Being able to use your pans in the oven can open up a whole new world of delicious recipes to home chefs.
So it's important to check that any new pans you purchase are oven safe.
In this article, we'll be talking you through All-Clad pans and whether they're oven safe. We'll also be sharing some tips on how to safely cook with pans in the oven.
Let's dive straight into it…
Are All-Clad pans oven safe?
The answer to this question can be found in the product details of All-Clad's website.
All-Clad has two main ranges (Non-stick and Stainless Steel), both of which need to be treated slightly differently.
Stainless steel
All-Clad's Stainless Steel pan range is oven safe. It can be used to cook in heats up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit (315 degrees centigrade).
These pans are also broiler safe.
Non-Stick
The non-stick range is also oven safe. It should only be used in temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 degrees centigrade). They are, however, not broiler safe.
In the past, some ingredients in many non-stick coating have been toxic when heated to high temperatures. However, this is not longer the case as food safety laws have become a lot stricter.
The lids
All-Clad stresses very heavily in multiple places on their website that the lids on all of their pans are not oven safe.
They should also not be used in a broiler.
Who is All-Clad?
All-Clad was founded in 1971 by John Ulam. Ulam chose to form his own company that made steel pans in western Pennsylvania, the birthplace of the American steel industry.
Ulam grew up in the area and was determined to use the best American produce in his products.
Before becoming a cookware pioneer, Ulam was an industry-leading metal expert with 75 metal patents to his name. His patents revolutionized the car, aircraft, and currency industries.
Ulam turned his expertise to cookware and quickly became a pioneer in that industry too.
In the 50 years since its founding, All-Clad has been celebrated for its innovation, and its products are now used in restaurants and home kitchens across the world.
Safety points to remember
Now, that we have established that All-Clad cookware is oven safe.
Let's talk through some tips that will make cooking with pans in the oven a lot safer.
Handles get too hot to touch
All-Clad pans have stainless steel handles. These can become incredibly hot, too hot to touch.
There are a few ways to deal with this.
Firstly, you can make sure to wear very thick oven gloves when removing these pans from the oven.
The second, and safer option is to place an oven glove over than handle (or wrap a small scarf around it), and then wear oven gloves when removing it from the oven.
This second layer between you and the pan will help to prevent serious burns.
The lids aren't oven safe
As we mentioned above, the lids of both All-Clad ranges are not oven safe.
The majority of their pan lids contain plastic or glass, and often both. Unless properly treated these can shatter or release toxic fumes.
Even their stainless steel lids are not oven safe. They are made of a different stainless steel mix to their pans.
If you need an oven safe cooking pot with an oven safe lid then your best option is to look for a cast iron pot.
The 'tint'
Have you ever seen an oil-slick like rainbow stain on your stainless steel cookware?
Experts refer to this as the 'heat tint'.
The heat tint occurs when stainless steel overheats. When the surface of a stainless steel pan reaches too high a temperature trace elements of chromium oxidize.
As they do this they form a thick layer (in chemical terms) over the surface of the pan. This layer reflects light in a different way from traditional stainless steel.
Can heat tints be removed?
Whilst the heat tint is beautiful in its own way, it does affect how well your pans perform. And it's something you will want to get rid of. The good news is that heat tint stains can be removed.
A product like Bar Keepers Friend can be used to remove this layer of staining. If you would like to remove the stains with ingredients you have in your kitchen a combination of warm water and vinegar will do the trick.
Be careful not to scratch the non-stick coating away.
To avoid causing any heat tint at all do not heat your stainless steel any higher than recommended temperatures.
Non-Stick Coating
We often get asked whether high heats ruin non-stick coatings.
It is a difficult question to answer because every company has a different non-stick formula.
Whilst we cannot definitively state that high heats will ruin a specific company's non-stick coating, it is generally acknowledged that heat does ruin these types of coatings.
Despite what All-Clad recommends we would be hesitant to put our non-stick pans in an oven.
Warping
What causes warping in stainless steel pans?
The main culprit of warping pans is a too rapid change in temperature.
For example, going from chilled or room temperature straight into an 600 degrees Fahrenheit oven can cause warping.
Will this happen to All-Clad pans?
We don't think so. All-Clad pans are made of a unique blend of stainless steel and copper.
Copper is a fantastic conductor of heat and is great at preventing warping in other metals.
Conclusion
Are All-Clad pans oven safe?
Yes, both their Stainless Steel and Non-Stick ranges are oven safe. The Stainless Steel range is also broiler safe, but the Non-Stick range is not.
However, the lids of All-Clad pans are not oven safe. If you are looking to cook in the oven and need a pan with a lid then you should look into getting a cast iron pot with a cast iron lid.
