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

Foil - an indispensable assistant in the kitchen. Most often it is used for roasting, although it can be used for freezing and food storage. It perfectly tolerates both high and low temperatures. The food foil does not contain the harmful substances which are emitted when heating, it is very easy to use it.

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

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

In the production of metal rolled through large shafts, gradually reducing the gap between them. The result is thin sheets that roll up into rolls. When rolling through the machine, two sheets start at once, and the sides adjacent to each other turn out to be rough. External sides that are in contact with the roller become shiny.

The properties of both sides are almost the same, but there are some differences. If you know the difference and use it correctly, you can use the advantages of both sides.

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

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

Experienced housewives know that 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, the products will not be burnt from the bottom, will not stick, will 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 of the shiny side down and then removed it a few minutes before the end of cooking. In the same way, you can put the foil inside the baking dish or make molds for cupcakes.

Portion dishes can simply be wrapped in foil, create from it a kind of "bags", then laid on a wire rack or baking sheet and also baked in the oven.This allows you to cook a juicy and flavorful dish than when cooking or frying. In addition, the nutritional value of products is preserved and the calorie content does not increase, because oil is not necessary to use.

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

Aluminum food foil is recognized as a safe material for its use in the kitchen, however, the opinions of scientists in this matter differ. When freezing and storing food, the foil is absolutely safe, but some experts consider its frequent use for baking as 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 get inside the human body. This process contributes to the acid, which is formed when using certain seasonings or, for example, lemon.

But this danger can be made minimal by following simple rules.

• Do not close or wrap products very tightly, while the dish will be more juicy and tasty.
• Place products so that they are in contact mainly with the glossy and not with the matte side of the material. This is especially true of dishes that use lemon, marinade with vinegar and a large amount of seasoning.
• Do not use this cooking method as a daily routine. Meals, indeed, are very tasty, but do not lose the sense of proportion.

Due to the properties of the foil, its proper use when 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 well soaked in their own juice. Since at the same time they are almost hermetically sealed, and the foil does not let in smells, the aroma of both the main product and the spices used remains inside.

The use of foil is not difficult, it is enough to know some nuances.

• When choosing a material, it is worthwhile to give preference to domestic products, since the requirements for safety are different in different countries. The use of poor quality products can adversely affect the state of health.
• The foil should be strong enough, dense, but thin, since it is important that the juice does not flow out. If the material is too thin, then several layers should be made.
• It is important to properly wrap the foil. If you intend to bake the dish on a baking sheet, it is necessary to place the sheets overlap so that the edges of the lower layer protrude beyond the edges of the baking sheet by about 2 centimeters. With the top layer you need to do the same. Then gently align the edges and twist tightly twice.
• To properly wrap a large piece of meat or whole fish, you need to cut 2 fairly long sheets, spread them out crosswise, place the product in the middle and wrap tightly first in one sheet, then in another.
• When wrapping, there should be no holes and holes, otherwise the juice will flow 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 too tightly compress the packaging.
• To prevent the foil from burning and nothing sticking to it, you can lubricate the inner surface with vegetable oil.
• Not all foods can be baked in foil.It is contraindicated for 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 baked perfectly. Wild meat is better to cook according to special recipes.
• Meat for roasting is better to take one large piece weighing at least a kilogram, only in this case it will be juicy and tender. With less weight, it can be dryish.
• Fish can be baked any. It is advisable to cut the fins and tail - they can tear the foil. If you want to bake the whole fish, it is necessary to wrap it in several layers, but not pack too tightly.
• When baking chicken, it is advisable to first wrap the ends of the legs and wings with foil pieces with the shiny side out so that they are not charred, and then wrap the whole chicken completely.
• Vegetables for baking (potatoes, peppers) are wrapped each separately. Vegetable stew is cooked in heat-resistant dishes, which are covered with foil “lid”.
• The oven must first be heated well for half an hour. For vegetables, the temperature should be at least 100 degrees, for meat and fish - at least 200. In the process of cooking, it is better not to open the oven once again, as it cools quickly.
• To make the dish covered with a delicious crisp, two methods are used. It is possible to make holes at the top of the package. This should be done very carefully to prevent the juice from flowing out. And it is possible for 10-15 minutes before the end of the preparation to cut the foil from the top, spread the edges to the sides and again put it in the oven for browning.

Tasty dishes can be prepared using a few simple recipes, which even a beginning hostess can master.

One and a half kilograms of pork should be washed and dried well on a paper towel. 4-5 cloves of garlic cut lengthwise into two parts and stuff the meat with them. Rub the prepared piece with a mixture of salt and pepper to taste. Gently wrap in foil and marinate in the fridge for a few hours.

Preheat 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 on the table. Instead of salt and pepper, you can rub the meat with a mixture of mustard and mayonnaise.

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

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

The work of the hostess is also reduced to a minimum, because you can marinate meat or fish on the eve of the proposed day of cooking, which is especially important before any celebration. Thus, observing all the listed 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.