Can You Freeze Food in Pyrex? Experts’ Reliable Opinion


Pyrex is a special type of container made of borosilicate glass, known for its strength and capacity to resist thermal shocks. The name of the brand already reveals that it is resistant to extreme heat, but can it hold food at exceptionally low temperatures? This is what we try to reveal in this article, together with the best ways to store food in Pyrex and common mistakes to watch out for.

Can you freeze food in Pyrex? You can freeze food in Pyrex. Pyrex is ideal both for cooking in the oven and storing leftovers in the freezer. However, experts warn not to put scorching hot Pyrex directly in the freezer, nor to move it directly from the freezer to a hot oven, as it may shatter.

So, let’s break down all the information here. In general, we can say that it is perfectly safe to freeze food in Pyrex. Research published in the Journal of Chemical Physics explains that Pyrex is a quaternary type of glass, which is distinct from the ternary type of glass that is normally used for windows and other house supplies. Its chemical structure is meant to resist chemical and thermal shocks.

However strong, though, Pyrex is breakable. In the following sections, we’ll see how this special type of glass manages when used to freeze food or heat a meal in the oven. This way, you can have a complete overview of its resistance and weak spots.

The Table Below Analyzes Popular Foods People Tend to Freeze in a Pyrex Container:

What food do you freeze in a PyrexPercentage of total results
A lot of forum users mentioned that they would freeze shepherd’s pie in their Pyrex containers, preserving their pie for later. 22.22%
Although freezing liquids in glass containers on the surface doesn’t sound appropriate, many people haven’t found issues freezing soups in Pyrex containers.27.78%
Placing minced vegetables in Pyrex containers and then freezing it is a common use of Pyrex, and have food keep longer.5.55%
Another popular choice of food that people tend to freeze in Pyrex is casserole.16.67%
Some people frequently freeze their favorite sauces, preserving them for later use. 11.11%
Another dish people tend to freeze in a Pyrex is lasagna, without anyone having reported issues when doing so. 16.67%
Data derived from various cooking-related online forums

Can Pyrex Go in the Freezer? Pyrex Glass’s Crazy Strength

There is a recurring scenario in all kitchens: You hosted a family dinner and cooked for an army. Once the party is over, you are left with a lot of food that you are unable to finish before it goes bad. What can you do? Easy, you can put it in Pyrex containers and freeze it!

According to the manufacturers, Pyrex can stand a temperature of -40 degrees Fahrenheit. As such, it is ideal for storing leftovers, as the average temperature of a home freezer is 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, as you have read in the previous paragraph, you have to be careful about thermal shocks. To be sure, a Pyrex container shattering is a rare occurrence, but you can reduce the chance that this happens to you by exercising a correct care of this type of glass. Thankfully, there are distinctions for the usage of Pyrex dishes, such as these clear baking dishes available on Amazon. Take a look here for more information.

You should never put Pyrex in the freezer right from the oven. When it is extremely hot, you shouldn’t get it wet either, as there is some risk that it will break.

If you want to freeze a premade meal, it would be best to let the Pyrex container sit on the kitchen counter and reach room temperature before freezing it. Some sources suggest cooling it in the fridge while it is warm. However, while this will not cause any damage to the glass, putting a warm container in a refrigerator may cause damage to the cooling system.

Can Pyrex Go from Freezer to Oven? Read This Warning Before!

We’ve all been in that situation: It’s a busy Thursday night, you’re tired and just waiting for the week to end. All that you want is a hot plate of food and a good rest. The problem is that your dinner is in the freezer, and you forgot to thaw it. In that situation, could you heat your casserole directly in the oven?

According to the Pyrex official website, yes, you can take your Pyrex container straight from the fridge and put it in the oven. The material is allegedly capable of going from a freezing temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. In other words, although you cannot freeze Pyrex when scorching hot, you should be able to put it in the oven when it’s freezing cold.

However, this affirmation has two dubious aspects. First, some users report that their Pyrex shattered when put into the oven right from the freezer. Apparently, the sudden shift in temperature put too much of a strain on the glass.

Second, a temperature of three hundred degrees Fahrenheit would not be sufficient to reheat your frozen meal in a decently short amount of time. For that, you would need a temperature ranging from 360 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. With the difference sizes available, you can put about anything you have in mind to either cook or store away for later. Take a look at the selection offered by Pyrex on Amazon. Learn more here!

How To Heat Your Dinner Safely in Pyrex

So, what can you do in this situation? The most sensible thing to do would be to take the Pyrex container out of the freezer and let it sit on the kitchen counter while the oven preheats. This will take around 20 minutes, which will be sufficient for the glass to acclimate to the change in temperature.

After that, you can go on and put your dinner in the oven. In a few minutes, you will have a warm meal and no damage will be done to the container. As a side note, remember not to exceed the temperature of 425 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven, as it is the maximum temperature that Pyrex glass can tolerate.

Take a look at this video below to learn more about the properties that allow Pyrex to be used in so many different ways within your kitchen.

Can Pyrex Go from the Freezer to Microwave

When you want to heat food fast, the microwave is a great option. But the question is: can you take a Pyrex glass straight from the freezer and put it in the microwave to have a quick lunch before you go back to your business? The answer, unfortunately, is no.

To be sure, Pyrex is microwave safe. If you store your leftovers on the kitchen counter for a while or in the fridge overnight, it will then be perfectly safe to put the container in the oven and enjoy your lunch. Once again, the problem is in the rapid temperature shift that would occur when immediately moving Pyrex from a very low to a very high temperature.

