If you’re cooking, you might be looking at the glass lid of your saucepan or a dish and wondering whether it is safe to put this in the oven. We all know hot temperatures can shatter glass, so are glass lids oven safe, or would you be better finding something else?
Can you put a glass lid in the oven? Yes, glass is usually safe to put into an oven as long as it is room temperature and the oven is room temperature when the lid is put into the oven. That’s because glass shatters easily when the temperature changes fast, but it is not unsafe to have it at hot temperatures.
Can You Put a Glass Lid in an Oven?
Yes, most glass lids that are used for any sort of cooking will be oven safe. That means pan lids, casserole lids, etc., should be fine in the oven, even if it is getting pretty hot. Glass is often used to cook in because it is inert and can withstand extreme temperatures easily. Do not put thin glass lids from non-food dishes in the oven.
Before you put the glass lid in the oven, there are a few things that you should check. The first is whether the lid has any non-safe oven materials on it. Some lids have rubber handles to let you lift them off pans easily, and these are not oven safe because they may melt. Similarly, plastic handles aren’t oven safe.
Metal handles and metal rims should be fine, but make sure you don’t touch them once they have been in the oven (or the glass!).
Secondly, make sure that the oven is not significantly hotter than the lid. This should not usually be a major issue, but if you have taken the lid from a cool or cold place (e.g. the fridge) rather than a room temperature cupboard, you should not put it in a preheated oven.
Next, make sure that the glass does not have any cracks or chips. Heat will make the glass expand slightly, and if it does this after being cracked, the crack will flex and may split further open. The crack might also heat up faster than the rest of the lid because the heat can penetrate it better.
Why is Glass Safe in the Oven?
In general, glass that has been manufactured for use during cooking will be tempered. This means that it has been processed using thermal and chemical procedures to ensure that it can withstand high temperatures, and it won’t just break when heated (as non-tempered glass may do).
This sort of glass is much stronger than regular glass, and it will withstand the heat just fine. You can sometimes tell whether glass is tempered because it tends to have round, smooth edges as a result of the processing.
How Much Heat Can Tempered Glass Withstand?
Tempered glass is safe up to 392 degrees F on the whole, so unless the manufacturing instructions say something different, it should be fine to use in all but the hottest ovens. Some tempered glass will withstand higher temperatures, but you should not test this.
If you are going to cook at a very high temperature, it may be best not to use your glass equipment unless you are sure that it is safe to heat to this degree. It may have some information on the packaging that comes with it, or you might be able to get some from the manufacturer’s website.
Why Should You Use Glass to Cook in the Oven?
Glass is great for cooking in the oven because it is a lot safer than many other materials. It does not need a non-stick coating as a metal tray would, so there are no chemical coatings that may break down. It is also easy to clean and it traps heat well, and it won’t affect the flavor of the food you’re cooking.
Whether or not non-stick coatings are actually dangerous, there is no doubt that they release chemicals as they break down, and this gets into the food that you are cooking. Over time, this could be harmful. This is one of the top reasons for using glass in the oven, even if it is just as a lid!
Similarly, it serves well as a lid because it will trap the heat in and keep the dish hot even after it has been taken out of the oven. It’s nice and easy to clean once it has been cooled down, and you can scrub at it without fear of damaging it, unless you use something really abrasive.
What Safety Precautions Should You Take?
In general, glass is safe, but be wary of exposing a glass lid to extreme temperature changes, either going into or coming out of the oven.
An example of this would be putting a glass lid that has just come out of the oven into a sink full of cold water without thinking about it.
It is instinct to want to clean up as soon as you have finished cooking, and as the lid is likely taking up space in your hands that you need for other things, the logical place to put it is in the sink.
However, dropping a very hot lid into cold water, or putting a very cold lid into a hot oven, is likely to result in the glass shattering. At best, it will just crack, but at worst, the force with which it breaks will send shards flying all over the place.
Be cautious when cooking with glass lids, and make a designated place to put hot ones so that you do not drop them in water when your mind is on other things. Once the lid is cool, it can safely be washed.
Final Thoughts
Most glass lids are safe to use in the oven, yes. If the lid is from a saucepan or a casserole dish, it should be fine provided that it does not have any rubber or plastic on it. Tempered glass will have been used for these lids, and they are safe for oven use up to 392 degrees F.