When you’re using the oven a lot of the time, you want to find non-stick products. Whether that’s non-stick pans or using products that are non-stick, having this capability helps ensure that you do not have to scrape crusty bits off of the pan before you’re ready to serve.
One of these products that are often in many people’s homes is parchment paper. This product is very handy, but many people have questions about what appliances it can be used in. For instance, can you use parchment paper in a toaster oven? That’s the question we’re going to answer in this article.
What Is Parchment Paper?
Before we get started on answering the question, it is probably important that we discuss what exactly parchment paper is and what you can use it for. First off, parchment paper is primarily used in baking and is crafted to be grease and moisture resistant. Many people who bake and use parchment paper prefer this product over aluminum foil because it is non-stick.
It can also be used to grease pans; that way, when you’re done, the food is removed easily. Some people even recycle the paper. There are two types of parchment paper available to you- bleached and unbleached.
Just as it sounds, the bleached version of parchment paper is typically a treated product and looks white, while the unbleached version has a little bit of a tannish color and is not treated with any chemicals. You may find that the unbleached is more pricey, and that is why a lot of people choose to go with the bleached option.
Can You Use Parchment Paper In A Toaster Oven?
So here it is, we’re going to answer the question that you’ve all been waiting for: is parchment paper able to be used in a toaster oven? Because of parchment paper’s heat-resistant qualities, it can be used in an oven, and therefore it can be used in a toaster oven.
That being said, it is a potential tool to be used in a toaster oven, but you have to be careful and know that it cannot be used for long periods of time in a dry and hot oven. This is because it will lead to your food burning easier. So before you start using it, make sure you keep reading because next, we’re going to discuss the proper usage of parchment paper in your toaster oven.
How To Use Parchment Paper In A Toaster Oven
So you will want to make sure that the parchment paper is the proper size of the pan you are choosing to use in the toaster oven. Because of this, we suggest you turn the pan over and use it as a stencil so that you can cut the exact shape and size out from the paper.
After that is done, you can put the parchment paper inside the pan and add what you need for cooking or baking on top. This pan can then be placed in the toaster oven, but you want to make sure no parchment paper is sticking out of that pan because it may burn easily.
That said, that’s all you have to do to use parchment paper when baking in a toaster oven. Of course, there are some safety precautions you should be taking, and so we will cover those next.
Parchment Paper Safety Precautions
First and foremost, you want to make sure that none of the parchment paper sticks out of the pan you are cooking with. If you’re using a conventional oven, sometimes people like to leave some of the paper sticking out so that it is easier to not only carry the food but remove the food once it is done. In a toaster oven, you’re working in a more confined space, so this idea won’t work as it becomes a fire hazard and can burn quickly.
If you have a halogen toaster oven, which is a toaster oven that uses a halogen light bulb, it is not recommended to use parchment paper. These toasters heat up very quickly and, because of this, are unsafe when it comes to the use of parchment paper. The paper will burn quicker and hotter in these types of ovens which is not safe for you.
When placing parchment paper in a toaster oven, you want to make sure that you keep it away from the walls of the oven. Typically, the walls are hotter than any other part of the oven except for, of course, the heating element, and this can cause your parchment paper to catch on fire.
That brings us to the fact that you want to make sure that the parchment paper stays as far as possible away from the heating element because this could lead to a fire. That is why choosing to cut the parchment paper to the exact size of whatever dish you are using is so very important.
Because of parchment paper’s ability to be non-stick, the more you use it, the more it becomes acceptable to heat. Some people reuse parchment paper, which is acceptable, but honestly, you should probably keep it down to three times and no more. By this time, the parchment will have gotten so thin, and you are looking at a material that will burn very easily.
Lastly, it’s essential to understand the temperature that parchment paper is designed to be used at. Ideally, you want to look at heating parchment paper no more than 425° Fahrenheit. You also want to look at the safety suggestions of the manufacturer of the toaster oven as well as the food that you’re cooking to ensure that parchment paper is even suggested to use with it.
Final Thoughts
As we’ve already said, yes, parchment paper can be used in a toaster oven. There are just some simple steps and precautions that need to be taken to ensure your safety. We hope this has answered your question thoroughly.