Using The Wrong Kind Of Dish Might Be Ruining Your Casseroles

When you think of a casserole, you likely think of a blend of ingredients cooked and set in a large dish. It could be a loaded beef taco casserole, a vegetable-based broccoli and cheddar casserole, or even the star of your brunch table as a flavorful breakfast casserole. But the name of the dish doesn't actually come from what's in it. Rather, the name "casserole" comes from the idea that it's cooked in a casserole, which is a type of oven-safe dish. By not using the proper dish for this meal, you could dry it out or crack the baking dish and end up with a ruined meal.

If you're following a recipe, it should tell you what dish to use. One of the biggest mistakes when making a casserole is using the wrong sized dish. If it's too large for the ingredients, the pan will be shallow, and the casserole will dry out as it cooks. But if it's too small, those ingredients are piled high on top of each other, and it will take forever to cook through.

Of course, the dish's size matters, but more importantly, you have to use an oven-safe dish. Casseroles can take a while to cook, and the last thing you want is that dish cracking and breaking, which will render the recipe inedible. Most oven-safe dishes have small wording on the underside that confirms they're safe for oven temperatures; double check this before using one. Glass or ceramic dishes work best here, but you can also use cast iron as long as the dish isn't too high-acid. High-acid foods like tomatoes could potentially react with the cast iron and alter the dish's flavor.

If you plan to freeze the casserole and bake it later, make sure the dish can handle the freezer. Double check on the underside of the dish that it's freezer-safe. When you're ready to bake it, don't take the dish right from the freezer to the oven because the drastic temperature change could cause it to shatter. Never put a ceramic stoneware dish on a hot stove, either. Let it sit on the counter for a while to come closer to room temperature, and put it in the oven as it preheats to help the dish adjust to the temperature increase over time.