Unanticipated Items to Steer Clear of When Using an Oven:
Your kitchen's shining star, your oven, rules over daily dishes, warming leftovers, baking cakes, and countless other culinary endeavors. Yet, it's essential to steer clear of certain items that can wreak havoc on the appliance or pose a risk to your safety. Most cookware will be labeled if it's oven-safe, but there are common household items that might warrant a second glance, even if they seem innocuous.
Here's a close-up on eight items that should never meet the oven's warmth:
1. Plastic and Plastic-Handled Cookware
From your trusty plastic pan to a thick plastic leftover container - anything plastic is a no-go in the oven. These materials can warp, melt, or even release toxic fumes at high temperatures. So, if there's any plastic components in your cookware, double-check if it's oven-safe.
2. Glass Dishes (Except for Heat-Resistant Glass)
Unless your glass dishes are labeled as heat-resistant glass (for example, borosilicate glass or tempered glass, like Pyrex), keep them out of the oven. Regular glass can shatter under the heat, which is both dangerous and messy. Say goodbye to your beloved glassware when disaster strikes.
3. Batteries (Including Kitchen Gadgets)
Batteries are no friend of high temperatures. They can explode when exposed to over 212 degrees Fahrenheit, sparking a fire. This includes digital meat thermometers or any other appliance with a battery. Always opt for an oven thermometer without batteries.
4. Foam Containers and Takeout Boxes
Foam containers and takeout boxes are a definite no-no in the oven. They start to soften at around 200 degrees Fahrenheit and can leach into your food, plus they'll coat your oven. Keep all takeout containers out of the oven and transfer food to an oven-safe dish before warming.
5. Wax Paper (vs. Parchment Paper)
Though it may seem similar to parchment paper, wax paper is a big no-no for the oven. The wax can melt off, scorch the bottom of the oven, or make your food inedible. Opt for reusable silicone mats instead.
14 Methods to Employ Parchment Paper in Cooking, Baking, Food Storage, and Beyond
6. Pizza Boxes
While it may seem convenient to reheat pizza in its delivery box, it's best to avoid that temptation. Cardboard can quickly catch fire at high temperatures. Instead, transfer your pizza to a pizza stone or a skillet to ensure it's kept crispy while heating safely.
7. Unprotected Food
Always use cookware to protect your oven from drips, spills, and charred sediment that can obstruct the heating elements. Never simply place eggplants, chicken, or anything else on the oven grates. You wouldn't barbecue without grill, would you?
8. Clothing
Save your wardrobe for your closet, not the oven. Clothing can burn or catch fire. The temptation may strike to follow in Carrie Bradshaw's '90s footsteps, but your oven is not a storage space, nor a fashion disaster waiting to happen.
9. Cans
The packaging of canned goods may seem like a helpful heating tool, but it's best to avoid. Cans sometimes contain plastic linings that can melt with heat, or release toxic metals in the food. Always transfer canned food to an oven-safe container before heating.
- Martha Stewart's cooking how-tos might involve various techniques for food cooking, but they would advise against using plastic or plastic-handled cookware in the oven, as they can warp, melt, or release toxic fumes at high temperatures, impacting both the appliance's health and your safety.
- In her lifestyle and home-and-garden tips, Martha Stewart would likely advise against reheating pizza in a pizza box due to the risk of fire, encouraging home cooks to transfer their pizza to a pizza stone or skillet instead to maintain crispiness while heating safely.
