Can putting frozen food in a hot ceramic pan cause a thermal shock?

Can putting frozen food in a hot ceramic pan cause a thermal shock? - Fried egg in pan on stove

Can putting frozen food in a preheated ceramic coated non-stick pan cause a thermal shock and ruin the pan?



Best Answer

I'm gonna risk getting chastised and answer from first principles, rather than any referenced sources!

The pan will not be affected at all from this. A home freezer will chill foods down to around -20C, a refrigerator to around 5C and the stovetop can heat your pan up to around 350C. Putting food from the fridge into your preheated pan (its most common use-case) could expose the pan to a mass 345C cooler than it, from the freezer 370C. The temperature differential between the two cases is really not that different (~10%) and well within the ability of any pan to withstand. If it were possible to damage a pan with such a small variation from its most common use case, it would also be just as likely that a more efficient/higher temperature stovetop would also damage it.

In short, the only pan that would be damaged by this would be a pan that was not fit for purpose.




Pictures about "Can putting frozen food in a hot ceramic pan cause a thermal shock?"

Can putting frozen food in a hot ceramic pan cause a thermal shock? - Chef Making Dessert
Can putting frozen food in a hot ceramic pan cause a thermal shock? - Gold Kettle Pouring Hot Water on Cup of Tea
Can putting frozen food in a hot ceramic pan cause a thermal shock? - Assorted Spices Near White Ceramic Bowls



Quick Answer about "Can putting frozen food in a hot ceramic pan cause a thermal shock?"

The pan will not be affected at all from this. A home freezer will chill foods down to around -20C, a refrigerator to around 5C and the stovetop can heat your pan up to around 350C.

What is thermal shock on a pan?

It's tempting to use the sink as a way to make space on the stovetop, or maybe you have an especially disastrous pan that looks like it could benefit from a long soak. But that sizzling sound is in an indication that something nefarious going on. Putting a hot pan in cold water causes something called thermal shock.

Can ceramic pots handle high heat?

Ceramic finishes won't start to break down until they reach 800\xb0F, but again, that's pretty hard to reach. In general, though, neither type of pan should really be used over high heat, as it will diminish their nonstick properties.

Can ceramic pans be put in the oven?

Ceramic cookware is a natural non-stick and can withstand extreme temperatures up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. It is a durable and hard material. You can use it in an oven or in a microwave or even on a stovetop. The food releases easily and quickly due to its natural non-stick nature.



4 Types of Toxic Cookware to Avoid and 4 Safe Alternatives




More answers regarding can putting frozen food in a hot ceramic pan cause a thermal shock?

Answer 2

It depends. As @RadioRaheem has said, any pan that would be damaged by this is probably not fit for purpose. However, many non-stick pans should not be placed on direct heat without any oil or liquid in them, as this can cause the coating to detach or deteriorate. So while I doubt frozen food would actually cause your pan to fail, preheating it is probably much more likely to do so.

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Kamaji Ogino, Tanya Gorelova, NIKOLAY OSMACHKO, Mareefe