We discovered a method for protecting skillet handles from oven temperatures in excess of their rated ovensafe temperatures.
When we tested nonstick skillets in 2010, the manufacturer of our winner, the T-fal Professional Non-Stick Fry Pan, 12.5 Inches, informed us that the pan was ovensafe to 450 degrees. The company recently updated this limit, stating that the silicone covering on the handle could be damaged if heated above 350 degrees. Since we have recipes that require putting a nonstick skillet in an oven hotter than that, we wanted a method for protecting the handle in ovens running up to 450 degrees.
We tried simply wrapping the handle with a double layer of aluminum foil, but in a 450-degree oven this bought us only a few extra minutes before the handle exceeded 350 degrees. A better approach was to wrap the handle in a double layer of wet paper towels and then cover the towels with a double layer of foil. As long as there was water within the foil jacket (it will eventually boil away), the temperature of the handle couldn’t exceed 212 degrees (the boiling point of water). We found that the handle stayed safely below 350 degrees for a solid 30 minutes in a 450-degree oven and for well over an hour in a 425-degree oven, after which the water boiled away.
This trick will also work with any pot or pan—not just our winning T-fal skillet—that needs to go into a hot oven and has a handle that is ovensafe only up to 350 degrees.
THATS A WRAP: Wet paper towels and a double layer of foil can make a skillet handle more heat-resistant.
Any pans that utilize plastic handles or lids cannot be used in the oven, even if the body is constructed of an oven-safe material like Stainless Steel. To avoid having to clean melted plastic, double-check your pan to make sure it doesn’t utilize plastic in any part of its construction before popping it in the oven.
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We discovered a method for protecting skillet handles from oven temperatures in excess of their rated ovensafe temperatures.
When we tested nonstick skillets in 2010, the manufacturer of our winner, the T-fal Professional Non-Stick Fry Pan, 12.5 Inches, informed us that the pan was ovensafe to 450 degrees. The company recently updated this limit, stating that the silicone covering on the handle could be damaged if heated above 350 degrees. Since we have recipes that require putting a nonstick skillet in an oven hotter than that, we wanted a method for protecting the handle in ovens running up to 450 degrees.
We tried simply wrapping the handle with a double layer of aluminum foil, but in a 450-degree oven this bought us only a few extra minutes before the handle exceeded 350 degrees. A better approach was to wrap the handle in a double layer of wet paper towels and then cover the towels with a double layer of foil. As long as there was water within the foil jacket (it will eventually boil away), the temperature of the handle couldn’t exceed 212 degrees (the boiling point of water). We found that the handle stayed safely below 350 degrees for a solid 30 minutes in a 450-degree oven and for well over an hour in a 425-degree oven, after which the water boiled away.
This trick will also work with any pot or pan—not just our winning T-fal skillet—that needs to go into a hot oven and has a handle that is ovensafe only up to 350 degrees.
THATS A WRAP: Wet paper towels and a double layer of foil can make a skillet handle more heat-resistant.
Use The Best Paper Towels for the Task
Can you put a pan with plastic handles in the oven?
FAQ
Will my plastic handle melt in the oven?
How do I protect my plastic handles in the oven?
Is it OK to put plastic in the oven?
Can a Dutch oven with plastic handles go in the oven?
Can you put a pan with plastic handles in the oven?
On the other hand, studies suggest that certain plastics can withstand temperatures of up to a hundred and eighty degrees Celsius. As a general rule of thumb, it’s always better to avoid putting a pan with plastic handles in the oven. This is because the melting plastic can cause many health hazards.
What temperature can you bake with plastic handles?
Most plastics can withstand a temperature of a hundred degrees Celsius. So this is a safe temperature to set your oven at for pans with plastic handles. Otherwise, you can bake food in a pan on a lower temperature than the melting point of the handles. This will help you decide which food can be baked in your pan with plastic handles in the oven.
Can you put a plastic pan in the oven?
Plastic Any pans that utilize plastic handles or lids cannot be used in the oven, even if the body is constructed of an oven-safe material like Stainless Steel. To avoid having to clean melted plastic, double-check your pan to make sure it doesn’t utilize plastic in any part of its construction before popping it in the oven.
Can you put plastic handles in a frying pan?
The plastic handles in the oven will be protected from melting as long as the paper towels remain slightly wet. This will stop the plastic handles from melting to some extent. You can find similar tricks online if you plan to use a frying pan with plastic handles in the oven.