Can I Use a Glass Bowl in a Pressure Cooker?

Perhaps you have used a pressure cooker before and wondered to yourself if you could use a glass bowl in it. With pressure cookers, you don’t have to put food directly into them. You might use a special container for specific cases.

Can I use a glass bowl in a pressure cooker? You, can use glass bowls in a pressure cooker but only tempered glass bowls. Bowls should be marked as oven-safe, dishwasher, and microwave safe. Pyrex dishes, mason jars, cans, and metal bowls commonly get used in a pressure cooker. Use a rack to ensure bowls are set away from the sides of the cooker.

If you’d like to learn more about putting glass bowls in a pressure cooker, keep reading because we will explore this subject in greater depth. 

Quality of the Glass Matters Most

Before you put a glass bowl in the pressure cooker, you should first understand how the quality of the glass makes a difference. Only use glass that can withstand high temperatures.

Tempered glass can withstand temperatures of up to 470 degrees Fahrenheit. Pressure cookers have a maximum temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit. In other words, don’t worry. Tempered glass is regular glass, but they strengthened it with chemical or thermal treatment. 

You still don’t want to put a tempered glass bowl in a pressure cooker at a higher temperature, but don’t worry about a pressure cooker. Before you use it in a pressure cooker, to avoid problems, you may want to check the instruction manual to see that you can use it there.

What to Beware of with Glass Bowls

You can use a glass bowl in the pressure cooker, but don’t put light glass utensils in with it. Sometimes, people have forgotten this, which led to the glass shattering.

Also, never put plastic in the pressure cooker because it will melt. Even with tempered glass, you still have a risk that the glass will shatter. They do break from time to time without warning. For someone who doesn’t want to take that risk, you can use metal bowls as well.

Other things to beware of with glass bowls include:

• Allow the bowl to cool before immersing in water
• Don’t place the glass bowl on cold or wet surfaces
• Place on a towel or cooling rack to avoid the glass shattering
• Don’t bump, scratch or poke it with utensils

Beware of rapid temperature changes with a glass bowl because this can cause the bowl to shatter. The pressure inside the pressure cooker won’t pose a problem, but the glass will still have a vulnerability to thermal shock.

Should You Consider Metal Over Glass Bowls?

Metal has one advantage in that it cooks faster than a glass bowl. If you decide to use a glass bowl, ceramic, or anything glass, you should add five minutes to the pressure cooker’s timer. The extra time is because of how glass acts as a heat absorber, which means that it requires extra time.

How to Tell if Your Glass Bowl Is Safe

To tell if your glass bowl is safe to use in the pressure cooker, check the bottom of the bowl. Glass bowls that you can use in the pressure cooker will have a notation underneath them that says, “oven-safe.”

Think about it: Glass canning jars get put into the pressure cooker to can. You have cases where they break from the heat, but it doesn’t happen often. They were built to withstand the pressure. 

How to Use a Glass Bowl in a Pressure Cooker

You have a few things to understand when you put the glass bowl in a pressure cooker. First, don’t place the bowl on the bottom of the pot. Use a steamer insert or wire trivet. Also, if you want to cover the glass bowl, don’t seal it. This prevents condensation. 

Finally, before you put a glass bowl in a pressure cooker, you should check it each time for hidden cracks. You might tap the bowl lightly with your finger or knuckle.

A cracked bowl will make a different sound from a regular bowl. Usually, it sounds duller than what you might get with a regular glass bowl. All bowls or pans should be placed loosely in the pressure cooker. You might use aluminum foil as a type of lifter.

To Finish – Can I Use a Glass Bowl in a Pressure Cooker?

Glass bowls can be used, but you have to use tempered glass. Regular glass will shatter in a pressure cooker. It doesn’t have the same protection as tempered glass.

Many times, tempered glass will have a thicker wall to it. That doesn’t mean that it can’t shatter because it can happen, but it has five times the strength of regular glass.

Tempered glass can withstand the compression of 10,000 psi. When this type of glass shatters, you will only see pebbles of its remains. It breaks in style.

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