The Quick Oil Trick To Keep Your Pyrex From Absolutely Shattering

Pyrex dishes can shatter when placed on hot surfaces like stovetops. Due to the dishware shattering in numerous incidents, Pyrex has been involved in a class action lawsuit; the company didn't warn consumers of this potential. However, Pyrex shattering is pretty common. In 2017, a brand-new Pyrex casserole dish exploded in Clark Howard's home, causing quite a stir that shook the podcaster to the core (via Clark.com). In Howard's case, the bakeware exploded after he cooked a chili tortilla casserole in a Pyrex dish and moved it to the dinner table. 

Why did this happen? Pyrex is made of glass. When glass is cooled or heated suddenly, different areas of the dish undergo different levels of contraction or expansion. This can result in extreme stress and even a glass explosion like Howard experienced. To prevent Pyrex from shattering and wreaking havoc in your home, the most common method is to be careful of how fast you change the temperature of your dishware. For example, taking a Pyrex bowl from the freezer directly to the hot oven can be disastrous. Fortunately, there is a quick trick that prevents Pyrex from breaking.

To keep Pyrex from cracking under heat, ensure that you don't start out with a dry dish. "Add a small amount of liquid sufficient to cover the bottom of the dish prior to cooking foods that may release liquid," Epicurious quoted from the manufacturer. Adding a small amount of oil instead of just any other liquid is a great way to ensure your glass bowl does not break. This works because, when you add a small amount of oil to the glass dish prior to cooking, the oil heats up in the process. Sometimes, the food you're cooking may have cooler liquids that seep into the glass bowl during the process. This liquid will not land directly on the glass surface but instead, on the oil at the bottom of your dish. This essentially prevents your Pyrex from experiencing sudden changes in temperature. 

In addition to the oil trick, you should not preheat your oven with a Pyrex dish inside. Instead, preheat the oven first and put your dish inside once it has reached the designated temperature. "While the glass is designed for temperatures typically used in baking, it can break when exposed to the direct heat element while the oven is preheating," Pyrex instructs. Pyrex can be one of the best glass food containers in your kitchen, and these dishes are built to last — as long as you're using them correctly.