Therefore, if you try to rush things, you will end up with a broken container. This can be dangerous, as borosilicate glass is characterized by a high degree of fragility; meaning that, when it breaks, it shatters into several small pieces, thus rendering your meal inedible.

While there has been an increasing number of reports of Pyrex containers shattering in ovens and microwaves, Pyrex producing company, Corelle Brands, attributes most of these incidents to misuse. So, do not try to cheat on this: always follow safety measures and allow your frozen meals to rest for a while at room temperature before microwaving them in a Pyrex container.

Can You Freeze Glass Dishes? Keep These 3 Things in Mind

After exploring all the wonderful capacities of Pyrex glass, you may wonder if any of these features are shared by common glass dishes. This is a legit question, as more people are trying to replace the plastic containers traditionally used for freezing food with more eco-friendly glass dishes and jars.

It is indeed possible to use glass dishes to store food in the freezer, but it is necessary to exercise some precautions. While the suggestion to avoid abrupt temperature changes still stands, we have collected the three most useful tips that you will need to stay safe when stashing leftovers in the freezer.

  1. Use Tempered Glass

In principle, any type of glass can be frozen. However, tempered glass is a safer option, which will avert the risk of the container shattering and ruining your delicious food. Tempered glass, in fact, is treated by exposing it to a hot temperature and then rapidly cooled. This process eliminates the small bubbles of water that are present in traditional glass, thus making it more resistant.

  1. Leave a Headspace

A headspace is the space between the food and the lid of the glass container. As water expands when it is cooled down, it is extremely important not to fill glass dishes completely. Otherwise, you risk ice crystals breaking the container.

For almost any type of food or meal, you want to leave at least half an inch of headspace. Some foods that don’t require this precaution are bony pieces of meat, some vegetables (such as broccoli and asparagus), bread and pre-packed foods.

  1. Allow the Food to Cool Before Storing It

As we have stated, it is not a good idea to put very hot food in the freezer in a glass storage dish. Whatever type of glass you use, it is important to let the food cool down and reach room temperature.

However, you don’t want to leave your container outside of the refrigerator for too long, to avoid microbial growth. According to the FDA, you shouldn’t leave any type of perishable food at room temperature for more than two hours.

Can You Freeze Meat in Pyrex? 3 Ways to Preserve the Taste

Do you have some leftover stew that you want to store in the freezer? Pyrex is ideal for freezing any type of food, including meat. And, as you’ll see the process is quite simple: just follow the guidelines contained in this section and you will have a great-tasting meat when you thaw it!

  1. Use Tightly Sealed Containers

When freezing meat, you want to make sure that it does not encounter air, as this could cause freezer burns. To be sure, this won’t spoil the meat, but the taste won’t be as good as it could be, and the texture could be a bit mushy.

For this reason, be sure that the lid of your glass container adheres perfectly to the storage dish. This will also prevent your meals from absorbing unwanted flavors from the other items present in the freezer.

  1. Mind the Expiration Date

As you would do when freezing in plastic bags, always remember to write down the date in which the meat was prepared or bought on the lid of the Pyrex container. This way, you’ll know when it’s safe to consume it.

As a rule of thumb, know that already cooked lunch meats can last only 1 or 2 months in the freezer, whereas uncooked meats can have a storage life of 4 to 12 months.

  1. Freeze Your Meat Quickly

At this point, you know it: It is not possible to put extremely hot meat in the freezer using Pyrex. However, once 30-40 minutes have gone by and your casserole has reached room temperature, make sure that the freezing process is very quick. Otherwise, large crystals of water will form, which will ruin the texture of your meat.

To maintain the quality of the meat, keep the temperature of the freezer between 0 and 14 degrees Fahrenheit, although the lower the better.

Can I Freeze Soup in Pyrex? Here’s a Method That Works

Making soups and broths is a lengthy process that requires skill and patience. Therefore, it is only natural to wonder whether you can prepare soup in bulk, and then store single servings in the freezer. Luckily for you, it is safe to do so, if you don’t store hot soups. In this last section, we provide you some tips to preserve the rich taste of your soup when you freeze it in Pyrex.

  1. Allow for Extra Headspace

While for most types of food you only want to leave half an inch of space at the top of the container to allow for expansion, when it comes to liquids you want to double that and leave at least one full inch from the surface. In fact, soups contain a high quantity of water and will expand more than solid types of food.

  1. Freeze Single Portions

Research from Meat Science has shown that repeated freezing and thawing can severely affect the content of minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients in food, and in particular in meat. For this reason, you don’t want to freeze the whole batch of soup, only to thaw it several times because you only need one serving. Use small Pyrex containers to avoid this issue.

  1. Not All Soups Are Meant to Be Frozen

Soups can contain all kinds of ingredients, from vegetables to meat, rice, and noodles. You should be aware that the taste of some foods can deteriorate in the freezer, so it would be best to not add them to a soup if you plan to freeze it.

Among these ingredients you can find:

  • Potatoes, as they become mushy when frozen and thawed.
  • Noodles soup: Unluckily, they will break into small, slimy pieces when stored in the freezer and reheated.
  • Soups containing dairy products: This type of soups will lose its smooth texture when kept in the freezer. A slow thawing in the refrigerator may mitigate the issue.

After reading this overview on the characteristics of Pyrex glass and having learnt what you can and cannot do with it, you are ready to use it in your kitchen like a real expert!

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