Does It Really Matter Which Side Of Aluminum Foil You Use? - Tasting Table (2024)

FAQs

Does It Really Matter Which Side Of Aluminum Foil You Use? - Tasting Table? ›

As it turns out, it really does not matter which side of the aluminum foil you use. "Regardless of the side, both sides do the same job cooking, freezing and storing food," Mike Mazza, marketing director for Reynolds Wrap explained to TODAY. The only time it does matter is if you specifically buy non-stick foil.

Foil has a shiny side and a dull side because of how it is manufactured. Unless you are using foil that's labeled non-stick, which does have a non-stick side, it does not matter what side you use. Both the shiny and dull sides can be used the same way to cook, freeze, and store food.

The answer is that it doesn't matter which side faces up or down when you're cooking with traditional aluminum foil—but if you're working with a specific nonstick variety, which has a protective coating, be sure to use the side recommended by the manufacturer.

In short, science says it makes no difference at all, and there is no correct or incorrect way to use aluminium foil, as confirmed by Robert L. Wolke in What Einstein Told His Cook and America's Test Kitchen. You can place either side in either direction whether cooking or freezing food with aluminium foil.

When making recipes involving acidic foods such as roasted tomatoes or fish topped with lemon wedges and thyme, cooking them on aluminum foil may actually make them taste worse than had you cooked them on parchment paper. That's because the acid in the foods reacts with the aluminum, which can alter the flavor.

Why does household aluminium foil have one dull side and one shiny side? SO THAT the shiny side can reflect the heat on to the item to be cooked, using a long-established scientific principle that shiny surfaces reflect heat and light.

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

Aluminum foil reflects heat from both its dull and shiny sides equally. While aluminum foil has a dull and shiny side, there is no difference in how either side reflects heat.

Small amounts of aluminum can also enter your bloodstream but will leave your body quickly through the urine. Research shows that cooking aluminum at high temperatures and the use of acidic foods, salt and spices did perpetuate a greater amount of leaching of the mineral.

The non-stick side is the side with the dull or flat finish. To help indicate which side is non-stick the foil has been imprinted with the words "NON-STICK Side."

Is there a certain way to use aluminum foil? ›

Foil usually comes with a dull side and a shiny side. If you're using regular foil, it doesn't matter which side you use. If you are using non-stick foil, however, the non-stick coating is usually applied to the dull side of the material. In this case, arrange the foil so that the dull side is facing the food.

Tin foil is stiffer than aluminium foil. It tends to give a slight tin taste to food wrapped in it, which is a major reason it has largely been replaced by aluminium and other materials for wrapping food.

This material is an excellent heat conductor, which means after wrapping your knob, it will keep your house cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

When it comes to acidic foods like vinegar, lime, or tomatoes, they are responsible for the increasing dissolution of aluminium ions in the food, which is a massive factor in causing health issues. Alzheimer's disease: Recent studies have shown that cooking in aluminium increases the possibility of Alzheimer's disease.

Don't use aluminum foil to cook acidic or salty foods

'Aluminum foil should not be used to cook or store highly acidic foods, such as tomatoes, citrus fruits, or even vinegar-based sauces,' warns Natalia Thompson, CEO and Recipe Creator at Flavorful Home.

Does the Shiny Side of Aluminum Foil Reflect More Heat? Aluminum foil reflects heat from both its dull and shiny sides equally. While aluminum foil has a dull and shiny side, there is no difference in how either side reflects heat.

To get some answers, we reached out to Reynolds Consumer Products. A representative of the company told us that foil's shiny- and dull-sidedness is simply the result of the manufacturing process—and that there are no performance differences between the two sides.

Kerridge says in the programme: “Now, there's two sides to tin foil, there's a shiny side, and the not-so-shiny side. Always remember, dull side up.” The reason for this is because the shiny side is reflective so it is going to reflect back as much heat as possible – not ideal if you're trying to heat something up.