • Preheat an oven sheet pan in the oven. Then set the pie dish or pyrex pan on top. This will disperse the heat evenly around the pan without putting pressure on it.
  • Put a hot pyrex glass pan on a cold surface, and a cool pyrex glass pan on a hot surface. Both will cause heat shock to the pan. Most likely, the pan will be broken as a consequence of this.
  • Before placing the pyrex glass on the burner, place it on a silicone or fabric heat pad. This will keep it from breaking.
  • Use a dry dish towel or a wooden cutting board on a countertop before placing the pyrex pan. This keeps the pyrex pan from sliding and dropping.
  • Avoid cooking a dry food in a glass pan. Instead, pour a little amount of liquid into the dish to cover the bottom before adding the dry food. This prevents the heated glass surface from coming into touch with the dish’s cold fluids. As a result, a surface between the two will prevent the pyrex from receiving heat shock.
  • When touching the pyrex dish, use dry mitts or towels. This will keep the pyrex dish or pan from breaking in your hands due to heat stress.
  • Before cleaning the pyrex pan, make sure it is dry and at room temperature. This is done to prevent heat shock.
  • Dry meals should not be reheated in pyrex pans in the microwave. As a general guideline, avoid using Pyrex pans to cook anything in the microwave. This will compromise its structural integrity. If not, the structural integrity of the glass will most likely be compromised.

Rules for Using Pyrex In the Oven

Glass may shatter or break due to uneven heating, direct contact with heating components, and rapid temperature fluctuations.

Always Preheat Your Oven Before Putting Your Pyrex Dish Inside

While the glass is meant for baking temperatures, it may shatter when exposed to the direct heat source while the oven is preheating.

Don’t Subject Glass to Direct Heat

If you use Pyrex with direct heat sources, it may shatter. Pyrex glasses should not be used on the stovetop (either open flame or electric burner), under the broiler, in a toaster oven, or on a grill.

If Cooking Items that May Release Liquids…

Before cooking anything that may leak liquid, such as oil, food juices, or moisture from frozen foods, pour a little quantity of liquid into the Pyrex dish and place it in the oven. This reduces any abrupt temperature changes that may occur when the meal releases liquid.

Don’t Add Liquid to a Hot Pyrex Dish

Don’t add liquid to a hot Pyrex dish, such as basting with liquid that isn’t already in the dish. Adding liquid to heated glass may reduce its strength and ultimately cause it to crack.

Avoid Placing a Hot Pyrex Dish Directly On a Countertop or Wet, Cool or Metal Surfaces

Place hot Pyrex cookware on a dry cloth or potholder, or on a wooden trivet or cooling rack.

Allow Pyrex to Come to Room Temperature Before Changing Its Temperature

This also applies when moving Pyrex from the fridge or freezer to the oven, or vice versa. Allow Pyrex to get to room temperature before putting it in the freezer, refrigerator, microwave, or preheated oven.

In Closing

Pyrex has been a popular kitchen glassware for almost a century. The sturdy structure of these dishes makes them ideal for use in ovens, whether conventional, convection, or microwave. As long as you follow basic safety precautions, you should be able to use Pyrex safely for cooking or baking without risk of destroying your food.

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