Imagine that you have a busy week ahead and have prepared a full week’s worth of meals. However, you don’t want to keep them in plastic containers and bags. What is the alternative? Pyrex containers!
Pyrex containers are made from borosilicate glass that is stable at extremely low temperatures without releasing any harmful chemicals and compounds.
This article will go through how to freeze food in Pyrex containers. We’ll talk about certain safety issues that can’t be disregarded when trying to freeze food.
Can You Freeze Pyrex?
Pyrex is a glass container that can store various food items ranging from cooked meat to raw meat, cooked vegetables to salted green, and smoothies to sauces. Any food item, raw or cooked, can be stored safely for extended periods in Pyrex containers.
Can food be frozen in them? According to the official website, Pyrex is typically manufactured of high-quality borosilicate glass that can resist thermal fluctuations without negatively impacting the food or container in which it is stored.
Can Pyrex Go In The Freezer?
It may seem unbelievable, but you can store food in glass containers without worrying about the freezing temperature causing the glass to break or crack. Pyrex is made to simplify life!
Pyrex makes it easier for individuals to store leftovers, prepare meals in bulk to enjoy throughout the month, plan their meals, and more in today’s hectic world.
As per the manufacturer, Pyrex can tolerate temperatures below -30 degrees Celcius, making it safe for freezers.
How to Freeze using Pyrex?
Although freezing is not complicated, there are several fundamentals to remember when trying to keep food at low temperatures for an extended period.
- Low temperatures can affect the taste, texture, and even the meal’s flavor if food is not stored properly.
- It is common science, but food expands on cooling, so remember to leave some room while filling the container to allow for safe expansion.
- Don’t close the lid of the glassware when the food is hot. Allow it to cool down before shutting off the lid.
Can Pyrex Explode or Shatter in the Freezer?
Pyrex glass containers are generally safe to freeze and won’t blow up unless they are subjected to a significant temperature shift. Hence, if you pour hot food into the container, close the lid, and try to freeze them, there is a high possibility that the container may not tolerate such extreme thermal shocks.
Likewise, if you put a cold, frozen container right into the oven, the rapid temperature change could shatter the glass.
Hence these glass containers must thus not be placed from cold to hot or hot to cold without a temperature buffer to prevent an explosion.
How do you defrost frozen Pyrex?
There is a method for everything! Hence, defrosting also needs patience and special care to ensure the food gets heated properly.
When taken out of the freezer, anything must be thawed before heating it. Likewise, these glass containers must also attain room temperature before being subjected to high temperatures.
To defrost them, you can place the container from the freezer into a refrigerator. Since the temperature difference is not very extreme, it will allow defrosting without damaging the glassware.
If you want to defrost quickly, remove it from the freezer and place it on your kitchen counter. Place a towel under the glass container to avoid a watery mess.
Reheating the food should only be attempted after the food is thoroughly defrosted. If you place the Pyrex directly in the oven before it is thawed, the glass may shatter, damaging the Pyrex and the oven.
How to Use Pyrex Safely
Pyrex containers can withstand temperatures from – 40°C to + 300°C. However, like any other glassware, they cannot tolerate thermal shocks.
Even though these glass containers are durable and capable of withstanding standard kitchen abuse, extra caution is required while shifting them from one temperature to another.
Never place a frozen Pyrex directly in the oven or stove. It can alter the glass’s structure and cause expansion, further resulting in cracking and shattering.
Top Tips to Freeze Food In Pyrex
Let us quickly look at seven tips that can come in handy when using Pyrex to freeze food items to prevent explosions and damage.
Tip 1: Cleanliness
Make sure the storage container you use is tidy and free of leftovers. To avoid blending flavors and tastes, rinse them before attempting to utilize them.
Tip 2: Tamper Check
Imagine placing the food in the container only to realize that the glass has tampered at some spot. Not a pleasant scenario, right?
Hence, looking for leaks before adding your food to the container is a good idea. To do that, fill the container with water and check for cracks and chips using a kitchen towel.
Tip 3: Allow the food to reach room temperature
Closing the lid while the food is still hot can result in additional pressure on the glass container due to evaporation. Hence, allow the food to cool before shutting the container.
