Thanksgiving marks the first major cooking holiday for this time of year and many of us use Pyrex or other quality soda-lime or, preferably, borosilicate glass bakeware.
If not handled right, these dishes can crack, shatter or, much worse, explode. Last year there were over 100,000 cases of injuries due to exploding glassware, shooting shards of glass into hands, forearms, and faces. While a drop in the ocean compared to the number of households using these products, it's still a number that can be greatly reduced by following these 4 tips:
1. Always place hot glass bakeware on a dry, cloth potholder or towel. Never place hot glass bakeware on top of the stove, on a metal trivet, on a damp towel, directly on a counter or in a sink.
2. Never put glass bakeware directly on a burner, even if it is turned off and at room temp, or under a broiler.
3. Always allow the oven to fully preheat before placing glass bakeware in the oven.
4. Always cover the bottom of the glass bakeware dish with liquid before cooking meat or vegetables. Not only does this help keep your food moist, it helps eliminate hot and cool spots on the bottom of your dish.
I've personally never experienced an exploding Pyrex dish, but my mom has. Fortunately, it was when the dish was sitting out and nobody was handling or even around it.
Good luck, good cooking, and Happy Thanksgiving to all the home chefs out there!
If not handled right, these dishes can crack, shatter or, much worse, explode. Last year there were over 100,000 cases of injuries due to exploding glassware, shooting shards of glass into hands, forearms, and faces. While a drop in the ocean compared to the number of households using these products, it's still a number that can be greatly reduced by following these 4 tips:
1. Always place hot glass bakeware on a dry, cloth potholder or towel. Never place hot glass bakeware on top of the stove, on a metal trivet, on a damp towel, directly on a counter or in a sink.
2. Never put glass bakeware directly on a burner, even if it is turned off and at room temp, or under a broiler.
3. Always allow the oven to fully preheat before placing glass bakeware in the oven.
4. Always cover the bottom of the glass bakeware dish with liquid before cooking meat or vegetables. Not only does this help keep your food moist, it helps eliminate hot and cool spots on the bottom of your dish.
I've personally never experienced an exploding Pyrex dish, but my mom has. Fortunately, it was when the dish was sitting out and nobody was handling or even around it.
Good luck, good cooking, and Happy Thanksgiving to all the home chefs out there!
