Can I use this cracked baking dish for something?

January 3, 2024 1:54 AM

I have a nice earthenware baking dish. It's slightly cracked. Can I still use it? Images beneath the fold.

Last time I baked something in it, I poured water in it to soak without realising it was still very hot. I heard a crack and there is a visible line on the unglazed back, though none on the glazed side. Images here.

Is the dish still usable for some baking uses, eg lower heat or dryish foods? Or should I assume it'll fall apart the next time it goes in an oven and I should just use it for serving stuff? Presumably a bread-and-butter pudding is a no-go, which is super annoying as it's the perfect size.

posted by tavegyl to Grab Bag (13 answers total)

That crack is not slight.

I wouldn't bake anything in that dish that I didn't want to have to clean off the inside of my oven or the kitchen floor instead of eating.
posted by flabdablet at 2:51 AM on January 3 [4 favorites]

It will shatter in the oven the next time you use it. Moisture is now inside that crack soaked into the ceramic, and will turn to steam and expand.
posted by JoeZydeco at 3:20 AM on January 3 [3 favorites]

I disposed of a similar baking dish because of the safety concerns of it cracking while I held it, dropping hot food and crockery pieces on myself.
posted by A Blue Moon at 4:11 AM on January 3 [1 favorite]

It's beautiful and is now decor, not cookware.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:50 AM on January 3 [22 favorites]

I would try it on a baking tray which will hold any leakage and see what happens, being careful whilst moving it. I have a couple of casserole dishes with cracks that I use in the oven without problems.
posted by paduasoy at 6:04 AM on January 3 [3 favorites]

Call me reckless, but I have been cooking with a cracked ceramic slow cooker insert for years now. At some point I taped over the crack with aluminum foil tape for more peace of mind re: leaking (the crack is on the outside/bottom). Slow cooker temps aren't as high as the oven, but the crack has also not worsened with any heat.
posted by cocoagirl at 6:21 AM on January 3 [1 favorite]

It's beautiful and is now decor, not cookware.

I agree. This dish can get promoted to holding decorative things on a shelf. I wouldn't use it for cooking, because of the risks people describe above of breaking while you are carrying it, or breaking in the oven and causing a mess.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:22 AM on January 3

Nthing the "use it as decor" suggestion. Pinterest is full of dishes like that being upcycled into trays that you use as part of a "tablescape". Or, depending on the size, use it as serving tray for pre-made food- nestle some sandwiches in there, or use it as a cheese or charcuterie tray.

But don't bake with it and then serve straight from the oven. Just don't bake with it in general for safety's sake.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:07 AM on January 3 [1 favorite]

If you aren't interested in art/craft/decor usage, mark the crack with a pencil, then drop it a few times from a centimeter or so on to the counter. If the crack doesn't spread (or the whole thing doesn't break apart), it's probably fine for careful use.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:27 AM on January 3 [1 favorite]

I use a similar baking dish with small cracks all the time with no issues. I wouldn't hesitate to continue using it, with a baking sheet underneath at first. The very worst case is it cracks in such a way that you lose the food in it, but I think gradual failure in such a way that you can still eat whatever is in it is more likely — and nothing happening at all is far more likely than either.
posted by ssg at 8:00 AM on January 3

I would use that dish for cold storage. Ceramic gets so much colder than plastic, making it ideal for refrigerator storage.
posted by effluvia at 9:36 AM on January 3

Cactus planter!
posted by BlueHorse at 11:01 AM on January 3

Yeah, this is now a serving dish. Which is still an honourable function.

You could maybe reheat cooked food in it at a lowish temperature, but no more than that.
posted by Pallas Athena at 5:44 AM on January 4