Can you put parchment paper in the oven? Will heating it cause a fire? You may have parchment paper in baking all the time, but do you know that using it incorrectly can lead to a fire hazard?
Parchment paper is a versatile kitchen item that can fulfill multiple functions, from baking cookies to cooking food. Knowing how to use it safely in the oven and other kitchen appliances is important. This article will show you the dos and don’ts when heating it.
What Is Parchment Paper Made Of?
Parchment paper is a silicone-coated paper used in baking to prevent foods from sticking to the tray or pan. People make it from wood pulps and treat it with chemicals to make a smooth surface, then coat both sides with silicone.
This silicone coating is unreactive to food and thus safe in cooking. Besides, parchment paper is resistant to grease, moisture, and heat, which makes it useful in baking. It prevents baked goods from sticking to a pan and helps food to come out easily.(1)
However, being heat resistant doesn’t mean that parchment paper can’t burn. Since it is not flame retardant, it can still catch fire if exposed to flame or high heat. The next section will explain if parchment paper can go in the oven or not.
Is Parchment Paper Safe In The Oven?
Manufacturers design parchment paper for baking and cooking in the oven. It can withstand temperatures to a certain degree. Therefore, you can use it to line baking sheets or pans for baking regular desserts or food.
Nonetheless, when buying parchment paper, you can see the manufacturer’s guide on the package. They will state the temperatures wherein their parchment paper can bear, so you should always follow these instructions.
On average, the highest temperature parchment paper can withstand is 425°F. This can vary depending on the brand. However, for safety reasons, it’s best to keep parchment paper below the threshold, like 400°F and lower.
That means you shouldn’t use parchment paper in the oven on broil because it can’t handle such high temperatures of broiling nor exposed to flame. Instead, place your food directly on the oven racks then.
The Most Suitable Heating Time And Temperatures For Parchment Paper
Most parchment paper brands have maximum temperatures ranging from 400°F to 450°F. Since most baking recipes can be done at 350°F – 375°F, cooking with parchment paper in the oven is largely safe.
You can actually reuse the paper a few times except when it turns brittle or brown. Parchment paper that has been exposed to too high temperatures may not last long.
How long you can heat it depends on the cooking time. If you bake something at 250°F or below, it is safe for the entire baking process. At higher heat from 250°F – 400°F, you should only keep the parchment paper in the oven for part of the cooking time.
Risks Of Overheating Parchment Paper
There is a risk of catching fire because the silicone coating, though heat resistant, can still burn in the right conditions. More specifically, when parchment paper is heated in the oven over high temperatures for a long time, it might catch on fire.
Furthermore, it is in danger of fire if exposed to the heating element (baking coil) of the oven. Therefore, put it on a baking tray and keep it from the oven element and edges to be safe.
In addition, the parchment paper can’t go into the toaster oven. Because of its small size, the paper would easily contact the heating device or the side of the oven. This can cause it to burn. The bad thing is that parchment paper burns faster than other paper types.
Does Parchment Paper Contain Toxic Chemicals?
Parchment paper is formed from cellulose fiber, which is a natural substance with no toxins. The silicone coating is also safe for food. Generally, baking parchment paper is unbleached and doesn’t contain harmful chemicals. Therefore, it is considered safe to use.
However, some parchment paper is bleached. This kind is white and treated with chemicals, so it may contain toxic substances as a byproduct. These chemicals may remain and leach into your foodstuffs.
While some papers are coated with silicone, others are Quilon-based. Although the FDA confirms Quilon’s safety, many people still prefer silicone because it is non-toxic and landfill-safe.
Besides checking out for chemicals, there are other factors to consider when buying parchment paper.
Use Parchment Paper Safely With These Great Tips!
Parchment paper is pretty safe to use in the oven. It keeps you from the irritation of baked goods sticking on the pans and leaving a mess to clean up. The following tips will ensure your cooking and baking safety with it.
Remove Excess Parts
If you have a big piece or roll of parchment paper, cut it into smaller pieces that fit well in the pan or tin. Alternatively, you can tuck in its excess edges. Otherwise, these excess parts will be exposed to hot surfaces and lead to a fire.
Avoid Contacting Hot Surfaces
Parchment paper is formed of plant fibers, which easily catch on fire. In addition, the heat-resisting silicone coating makes it burn even faster. So, you shouldn’t put it close to the oven sides or the element to remove the chances of fire.
Put It At The Right Place
Different kinds of ovens have different designs, so it is helpful to consider where you should place the parchment paper. For an electric oven, putting the baking sheet with it on the middle rack is best to prevent it from contacting the element.
But when using a gas oven, try to keep it far from the open flame by placing it on the lower third rack. Paying attention to their positions in the oven will protect you from any fire hazard.
Don’t Reuse Parchment Paper Too Many Times
Reusing parchment paper is a good way to save costs, whereas you can hardly do that with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. However, don’t reuse it more than three times because it can become brittle and finally burn.
The rule doesn’t always apply, especially when you bake your paper at high temperatures. Even if that is the first time, you should change the paper when it shows signs of smoke or turning brittle.
Don’t Heat Parchment Paper Alone
Heating parchment paper on its own is dangerous because it will quickly get brittle and burned. So, you should preheat the oven before putting the baking sheet or tin with parchment paper in.
Parchment Paper Uses
Many bakers love parchment paper for its nice functions and multi-tasking purposes. It makes cleaning a simple task, and you can take the baked goods out of their pans smoothly. Here are some wonderful uses of parchment paper.
Replace Rolling Mat
A silicone rolling mat is absolutely amazing for rolling dough or pastry. But what if you don’t have it at home? You can use parchment paper to replace it. Since it has a non-stick silicone coating, it will also prevent sticking.
Here are some great tips for rolling out cookies on parchment paper without sticking.
