As we learn more about cooking, there are many different types of cookware that you can use to create delicious recipes! One type of cookware in particular has become very popular — glass baking dishes called pyrex bowls or oven-to-table ware.
Pyrex is not actually made out of ceramic, but rather borosilicate glass which makes it much easier to work with than regular ceramic bakeware. This material melts at lower temperatures making it possible to handle hot liquids and foods without burning or breaking the pan.
There are two main reasons why most people enjoy using pyrex glass for baking and roasting. First, it conducts heat well so your food cooks faster due to better heating. Second, it does not require too high of an temperature to melt, meaning you do not have to worry as much about burning your meal.
This article will talk about whether it is okay to cook in pyrex in the oven and if so, what kind of precautions you should take when doing so.
You need to pay attention to temperature differences
As we know, cookware can be made of either aluminum or stainless steel, but one material is not better than the other. Both have advantages and disadvantages depending on what you are cooking and how hot your food will get!
The difference between these two materials is actually quite interesting. Aluminum gets heated up very quickly and then slowly loses heat as it cools down, which is why most bake sheets are made of this material.
Stainless steel, however, does the opposite. It takes longer for it to lose its heat, so it keeps warm longer. This makes it good for baking because you do not have to rotate the pan often to keep the dough from sticking or burning.
However, if your baked goods look more like lumps instead of thin pieces, that loss of heat has happened already and they may be overbaked. This could also result in hard, tough cookies or burnt bits that fail to set properly.
So, when choosing whether to use ceramic, glass, or plastic bake ware, make sure to consider both the texture of the finished product and whether or not your oven heats up fast enough to ensure done, quality products.
You need to use proper equipment
While not necessary, having good quality cookware is important as you want your pan to last for many years. Unfortunately, newer materials are more expensive so if you’re looking to invest, make sure you have enough budget to do so!
Older high-quality glass pans will remain durable and beautiful even after extended use. If you love to bake, there are some very affordable options like baking sheets and loaf or cake tins that are perfect to start with!
If you’re just getting into cooking, investing in some simple bowls can be our new best friend! We recommend starting out with an inexpensive rice bowl, pasta dish, or yogurt pot to learn how to season and cook different foods.
It’ll taste bad
Cooking in pyrex is great because it can be re-used many times after cleaning! Unfortunately, you cannot use pyrex in the oven as there are some things that could break down or burn when heated.
When baking with pyrex, make sure to check your item every few minutes by either looking at it or touching it to see if it has softened or melted away. If it has, then that means it has cooked and cooled already and you can salvage what mattering of it you can!
Never put baked goods into the fridge while they are hot otherwise the butter may harden which would make them feel worse than before and possibly even unusable!
Never leave a piece out of the container since this could cause burning or broken pieces.
It’s not recommended
While it does conduct some heat, pyrex is also a very expensive cookware option. Because of this, most recipes do not include instructions to use pyrex in the oven unless the recipe calls for an extra step that can be done with either metal or ceramic bake ware.
Many people believe that if you cannot cook in stainless steel or regular glass baking dishes, then you should not use pyrex. This assumption comes from someone who has never used pyrex before and therefore believes that it must be more difficult to work with than other types of bake ware.
This article will explain why using pyrex in the oven is not recommendable and what alternatives are available.
Here are some tips for baking in pyrex
While you can bake in pyrex in the oven, you should know that not every recipe will work with this material. Most recipes require you to pre-coat the pan with either butter or oil, which is why so many people use glass bowls when making desserts like chocolate cakes or cinnamon rolls.
If you do choose to cook in pyrex, make sure your mixers and other utensils are ceramic or plastic as neither of these materials react with pyrex.
You should know how to read a recipe properly
While not every cook needs to use glass baking dishes, those that do are very passionate about it. These individuals bake in glass almost exclusively, making sure everything heats up quickly and consistently.
Most experienced bakers can tell you why using pyrex is important. It will help you get the best quality finished products that taste better than if you didn’t.
Pay attention to the instructions
As we have seen, cookware can be made of either glass or plastic that is oven-safe. These are referred to as being “oven-proof” or “baking” friendly. However, this doesn’t mean you should use them in the oven!
Baked goods will not turn out right if you do so. This could potentially burn or break your food, or even injure someone eating it because it may contain hot liquids or melted chocolate.
Regular dishes with rounded corners are typically made from thinner materials than straight sided ones, which are thicker and heavier. This difference in thickness usually means that they take longer to heat up during baking.
If you like to bake, then there’s no reason to stay away from pyrex just because some people say you cannot. It’s definitely not unsafe to use per se!
Just make sure to check the manufacturer’s specifications for tips on how to handle and bake in pyrex. Some recipes call for very high temperatures, and depending on what you mix in yours, it might react with the material.
You shouldn’t use any Pyrex that is cracked or chipped
While using non-stick pans can save you money by reducing cleaning costs, they also pose some risks. If your pan breaks due to poor quality material, it may expose you to chemicals such as lead or cadmium.
Pyrex is made of borosilicate glass, which contains low levels of lead and cadmium. However, if there are chips or cracks in the pan, this glass could contain higher levels of lead or even lead oxide.
This would not be good for you or the environment. To ensure that none of these substances get into your food, we recommend never heating a broken pot in an oven.