Which side to put foil for baking on a baking sheet?

Foil is an indispensable assistant in the kitchen. Most often it is used for baking, although it can be used for freezing and for storing food. It tolerates both high and low temperatures. Food foil does not contain harmful substances released when heated, it is very easy to use.

The foil has two different surfaces - matte and shiny, so the questions are quite logical, why this is done and which side to use. The answer to the first question lies in foil manufacturing technology. For this, different metals are used: steel, tin, silver, gold. But such foil cannot be used for cooking.

Food foil is made of aluminum. It is safe in contact with food, does not melt at high temperatures, easily heats up, retains heat for a long time, and does not cause allergies.

In production, metal is rolled through large shafts, gradually reducing the gap between them. The result is thin sheets that are rolled up.When rolling through the machine, two sheets are launched at once, and the sides adjacent to each other are roughened. Outsides that come in contact with the roller become shiny.

The properties of both sides are almost identical, but there are still some differences. If you know this difference and use it correctly, then you can take advantage of both sides.

The properties of shiny and matte surfaces are in their relation to the temperature regime. The matte surface heats up faster, as it attracts heat better, and the shiny one keeps it longer.

If you put the foil on a baking sheet with the shiny surface up, the cooking process can be somewhat accelerated. Besides, food does not burn on the shiny side. But it is better to cover the dish with the frosted side up - It will absorb heat, which will also reduce cooking time. In addition, this method allows you to better preserve the flavor of the dish.

Experienced housewives know that in this way you can cook not only meat or fish, but also use the properties of the material to improve the quality of baking. If you place the dough on the glossy surface of the foil, then the products will not burn from below, do not stick, rise faster and bake better.

If the baking starts to darken or dry from above, and has not yet had time to bake inside, then the foil can be laid on top with a shiny side down, and then remove it a few minutes before cooking is complete. In the same way, you can put the foil inside the baking dish or make cupcake tins.

You can simply wrap portioned dishes in foil, create original “bags” from it, then lay them on a wire rack or a baking sheet and also bake in the oven. This allows you to cook a more juicy and aromatic dish than when cooking or frying. In addition, the nutritional value of the products is preserved and the calorie content does not increase, because oil is optional.

This method is rational, since it is convenient to take a separate portion, already wrapped in foil, for a short trip, to work or to a picnic. At the same time, there is no fundamental difference which side to wrap the foil inside, but it’s better to use the same principle - the glossy side should be inside, since it also has antibacterial properties, which contributes to better preservation of cooked products.

Aluminum food foil is recognized as a safe material for use in the kitchen, but scientists differ on this point. When freezing and storing food, the foil is absolutely safe, but its frequent use for baking, some experts consider harmful to the body.

When baking, when the material is heated to a high temperature, it begins to break down and its microparticles, invisible to the eye, can remain on food and enter the human body. This process also contributes to the acid formed by the use of certain seasonings or, for example, lemon.

But this danger can be minimized if you follow simple rules.

• Do not close or wrap the products very tightly, while the dish will turn out more juicy and tasty.
• Arrange the products so that they come into contact mainly with the glossy rather than the matte side of the material. This is especially true for dishes, the preparation of which uses lemon, marinade with vinegar and a large number of seasonings.
• Do not use this cooking method as everyday. Dishes, indeed, turn out to be very tasty, but you do not need to lose a sense of proportion.

Due to the properties of the foil, its proper use during baking gives any dish a special aroma and juiciness. This happens due to the fact that the products are baked in the oven rather slowly and soaked in their own juice. Since at the same time they are almost hermetically sealed, and the foil does not allow odors to pass, the aroma of both the main product and the spices used remains inside.

Using foil is not difficult, just know some of the nuances.

• When choosing a material, it is worth giving preference to domestic products, since the safety requirements in different countries are different. Using low-quality products can adversely affect your health.
• The foil should be strong enough, dense, but thin, as it is important that the juice does not leak out. If the material is too thin, then several layers need to be made.
• It is important to properly wrap the foil. If you plan to bake a dish on a baking sheet, then it is necessary to arrange the sheets with an overlap so that the edges of the lower layer protrude by about 2 centimeters beyond the edges of the baking sheet. With the top layer you need to do the same. Then gently align the edges and fold them tightly twice.
• In order to properly wrap a large piece of meat or a whole fish, it is necessary to cut 2 long enough sheets, spread them crosswise, place the product in the middle and tightly wrap it first in one sheet, then in another.
• When wrapping, there should be no holes or holes, otherwise the juice will leak out and burn, and the dish itself may turn out to be dry, and the expected effect will not be achieved. It is better to make 2 layers, but not compress the package too tightly.
• So that the foil does not stick and nothing sticks to it, you can lubricate the inner surface with vegetable oil.
• Not all products can be baked in foil. This is contraindicated in cereals and cereals, green and soft vegetables, fruits. This method is not very suitable for beef - you can get just a boiled piece of meat. But veal and especially pork are perfectly baked. Wild meat is best prepared according to special recipes.
• It is better to take roasting meat in one large piece weighing at least a kilogram, only in this case it will be juicy and tender. With less weight, it can turn out to be a little dry.
• You can bake any fish. It is advisable to cut the fins and tail - they can tear the foil. If you want to bake the whole fish, you need to wrap it in several layers, but do not pack too tightly.
• When baking chicken, it is advisable to first wrap the ends of the legs and wings with pieces of foil with the shiny side out so that they are not carbonized, and then wrap the whole chicken.
• Roasting vegetables (potatoes, peppers) are wrapped each separately. Vegetable stew is prepared in a heat-resistant dish, which is closed with a “lid” of foil.
• The oven must first be warmed up well for half an hour. For vegetables, the temperature should be at least 100 degrees, for meat and fish - at least 200. During the cooking process, it is better not to open the oven again, as it cools quickly.
• To ensure that the dish is covered with a delicious crisp, two methods are used. You can make holes in the top of the package. This must be done very carefully to prevent leakage of juice. And you can cut the foil on top 10-15 minutes before the end of cooking, spread the edges to the sides and put in the oven again for browning.

Delicious dishes can be prepared using several simple recipes that even a novice hostess can master.

One and a half kilograms of pork is washed well and dried on a paper towel. Cut 4-5 cloves of garlic lengthwise into two parts and stuff the meat with them. Grate the prepared piece with a mixture of salt and pepper to taste. Carefully wrap in foil and marinate for several hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and put the meat to bake. Cooking time - at least an hour. Then remove the meat, cut the top layer of foil and put in the oven. After 20 minutes you can serve. Instead of salt and pepper, you can rub the meat with a mixture of mustard and mayonnaise.

In the same way, you can cook chicken. But garlic is not used and cooking time is required a little less - about 45 minutes to cook and 15-20 minutes for the bird to brown.

The same technology is also suitable for fish, but it should be pickled in a mixture of lemon juice with olive or sunflower oil.

The work of the hostess is also minimized, because you can marinate meat or fish on the eve of the expected day of cooking, which is especially important before any celebration. Thus, observing all these simple subtleties, you can cook a lot of delicious and incredibly fragrant dishes.

In the next video, you will learn a little trick about how to easily cover a baking sheet with foil and not tear it.