Tip 4: Let the air out
Open the lid from one end before tightly closing it to let any extra air out and create a vacuum inside the container. Lack of air ensures that the food remains fresh for a longer time.
Tip 5: Fill only 3/4th container
There is a chance that the food you are storing will expand when exposed to low temperatures since water expands when it is frozen. Never overfill a food container with food. Since it can break the glass container or the lid, always leave some room for the expansion to take place.
Tip 6: Use labels
I always like to label the lid to save time and effort since it is often challenging to understand what item it is after it is frozen. Imagine you are in the mood to drink soup and thawing tomato puree.
Tip 7: Size Matters
Constant thawing and freezing can alter the taste of the food. To save the inconvenience of reheating and freezing the entire batch every day, freezing food in smaller batches is preferable.
How long can you Keep Food in The Freezer in Pyrex Containers?
Even when frozen at extremely low temperatures, every food has a shelf life after which it cannot be sustained. A build-up of water around the food item can result in ice crystals that dilute the taste.
Let us examine the adequate freezing time for food items.
Dairy
It is always tricky to freeze dairy. Every product usually comes with a specified shelf life, and one must not consume them or attempt to freeze them beyond that.
If a dairy product is not fit for consumption, you will notice it immediately due to the smell and change in texture.
Butter can be frozen for over six months if wrapped properly with butter paper or aluminum foil before placing it in the Pyrex container. However, if you want to use butter daily, I advise placing them in small batches to prevent contamination and deterioration.
Whipped Cream can be stored for two months. However, store them in ziplock bags to prevent their interaction with air.
Cheese and Cream Cheese can be stored in a freezer for four months without affecting its taste. However, the texture can have changed. The cheese often turns brittle and grainy and might be difficult to grate.
Meat and Poultry
Meat and Poultry shopping is always done in bulk, but you don’t need to cook them all in one day. Hence, making small potions and freezing them is best to avoid cross-contamination.
Raw poultry and Pork can be stored for over six months in an air-tight container, whereas specific organs like the liver, brain, etc., can be stored for two months.
Beef can be stored for a year without affecting its taste and color. If the meat is cooked, it’s best to consume it within six months to avoid infections.
Other Foods That Freeze Well In Pyrex
Fruit and vegetables can be kept fresh for almost a year in a Pyrex container, but it’s recommended to wrap the container in plastic wrap or cling wrap before freezing to avoid crystallization.
Coconuts and nuts can be preserved for a year without experiencing significant quality changes.
Bakery items can remain fresh and safe for consumption for four months. Coffee beans can be stored in the freezer for a year without changing their taste and aroma.
Foods That Don’t Freeze Well In Pyrex
We have covered the topic of freezing food in Pyrex in great detail. However, it’s crucial to be aware of the foods that can’t be frozen in Pyrex containers for an extended period.
These food items are prone to contamination by bacteria and can degrade with time. Since the water content in the following items is high, there are chances that the process of crystallization is quick, and hence the taste may change.
- Cooked Eggs
- Lettuce
- Salad Dressing
- Curd
- Uncooked Tomatoes
- Custard
- Cucumber
FAQ
FAQ 1: Can you freeze glass dishes
Answer: Glass dishes are not always suitable for freezing food.
However, borosilicate glass has a high-temperature tolerance and can be frozen at low temperatures without deteriorating or cracking.
FAQ 2: Can I freeze lasagna in a Pyrex dish
Answer: Pyrex dishes are safe for freezing. Hence, one can freeze cooked or uncooked lasagna for over six months.
FAQ 3: Can Pyrex go in the oven
Answer: Pyrex containers are microwave and oven friendly. They can tolerate high temperatures of about 300 degrees Celsius; hence they are safe to go in the oven.
Takeaway
Glass Pyrex containers are useful for storing food for extended periods. It can withstand high and low temperatures because it is composed of high-quality glass.
They are not, however, impervious to an explosion. These containers may crack and break if placed in a range of temperatures in a short time.
To prevent them from shattering, one must always give them time to thaw before placing them in the oven and vice versa.
Let us know if you found this article helpful. If you need further assistance with Pyrex containers, let us know in the comments below.