Can porcelain go in the oven?
It depends on the type of porcelain we are talking about.
The answer is unfortunately not a straight yes or no.
Let’s go over several things you must know about porcelain and ovens…
How Safe is Your Porcelain Dinnerware in the Oven?
When you think of reheating yesterday’s delicious meal, the first thing that comes into mind is the oven or microwave.
To reheat the food you have to turn up your oven’s temperature knob and let it cook.
But, can you comfortably do this with the porcelain dinnerware, and to what temperature?
Most people, including me have porcelain serving plates and soup bowls. However, they are rarely used.
To know if your porcelain set is safe to go in the oven, just look at the bottom of the plate or bowl.
There is usually a symbol written “oven friendly” or “oven safe” and if that’s the case, you can put it in the oven.
However, you should be keen so as not to confuse the microwave-safe sign with the oven-safe one, as they look similar.
The oven-safe sign is taller and has vertical waves, while the microwave-safe one is shorter and has horizontal waves.
If you’re in doubt, use the direction of the waves on the back of your dinnerware.
If your porcelain dinnerware isn’t oven-friendly, avoid cooking foods or reheating with it.
Exposure to high heat and any thermal shock from the oven can easily shatter them into pieces.
Does Porcelain Conduct Heat?
No, porcelain isn’t a good conductor of heat; instead it’s an insulator of both electricity and heat.
This material is mostly used to make electrical insulators.
The fact that porcelain is a poor conductor of heat makes it a great choice of material for heating or baking in the oven.
From my experience, porcelain products take longer to get hot, but once it’s heated enough, it distributes the heat evenly without leaving any parts.
For this reason, porcelain dinnerware is the perfect material if you want to slow-cook your food or if you want to bake uniformly.
Can Porcelain Withstand Heat?
We all know that temperatures in an oven can go really high.
Before I started cooking with porcelain products I used to wonder how much heat they can stand.
During its making, porcelain is heated to more than 2300 ˚F.
This high temperature ensures that the products are durable and resilient to heat and thermal shock.
Therefore, porcelain can stand the high temperatures of an oven.
Although most porcelain dishes and plates are oven-safe, thinner and decorative ones shouldn’t be put in an oven.
The latter are more prone to cracks and breaking than others. So, putting such dishes in the oven will be very risky and you should avoid it at all cost.
In a nutshell, here are a few things everyone must know about porcelain and ovens:
• Porcelain dinnerware is microwavable but not all products can go in the oven
• Porcelain dishes and plates are naturally non-stick and no amount of heat will make your food stick on the dish
• Porcelain material can withstand high temperature (up to 572F)
• Porcelain material distributes heat evenly ensuring your food gets cooked well without leaving any cold patches
Is It Safe To Put Porcelain In The Oven?
Most of the porcelain dishes are durable and strong enough to withstand the conditions inside an oven.
But, to be on the safe side, I will recommend you to always check the label on whether your porcelain dishes are safe to be put in the oven or not.