When cooking, questions always seem to arise, like can you put your frying pan in the oven to melt cheese or crisp up the top of a skillet dish.
It’s a tempting prospect, but is it safe or practical? The answer is “it depends,” and there are a few things to consider.
Read on to learn more about what frying pans are best suited for the oven and the maximum oven temperatures to maintain the integrity of your pan and cook your food safely.
What is Your Pan Made Out of
Some frying pans are better suited to oven use than others.
If your pan has a non-stick coating, for example, Teflon, you should not use it in the oven.
While most non-stick coatings are technically safe between 350 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit, they can release toxic chemicals when they start to break down.
That doesn’t sound very appetizing to me.
If you think the same as me, consider using a different pan or move your food to a baking dish before putting it in the oven.
For those that understand the potential risks, here are the manufacturer’s recommended oven-safe temperatures:
- Cuisinart Advantage non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Cuisinart Ceramica non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Farberware aluminum non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- GreenPan Rio non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Circulon non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Calphalon Contemporary non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
- Calphalon Premier non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
- Misen non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
- All-Clad HA1 non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
- Calphalon Signature non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
- Cuisinart Chef’s Classic non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
- Made In non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
- Scanpan Classic non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
- Swiss Diamond XD non-stick frying pans are oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
Aside from the non-stick coating on pans, the handles are usually the most temperature-sensitive part of the pan.
They are often only oven-safe to about 350 degrees.
Considering that many home ovens are not precisely calibrated, it is all too easy to melt the handles of your frying pan in the oven.
Most copper, stainless steel, carbon steel, and cast iron frying pans are oven-safe well beyond what a regular home oven would put out.
If you are nervous about toxins from non-stick coating like mentioned above, look into one of the frying pans listed below…
- Lagostina copper frying pans are oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
- Le Creuset cast iron frying pans are oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
- Mauviel M’Heritage copper frying pans are oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
- Misen stainless steel frying pans are oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
- Staub enameled cast iron frying pans are oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit
- Caraway Cookware ceramic-coated frying pans are oven-safe to 550 degrees Fahrenheit
- All-Clad D3 stainless steel frying pans are oven-safe to 600 degrees Fahrenheit
- WaxonWare ceramic-coated frying pans are oven-safe to 600 degrees Fahrenheit
- Made In stainless steel frying pans are oven-safe to 800 degrees Fahrenheit
- Misen carbon steel frying pans are oven-safe to 900 degrees Fahrenheit
- Made In carbon steel frying pans are oven-safe to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit
How to Safely Use a Frying Pan in the Oven
If you have determined that the frying pan you want to use is safe at the temperature you want to use it, there are still a few things to keep in mind when putting a frying pan in an oven.
Always use both hands and sturdy oven mitts when taking the pan out of the oven.
They will be very hot and the contents inside the pan will be as well.
You need to be super careful in case your food is splattering or still boiling.
Do not ever use a non-stick pan under the broiler.
The broiler can reach temperatures over 500 degrees Fahrenheit very quickly, and the direct heat will break down the non-stick coating even more quickly than regular high heat will.
Avoid rapid temperature changes as this can cause your frying pan to crack or warp.
If your pan came from the refrigerator, allow it to get to room temperature first, and start it in a cold oven, so it heats gradually.
For the same reason, do not put an empty pan in the oven. It will heat up quicker than you might expect, and therefore it could get damaged as well.
Also, remember that the lids to most frying pans have a lower temperature threshold than the pans themselves.
It isn’t recommended to put a covered pan in the oven.
And if you cover the pan immediately on removing it, the lid may crack because it will get a double whammy of high heat and rapid temperature change.
Wrapping It Up…
If you ever wondered whether you can put a frying pan in the oven or not, well, now you know.
Yes, you can, but it’s essential to know the pan’s material, whether it has any non-stick coatings, and the manufacturer’s oven-safe temperatures before cooking your favorite recipe!