Given the versatility of pellet grills, being great at smoking, baking, roasting, the list goes on, there’s countless reasons you would want to use a glass dish in your pellet grill.
But, pellet grills aren’t cheap, and quite frankly neither are glass dishes and bakeware, so you don’t want to do damage to either of them.
Here’s everything you need to know about using glasses dishes in your pellet grill, how to use them safely, and what other materials are safe to use in your pellet grill.
Can You Use A Glass Dish In A Pellet Grill?
Although many types of glassware will be able to resist both cold and hot temperatures, sudden changes in temperatures can lead to breakage. So, in general you can use a glass dish in a pellet grill, but it’s best if you use Pyrex glass.
This is because Pyrex glass is designed to endure high temperatures up to 914°F, and will easily handle low and slow smoking temperatures of between 200-350°F from your pellet grill.
In any case, before you use any type of glass dish in your pellet grill you should check which type of glass it’s made from, as there is two common materials used:
- Borosilicate glass: this type of glass can resist thermal shocks, which means it won’t easily break when exposed to sudden temperature changes. Any type of borosilicate glass dish will be absolutely safe to use in your pellet grill.
- Soda-lime glass: this type of glass resists heat but not shocks, which means it’s more likely to break when exposed to sudden temperature changes. If you are using soda-lime glass in your pellet grill, just be sure you let it come up to temperature slowly, and cool down slowly too (i.e. don’t run it under cold water straight afterward!).
- Borosilicate glass: this type of glass can resist thermal shocks, which means it won’t easily break when exposed to sudden temperature changes. Any type of borosilicate glass dish will be absolutely safe to use in your pellet grill.
So, regardless of which type of glass dish you have, you can use it in your pellet grill. However, to be safe it’s always best to let the glass dish come up to tempearture slowly and to cool down slowly when it comes out. Not to mention, the smoke can also cause stubborn stains on your glass dishes too.
The Downside Of Using A Glass Dish In A Pellet Grill
Using glass dishes can be great as a boat for smoking meats, like pork belly bites or pork butt, baking in your pellet grill, or even as a water pan. But, if you’ve got a beautifully clean glass dish, then you may want to reconsider using it this time.
This is because the downside of using a glass dish in a pellet grill, is that the glass gets horribly ashy and smoky, it goes from looking like clear glass to brown and black specs all over. This also reigns true for use in a charcoal grill or electric smoker.
Trying to clean this off can be an absolute mission. So, if you have some old glass dishes you don’t mind getting dirty then you can use it in your pellet grill, but if you’ve got a nice clean glass dish, you may wish to use an alternative vessel for your pellet grill.
What Materials Can You Put In A Pellet Grill
So although using a glass dish has its many benefits, you may not wish to tarnish a clean and shiny glass dish. Here’s other types of cookware you can safely use in a pellet grill.
Keep in mind that the pans and dishes you frequently use in your grill will probably show smoke build-up, so it’s a good idea to dedicate a few pans for such purposes to save yourself the constant scrubbing.
Bakeware
Any pan that’s safe for baking in your oven is also safe for use in a pellet grill. This includes a wide range of bakeware from muffin tins and casserole dishes to metal pans and glass dishes.
Baking Sheets
Baking sheets, also known as cookie sheets, are safe to put in a pellet grill.
However, you should take care not to hinder the airflow inside the grill by allowing a 1-inch clearance on both sides. This way, you’ll enable adequate airflow and avoid heat damage.
Dutch/French Ovens
Thanks to their dense construction material, Dutch/French ovens are safe to use in a pellet grill. They have good heat retention but take a relatively long time to heat up.
You can cook in them with the lid on or off. The lid, however, will reduce the smokey flavor of the food.
Cast Iron
From griddles to skillets, cookware made out of cast iron is also safe for use in a pellet grill. Note that when using a larger griddle, you should allow a 1-inch clearance on both sides to ensure adequate airflow.
Plastic Oven Bags
You can also use plastic oven bags in pellet grills given that you follow the instructions and temperature guides indicated on the bags.
Final Thoughts
So, whether you’re in need of a boat for your smoked meat, or looking to do some baking in your pellet grill, a glass dish is perfectly fine and safe to use in your pellet grill.
However, for good glass care, always try to heat up and cool down your glass gradually rather than suddenly – so don’t run it under cold water after it comes out.
The only downside here is that the smoke can turn the clear glass rather dirty, and although you can scrub it off it is tough to do so.
