It is essential to identify microwave-safe dishes for heating or baking food in the microwave. Otherwise, your dishes can be cracked or broken; even the oven can be damaged.
Many people are confused about the issue. As a result, they unknowingly use metal, plastic, and melamine dishes in the microwave.
Many people have ruined the microwave because they had no idea about this. This obscure will be rectified from today’s article.
Since I didn’t mention ceramic dishes, you can ask if the ceramic dishes are microwave safe? Yes, you can use ceramic dishes in the microwave because they can withstand the highest temperature of a microwave. Ceramic can tolerate 3000 degrees Fahrenheit, far above the microwave’s highest temperature range.
Can you Microwave Ceramic Dishes?
Do you know how ceramics are made? Ceramics are made from clay. The clay is made dried by applying high heat to it to give it a definite shape. So naturally, ceramics can withstand high temperatures.
As a result, ceramic dishes are suitable for use in microwave ovens. But there is no reason to think that ceramics are not fragile. However, it is a little less brittle than glass-made dishes.
Yes, ceramic dishes can be placed in a microwave. It is safe. But it must be metal rimless. Not only that, glass and glass-ceramic-based dishes are microwave safe.
Food in ceramic and glass containers can be heated in the microwave. However, many times ceramic or glass dishes have metal borders or designs. Refrain from using such dishes.
How to Tell if a Bowl is Microwave Safe?
Knowing which bowl is microwave safe is important because one wrong decision can harm the dishes. Normally, if you unknowingly put food in the wrong bowl in the microwave to heat, both your food and bowl or the microwave may be broken.
Let’s know how to tell if a bowl is microwave safe.
1. The Microwave safe bowl must have a wavy parallel and horizontal symbol that indicates the bottom of a microwave-safe pot.
2. If there is no Oven Safe mark, check the bottom of the bowl to see if # 5 is written. # 5 means the bowl is polypropylene, PP. If so, that’s safe.
3. Any glass and ceramic bowl, plate, or container without metallic inlays is microwave safe.
4. After buying a pot, first of all, check its bottom. If it says ‘microwave safe’, it can be used to heat or cook food in the microwave.
Can you Microwave Handmade Ceramics?
Most ceramic pots are microwave oven safe whether made by hand or in the factory. But it depends on what type of soil it is made of. However, China clays are capable of withstanding higher temperatures.
Ceramics are inorganic and non-metallic. However, it contains a mixture of silicon and carbon. It can withstand temperatures up to 3000 degrees Fahrenheit.
If handmade utensils or pots are made with this type of clay in a Proper Way, they can be used in the microwave.
This handmade ceramics container can be slightly heated if placed in the microwave to heat food but doesn’t get broken.
Why do Ceramic Dishes get Hot in a Microwave?
I mentioned above that ceramic is made of clay. The soil is lumped with water to give it the shape of a pot. Thus it was understood that soil absorbs and retains water. So when you put the ceramic pot in the microwave, as usual, the water particles get hot, making the ceramic pot hotter.
Scientifically speaking, water molecules are trapped between the clay particles in a ceramic vessel. So when the pot is heated in the microwave, the water molecules get heated and move and collide with other molecules. As a result, the pot became hot.
Can You Microwave Cold Ceramic?
Yes, you can put cold ceramic pots in the microwave oven, but in that case, you have to raise the temperature slowly. Do not set the temperature too high.
You already know that there are water particles inside the ceramic container. In cold places, the water becomes hard and makes the container feel cold. This will make the pot more likely to break or burst. Isn’t that so?
And yes, make sure that the ceramic pot does not have any metal sheets in it. This is because metallic objects heat up quickly and can even form sparks of fire. This type of pot is not microwaved safe.
So it is better if the food kept in a ceramic container from the refrigerator can be kept at normal or room temperature for 20-30 minutes, then it can be placed in the microwave. This will allow the water particles inside the container to relax. As a result, there is no possibility of the pot breaking.
Conclusion:
So the main thing is that although the microwave has made our lives a lot easier, we need to know how to use it properly. We need to be aware of what kind of utensils can be used in it. I hope I have fulfilled that responsibility to make you aware. So now you can enjoy your meal!