Bake Cookies
Parchment paper is a must-have in baking cookies. Your cookies will quickly come off when baked. Besides, parchment paper helps them turn brown nicely with a soft and chewy texture.
Roast Food
You may use a lot of aluminum foil in roasting food, but some people don’t like small foil pieces stuck in their food. Parchment paper can be a good substitute when roasting fish, meat, or vegetables. The baked goods will not cling to the pan.
Baking Pans
Have you ever felt frustrated because you couldn’t get a cake out of its pan? I have! You just need to cut the parchment paper fitting the bottom of the pan. It will prevent the cake from sticking to the pan. Make sure it is cool before you remove the cake.
Reuse It For Wrapping
After you bake cookies or food on parchment paper, you can reuse it to wrap your baked goods. It is a great way to keep the food from sticking to the wrapper. Furthermore, use parchment paper to wrap meats, fruits, or vegetables to keep them fresh.
Wrapping sandwiches with parchment paper is a great idea. Check it out!
Kneading Bread
If you don’t want flour all over places where you make bread, this is what you can do. Lay a big sheet of parchment paper on the work surface, and you can knead bread on it. Simply throw the parchment paper away when you are done.
Can Parchment Paper Go In The Air Fryer?
An air fryer is a convenient kitchen appliance where you can cook various dishes without creating a mess. Parchment paper can go in the air fryer and make your cooking experience more enjoyable. Yet, you need to use it with caution.
Check Its Manual
It is always wise to consult the manufacturer’s guide, so follow the air fryer’s manual for parchment paper use. Also, please don’t set the temperature higher than what the paper can withstand.
Avoid Heating Parchment Paper Alone
You shouldn’t preheat the air fryer with only parchment paper inside. Otherwise, when the air flows, the paper will fly and scatter around. Once the paper contacts the element, it will burn.
Trim Off The Paper
The air fryer uses a strong airflow to cook food. Therefore, you need to cut the paper smaller than the basket so that the paper edges won’t obstruct airflow.
Use Parchment Paper With Holes
You can find parchment paper with perforated holes for the air fryer at grocers. If you don’t have this type, get regular parchment paper and cut some holes in it. This will help you cook or bake food better.
You don’t need to buy perforated parchment paper for the air fryer. You can make it.
How To Use Parchment Paper Effectively In The Oven
Basically, you just need to place the parchment paper on a pan or tin before baking. However, there are several things you could do to make baking with it more effective.
Preheat The Oven
Almost all baking instructions will tell you to preheat the oven before you bake something. This is an important step in ensuring even cooking. It also produces good-quality cookies and cakes.
Place The Right Side Up
Parchment paper has two silicone-coated sides, but one side is shinier than the other. You should place this shiny side up. This side reflects heat and prevents sticking, helping cook food faster and more evenly.
Perfectly Line A Baking Pan
When you line a baking pan precisely, you can remove the entire batch easily. The tip to perfectly line your pan is to lay the paper neatly fit into the pan with a 2 – 3 inches overhang on each side. Then, simply lift the edges of the paper to pull your goods out.
Learn how to line various shaped pans for baking through these simple instructions.
Grease It
Yes, parchment paper is non-stick, so it isn’t necessary to grease it. Nonetheless, greasing a bit of butter or oil spray on it helps your baked goods turn brown evenly and prevent sticking better.
Check Your Food
Parchment paper causes food to cook faster than cooking without it since it reflects heat. So, check your food from time to time to ensure it is not overcooked. Otherwise, your cookies or cakes may be overly brown or even burned.
Let Food Cool Down
It is not advisable to remove food from its pan immediately after cooking. You may get burned from the hot baking pan, and your baked products may get ruined. So, let it cool down completely before transferring it to a serving plate or container.
Replacement Options For Parchment Paper
Having parchment paper in the kitchen is very useful. But you might run out of it at times. What can you substitute that paper with? Here are some suggestions for you.
Grease
If you need to bake without parchment paper available at home, grease the baking sheets with butter or oil to keep the baked goods from sticking to the pan. Remember to let food cool for easier removal.
Wax Paper
Moisture-proof and grease-proof wax paper keeps water from food and prevents it from sticking. But this type of paper will melt in the oven. Therefore, wax paper is only suitable for lining work surfaces and wrapping food at room temperature or cold storage.
Sipat
This type of silicone baking mat is durable and can withstand high temperatures. You can replace parchment paper with Silpat in any baking recipe. It helps distribute heat well and cook evenly. Furthermore, the non-stick silicone is easy to clean.
Aluminum Foil
Aluminum foil is great for roasting meat such as chicken or beef and for baking at high temperatures. It is also an option to line pans to bake many things.
However, I don’t recommend using it for cookies and cakes since it may be sticking. And while your body may absorb trace amounts of aluminum from this convenient type of wrap, the quantity is very small and unlikely to cause health problems.(2)
Non-Stick Sheet Pan
A non-stick sheet pan is another good substitute for parchment paper. You just need to lightly coat it with oil to cook your food more neatly. Also, the non-stick coating will make cleaning easy.
FAQs
Here are some more questions relating to the parchment paper. You may need these answers on some occasions, so read on!
Parchment Paper Is Baker’s Friend
Due to its versatility, many bakers love to have parchment paper in their kitchens. It saves them from the hard work of cleaning up after baking. Its applications extend to uses in the oven as well, but you still need to be cautious.
Following the above guideline and tips will contribute significantly to your baking safety and quality. If you have other questions relating to parchment paper or baking, don’t hesitate to comment below. And share this article with your friends to help them become better bakers!
References
- Parchment paper (2022) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation.
- West, H. (2017) Is it safe to use aluminum foil in cooking?, Healthline. Healthline Media.
