remember to check pyrex for deep scratches etc, when they fail they fail in an exciting manner
my glass, duck sausage and cheese mac recipe was disappointing
getting it out of the oven was a challenge worthy of hercules(a paint scraper helped) and the oven was a bit traumatized by it going bang
Also check that it says PYREX not pyrex....
Corning now only make lab glass instruments,no kitchen ware.
Someone else is making pyrex, but it is no longer borosilicate glass...the use of Boron as a hazardous material, apart from the cost. pyrex is now heat treated glass.....which is , ironically, less resistant to thermal shock.
Nicky cigreen
Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 9967 Location: Devon, uk
Posted: Mon Jun 16, 25 11:15 am Post subject:
I'm always careful with glass ware re thermal shock - I wouldn't put frozen dish into hot oven, always wipe moisture away before putting in oven etc. So far, never had an incident with it.
I think mine are all of a vintage to be real Pyrex as most are about 50 years old. Still using the ones we were given as wedding presents. I would be careful about putting them from freezer to oven though as they might be a bit dubious for that sort of shock after all that time.
That's a whole new thought - using glass containers for freezing. Learn a new one every day. Never even knew ....
Nicky cigreen
Joined: 25 Jun 2007 Posts: 9967 Location: Devon, uk
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 25 11:07 am Post subject:
the rectangular pyrex glass dishes I use are great - I never put frozen into oven, but its still useful tht they can go in all these things. So I make a crumble, put it in the oven, we only eat half of it, so I pop the lid on, write on the side of the glass what it is in sharpie, and freeze. Later I thaw it and then oven or micowave it when we want to eat the second half. The sharpie writing comes off the glass. No decanting food into other containers. Less plastic, less washing up!
Most of mine are open topped, so I would have to find a lid or use foil. If I make a crumble, we usually have it cold within the next day or so. Although it is using plastic, if I have anything with several portions, I put it in old ice cream containers and freeze it that way. I have a pile of them in the larder I use for all sorts of things. They are now making them of cardboard, so that usually goes on the compost heap.
One has to be careful with all sorts of good ideas for re-use, new ideas for replacing plastic or seeing things on Facebook and not putting more "stuff" in corners in case I might use that. That's how clearing out starts.
gz
Joined: 23 Jan 2009 Posts: 9245 Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 25 6:26 am Post subject:
I use old takeaway plastic containers for individual meals portions.
They are higher quality than those you can buy cheaply. Glass would take up too much room in the freezer and use more power to freeze.
I don't defrost anything in plastic in the microwave and only cook in pyrex or ceramic in there
My downfall is the large plastic tubs in use in the garden.
The overhanging hedge that the other housing association doesn't maintain limits a fair width of the garden and there's more in life than grass.
gz
Joined: 23 Jan 2009 Posts: 9245 Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Posted: Fri Jun 20, 25 6:53 pm Post subject:
The problem being that clay has a job to withstand a hard winter...wood rots after a few years.. plastic won't last forever due to the effect of sunlight...and plastic tubs are easier to shift.
It depends on the degree of UV protection in the plastic and if it is in direct sunlight. We have had a plastic trough for nearly 50 years and it is still in good condition. Currently empty as the plants in it died, but the trough is still quite useable. I think I need to sort out the soil in it and put some new herbs in it. the main problem with ceramic, apart from the weight and cost, is if it get wet then freezes, so putting it up on 'feet' helps a lot.