I would never put saran wrap into the oven. Period. No matter what a recipe said.

from the Saran website:
Can Saran Plastic Wraps be used in the oven?

No, Saran Wraps are not for use in conventional ovens, browning units, toaster ovens, or on stovetops.

Here is a link that might be useful: Can Saran Plastic Wraps be used in the oven?

Could it be that those recipes are from people who fear aluminum? They don't want it touching their food, so, of course they use saran wrap under it to protect the food. Doesn't make any sense, does it?

I remember reading a discussion on this concerning Lasagna a few years ago on this forum. The people who used plastic wrap under the foil said it worked great to keep moisture in & there was no melting or problems. Personally, I've never tried it. Foil alone seems to work well enough for me, I just fold it in tightly.

It won't melt if you put the foil on top and completely cover the plastic. If you are cooking something that has tomatoes in it the foil will react with them and cause an off flavor, and the plastic prevents this from happening.

It might not melt, but the worry has long been that the plastic, when heated, might leach some nasty chemicals into the food.

Snopes reports about microwaving, and suggests to only use materials that are meant for microwave use (or other heating, I presume.)

If the makers of the saran wrap or other brands suggest that it is not to be used for cooking, they are probably serious about it.

Melting is the least of your worries if you insist on this practice.

Here is a link that might be useful: Snopes on cooking with plastic

I actually watched an episode of Diners Drive-ins and Dives last night that had someone do that exact thing when they were making pork chops with some sort of sauce. My husband and I both looked at each other like "What? They're Baking Saran Wrap???".
When he pulled the foil off for the host to try it, the saran wrap was still there, not melted at all.

Restautants do it all the time, so if you eat at restaurants you likely eat food prepared this way. Now is it safe? Only the Shadow knows!

It might be alright, but not something I would do.

Carolyn

Restaurants don't use Saran Wrap as a general rule.

I suppose some run out and buy it but I used to get large boxes of restaurant supply plastic cling from a buddy in the biz.

these were refills designed to fit into a permanent metal box with cutter blade. This stuff definitely wasn't Saran Wrap. It was thicker, clingier and said right on the box that it was oven safe (up to a certain temp).

I now buy a plastic cling with no national branding from a local store that also says right on the packaging that it is oven safe.

I guess not every cling wrap is the same.

Use parchment paper instead, then cover the foil. It will help keep the moisture in.

Metaxa, I had to check mine!
Mine is in a large box, 2500 feet, Resinite, made in Canada.
It's labelled Food Film. And a logo that says it's what professional chefs use. Nowhere does it say oven safe though. :(

I've seen that in recipes as well, to put plastic wrap on food, then cover with foil. It's with foods that are tomato-based to keep the foil away from the tomatoes, as cookebook mentioned.

Saran Wrap changed some years back and now IMO it isn't even fit to use in the microwave. It tends to melt quickly. I sure wouldn't use it in a regular oven. I don't want any foil touching anything with tomatoes in it either so I do the same as spacific and cover with parchment first.

Just because a wrap doesn't melt does not mean it is safe to heat it, then eat what was cooked in it. We don't know what the heat does to leach toxic substances into the food. Similarly, a product that states it is "microwave safe" means the microwaves do not harm that product. But that does not speak to the safety of the resulting food.

Ya, I get the heebie jeebies if the cling film touches the food.

I'm not so concerned if it stretches over a bowl but i don't want it tight to the food.

So...that rules out gas station sandwiches...bummer.

"Restautants do it all the time, so if you eat at restaurants you likely eat food prepared this way."
I'd like to know which restaurants. Kindly elucidate would you? None around here could get away with it. We have food inspectors visiting pretty regularly. No way would they allow it. Unless rules have changed since I was in the business.

I have never had foil interact with tomato sauce in lasagna, hotdish or otherwise. I use foil as a lid all the time when I don't have a lid handy. I wrap ribs in foil to braise them and occasionally put BBQ sauce or something in them while they braise. People talk about tomatoes reacting with nonstick too but I've never seen it happen.

I'm amazed how paranoid people get over foil, yet they'll cover with melted plastic. What am I saying, people even EAT that imitation cheese! And what is that other than plastic? LOL

If I was worried, I'd put some wax paper in there or parchment. But the worrywarts that fear foil, it's been around a long time and has yet to have any proof of any issues. Rumors? Yes. Emails? Yes. But with all the time and all the competitive products who would relish some real proof, they still can't find it.

In fairness though, you're putting it in a 350ð oven but that doesn't mean the food gets to 350ð. Nevertheless, even the manufacturers say don't do it and they're not doing it from overcaution IMO. Methinks they've done some testing. I'm sure they'd love to sell it as a liner.

Now cast iron and tomato... THAT can do some nasty stuff!

Has anyone seen those single baking potatoes in the produce section of the grocery store, wrapped in plastic wrap, ready to put in the microwave oven? Just like that? Wrapped all up in plastic?

I've done it with a rib recipe someone gave me and it didn't melt... I still felt funny doing it; I wasn't sure about the safety. I probably wouldn't do it again; I really don't think it helped the recipe much.

Not all plastic, either wrap or containers, is made alike. The wrapped potatoes and mini-market items are surely wrapped in plastic that is inert. But I would nOT feel good about using saran wrap or anything similar that is not prominently labeled for such use.

Maybe the reason the plastic wrap doesn't melt is because of the foil being a radiant barrier? Like those reflective heat films that you can use in your attic? OTOH, I don't know at what temp. that Saran wrap melts so could be that the air temp in the oven never gets that hot.

The "Release" side of Reynolds Release Foil won't react with acid ingredients. So that would solve the problem without baking any plastic.

A few dishes that I've made where uncooked cheese comes in contact with the foil and then refrigerated ALWAYS has eaten holes in the foil.

I've noticed a lot of things "eat" holes in foil. If I freeze bacon in foil it gets those holes. Now I wrap in plastic wrap, then foil to freeze bacon.

I recently watched a show where a popular chef visits Diners across the USA and samples their food. In one episode the chef had to slow cook a slap of pork, upon placing the pork into the roasting pan he used plastic wrap and foil to cover the pan before placing it into the oven. I have used foil to individually wrap pork ribs. But to wrap several ribs of pork would be tedious. I wanted to use the plastic wrap & foil method in order to cook 6 ribs slabs in a pan. Is the chef using a restaurant grade plastic wrap?

My first thought is why would you do prime roast covered in the pan . To me it's best with that kind of meat to put it uncovered in a shallow pan and truly roast it.

Instead of Saran Wrap use parchment paper. That being said commercial plastic wrap used in food service is different from that sold in grocery stores.

Parchment paper is impregnated with silicone, just saying.