Can You Microwave Parchment Paper?

You’ve probably been using parchment paper ever since you started helping out in the kitchen, however, the majority of the people do not know how useful this invention is or how to make the most out of it?

Read the article to find out how you can use parchment paper in the microwave keeping all the speculations in check.

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What is parchment paper?

Parchment paper, commonly known as baking/ bakery paper is a non-stick, greaseproof paper. It is an all-purpose paper that was previously used for writing down important documents and is now used for cooking and baking purposes.

Types of parchment paper:

The two types of parchment paper are bleached and unbleached parchment papers. Both of them can be used for the same purposes; however, there are a few differences between them.

Bleached parchment paper

Bleached parchment paper is white in color. As the name suggests, this paper is has been bleached i.e. treated with chlorine. This gives the paper its white color.

Unbleached parchment paper

The unbleached parchment paper is brown in color. This is because it has not been treated with any sort of chemicals that bleached parchment paper has gone through.

What is parchment paper used for?

Parchment paper is the most used material while cooking and baking. It is a versatile invention that is moisture and heat-resistant. This makes it a good choice for all kinds of kitchen work. Following are some ways you can safely use parchment paper.

Reheating food items

Sheets of parchment paper can be used to cover dishes while heating food in the microwave. Since it is moisture and heat resistant, it traps in heat which kills any harmful bacteria that may be present in the food.

Wrapping food items

Food items such as chicken, fish, corns, etc. can be packed and stored using parchment paper.

Lining cake molds and cookie trays

Parchment paper is non-stick and hence used to line cake molds and cookie trays etc.

Defrosting food items

Parchment paper is also used for defrosting food items. The paper traps the moist air in and helps food to defrost quickly and evenly.

Is it safe to microwave parchment paper?

Yes, the parchment paper is safe to microwave. All kinds of parchment paper except recycled parchment paper can be safely used in a microwave. Parchment paper is heat resistant for up to 450 ° F. This means that the parchment paper can be heated safely both inside the oven and the microwave.

You can use parchment paper in your ovens and microwaves until the temperature is less than 450 ° F. When the temperature rises above this, parchment paper can catch fire and burn.

Does parchment paper release any harmful substances in the food?

Parchment paper bleached with chlorine can leak harmful substances into the food while microwaving. However, these leaked substances are in trace amounts and do not cause any harm to the body if consumed.

Unbleached parchment paper is safer than bleached one because it hasn’t been treated with any chemicals and there is no chance of any substances being leaked into your food.

How to microwave parchment paper?

Parchment paper is easy and handy to use. How you use the parchment paper depends on your recipe. For example, if you are cooking a dish that requires steaming it; you first marinate your food with all the spices, cover it tightly with the parchment paper, and put it inside the oven for as long as the recipe requires.

Similarly, for baking cakes and cookies, all you have to do is spread the parchment paper sheet underneath and pour the batter inside. Put the container in the microwave oven and your task is done.

You won’t have to grease the pan at all. The parchment paper will make sure that your cake doesn’t stick to the container and come out perfectly.

For how long can you microwave parchment paper?

There is no set time for microwaving parchment paper. You can heat it up for as long as you want. The microwaving time totally depends on the food you are cooking. Parchment paper is not affected by the amount of time it is microwaved since it is microwave radiation-proof.

The only thing that should be kept in mind is that the temperature shouldn’t rise above 450° F.

Things to keep in mind while microwaving parchment paper

Parchment paper is one hundred percent safe to microwave or use in the oven, but there are still a few precautions that you should take before and while using the parchment paper.

Always look for the label of “microwave-safe” before microwaving any kind of parchment paper.
Do not keep the parchment paper close to the heating source inside the microwave. If the paper is too close to the heating element, there are chances that the paper might burn.
Buy good-quality parchment paper from reputable brands. Many cheap quality parchment papers are not safe to microwave and can cause fire hazards.
Do not microwave recycled parchment paper. Recycled parchment paper has added chemicals to it which may not be safe to microwave.
Do not use parchment paper to microwave fatty foods and foods rich in oil (for example bacon.) These foods heat up quickly and can cause the parchment paper to burn.
Do not let the temperature of the parchment paper rise more than 450° F. If the temperature exceeds this limit, the parchment paper may catch fire and start burning.
Tightly wrap the parchment paper around your dish or there is a chance that it will fly off the surface during microwaving.

What does science say about it?

Parchment paper is basically made up of sheets of paper pulp. During its manufacture, these paper sheets are treated with either zinc chloride or sulfuric acid. This gelatinizes the paper making it dense, stable, and heat resistant. It is also silicone-covered which makes it non-stick and provides extra heat resistance and can be easily microwaved.

Parchment paper is radiation-proof. This ensures that the heating of parchment paper inside the microwave remains safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use parchment paper in a conventional microwave?

Parchment paper can totally be used in a conventional microwave. Since the parchment paper is made up of silicon, it is also called silicone paper. It is heat resistant up to 450 F and thus it can be used in a convection microwave.

Is Reynolds parchment paper microwave safe?

Reynolds is a famous brand. They also make parchment papers of top quality and are microwave safe. Even though the parchment papers can resist heat up to 450 F, Reynolds suggests that 420 F should be the maximum temperate its parchment paper is exposed to. It is great for storing as well as heating and defrosting purposes.

Can you freeze parchment paper?

Parchment papers are great to store foods in the freezer. They are water-resistant. They prevent the food from freezer burns and also keep the air out of them. You can safely freeze parchment paper.

Can parchment paper go in the oven?

Parchment paper is made up of silicon which makes it grease resistant and heat resistant, thus, parchment can be used inside the oven as a lining for cake and cookies inside the oven.

Is parchment paper toxic?

Parchment papers come in two types; a bleached one and an unbleached one. The bleached parchment paper can release dioxin when heated which is a toxic substance. That can even be dangerous for your health; however, unbleached parchment paper does not contain any harmful substance and is completely toxin-free and safe to be used for cooking and baking purposes.

Conclusion

Parchment paper is a multi-purpose household item that is mostly used in the kitchen. It is available at all grocery stores online and comes in two varieties; bleached parchment paper and non-bleached parchment paper.

It is totally safe to use parchment paper inside a microwave, just make sure you check the label for the microwave-safe sign. Parchment paper is heat resistant up to 450 F and thus can be used inside an oven too.

There are a few precautions that one must take in order to ensure safety. All of them are mentioned in this article.

References

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What is parchment paper?