Can You Microwave Mason Jars (Is It Safe)

Mason jars have quickly become one of the most fashionable ways to store and display food, thanks to their rustic look and feel.

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Mason jars come in a massive range of sizes, to make it easy to store foods of all varying types.

From pasta, to candy, to spices, mason jars are truly the best way to store your food.

And not only do they look incredible, but they are also highly durable and secure.

Some come with tight screw-on metal lids, and some come with handy and tough clipping locks, to keep the contents of the jar safely sequestered from the elements.

But, for all of their amazing safety and security benefits, it is still unclear to some whether mason jars can actually be placed safely into a microwave, or whether they can even be used with other cooking appliances.

Will the glass shatter at certain temperatures? Will it be too hot to hold? Could it burn?

To keep the questions from piling on too rapidly, why don’t we take a look at the safeness of microwaving mason jars, and whether you can do it yourself?

Can You Microwave Mason Jars?

Yes. You can microwave the vast majority of mason jars. You can especially microwave mason jars that have been produced recently.

More modern mason jars tend to be made to survive well in a microwave, or in other hot conditions.

The ability for a mason jar to be placed into a microwave will often be denoted on the bottom of the jar.

If your mason jar does not say that it is microwave safe, then it is best to exercise caution and avoid placing it into a microwave.

Is it Safe To Microwave Mason Jars?

Yes. The act of microwaving a mason jar is safe. Mason jars are commonly made to be able to hold up inside of a microwave without shattering.

However, there are a few things that you should take into consideration when microwaving a mason jar.

First up, mason jars can become very warm when microwaved, and can even become dangerously hot to the touch.

Thus, you should make sure to take care when microwaving a mason jar, so that you do not burn your hands.

The best way to avoid this is to take the jar out with an oven mitt, or to ensure that you do not microwave the jar for too long.

You also may run the risk of your mason jar shattering, regardless of whether it is microwave safe.

Of course, the odds of this happening are very low, but if you were to heat up your jar for too long, or at too high a temperature, then it would run the risk of shattering into pieces.

This is dangerous for you, and dangerous for the microwave itself, as those glass shards can get caught up in the mechanism.

Even Pyrex products, built for high temperatures, can shatter under certain temperatures.

Thus, you should make sure to monitor your jar over the course of the cooking process, to ensure that it is not heating up too much.

Can You Place Mason Jars Into A Oven?

Since mason jars can stand up to the intense heat of a microwave, surely it stands to reason that you could place them into a conventional oven, right?

Yes. You can safely place a mason jar into your oven, in order to cook its contents, and it won’t risk shattering, unless placed under extreme scrutiny.

However, you should be sure to not exceed a temperature of 470 degrees Fahrenheit, as not even tempered glass can survive at that heat.

You should also strive to ensure that your mason jars are microwave or oven safe. If it is not noted directly on the jar, whether it can survive these cooking devices, do not attempt to place it within one.

Your mason jars should be made from tempered glass, which have fewer air bubbles, which protects the glass from thermal shock, which causes the unwanted shattering.

However, despite the fact that mason jars can be safely used inside of an oven, it is not necessarily recommended to cook foods within a mason jar.

Unlike a baking tray or a baking dish, heat is not able to permeate through to all of the contents of the jar, in order to cook everything contained within, which means that bacteria can still thrive very easily.

You’d just end up with cold food, which you definitely don’t want.

It is highly advised to just use a food container designed for oven use, to get a more even cook, and then place your cooked food into the jars afterwards.

Just be sure that the jars are definitely oven safe, as placing freshly cooked contents into glass jars can also lead to thermal shock!

Conclusion

You can breathe a sigh of relief. If you have some food stored in mason jars that you want to heat up in the microwave, you can do so very safely.

However, you should make sure to monitor the jars while they are in the microwave, to ensure that they do not suffer temperatures that are too intense and unsafe.

And make sure to remove them carefully, as the jars may have become very hot.

You should also be wary of the fact that the shape of a mason jar does not allow for its contents to cook easily while inside.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Microwave A Mason Jar Without The Lid?

Yes. In fact, you should only be microwaving mason jars if the lids have been removed.

Most mason jars have metal lids, which are incredibly dangerous when placed into a microwave.

How Do You Heat Up Mason Jars?

If you just want to heat up your mason jar a little, then you can simply run it under some hot water for about a minute.

This is great for placing in warm contents, to help to keep them warm.

Can I Use Mason Jars For Hot Drinks?

You totally can use mason jars as containers for hot drinks, but you should be careful to ensure that the jars have not become too hot, or they will be dangerous to hold.

You may want to try buying some specially designed drinking mason jars, which have handles attached to the sides!

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Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!