Anyone freeze their pyrex before?

[Ksandra]

Lol, dumb cooking question.

Got a recipe for a casserole dish, but it fills up two dishes.

Figured I'd make both and pop one in the freezer. It seems like the interwebs have conflicting results on whether it's ok to instantly take it out and put it in a preheated oven, or whether to let it thaw first or what. (some claims it'll explode, some say it won't)

I did read this:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/432583

All this talk prompted me to call the Pyrex Customer Care line at 800-999-3436 just a few minutes ago. I asked and was told by a Pyrex representative that Pyrex glass is in fact safe going directly from freezer to oven if the oven is preheated. The rep stressed that the oven has to be preheated. Pyrex glass should not go directly from hot to cold, the rep added.

See, I've, for the 15 years I've been baking, always frozen my crusts in the glass pie plate and put it straight in a preheated 425 degree oven right after a minute to pour in the filling. I've never had a problem.

The only time I had a Pyrex pie plate crack was when I took a pie out of the oven and inadventently put the hot Pyrex pie plate on a spot of cold water on my granite countertop. Watch out for stray spots of water!

Which made me wonder, why would the oven have to be preheated? That makes it sound like you have tp make it go from cold to hot as fast as possible...which is weird.


Anyway...ya so what have people done? I dun want my plate to explode. If anything else, I'll try to freeze the ingredients separately, and just make it later on.

[Edelweiss]

It's poorly worded.

They're trying to say freezer -> oven, and then you commmence preheating.

[Ksandra]

It's poorly worded.

They're trying to say freezer -> oven, and then you commmence preheating.

ahh ok ya see that makes more sense since it would be a slower reheat. I thought it sounded rather bizarre, but figured a customer rep for the company would probably be the most knowledgeable lol.

[Kohan]

This is a subject I'm rather knowledgeable about, so I must ask: how old is your Pyrex? You'll often hear people say that their grandmother's cookware was better than whatever is available today, and that isn't always true, but for Pyrex products, it is.

Originally, Pyrex was made with borosilicate glass, the same kind used for lab media bottles by scientists. This would withstand the type of situation you're describing far better than modern Pyrex would, as it is not made with borosilicate anymore, and hasn't been for almost twenty years.

(As an aside, this means that anyone currently buying Pyrex products for their "quality" is only buying a brand name. Don't bother, unless you know for sure that it's a vintage piece or you've found a cheap deal, as it's crap now.)

[Seraph]

NEVER immediately go directly from hot to cold, or directly cold to hot with Pyrex. Pyrex will potentially explode (saying it will shatter really doesn't do it justice) if you do that. I've had a family member that went to wash one out with cold water after finishing serving hot food and it literally exploded all over the kitchen. They didn't know any better and noone got hurt, but man did that make a mess. Small pieces of glass everywhere.

So, with that said, I have firsthand experience, just don't do it. Let it cool down or warm up for awhile before you transition. It's not super-ultra-mega-sensitive, but it is subject to thermal shock so you want to be cautious. I would suggest take it out of the freezer, let it sit for maybe 30 minutes at room temp, and then put it in the oven before you turn on the heat in the oven if you want to be really safe.

[Ksandra]

@kohan they were wedding gifts so 2010 XD

@ Seraph good to know. Knowing me if it's something I decide to cook I'll probably bring it out in the morning and let it thaw throughout the day before the oven.

ty!

[Kohan]

@ Seraph good to know. Knowing me if it's something I decide to cook I'll probably bring it out in the morning and let it thaw throughout the day before the oven.

To elaborate further on the aforementioned, borosilicate is able to withstand thermal shock far, far better than other glasses, which probably explains the situation Seraph described. Old Pyrex was known to not do that. It was technically possible, but extremely rare, and that was part of the reason the Pyrex brand name built the respect it has (and no longer deserves) today.

[Glowstickthetaru]

I'm in the agreement with the others in this thread. I will probably freeze Pyrex once or twice a month, but always allow it to warm up a bit before putting it in the oven.

My mother had her new crap blow up on her at last thanksgiving while she was baking. Nobody injured, but glass went everywhere. Lost 6 pies and 10lbs of sugar and flour! Think of the pies!!!

[Seraph]

Lost 6 pies

Funerals during the holidays are the worst. :_:

[Chrius]

Lost 6 pies and 10lbs [≈ Housecat] of sugar and flour! Think of the pies!!!

I originally glossed over that it was a Dictionary of Numbers extension entry, and thought you lost something more