Reynold's Kitchen, an aluminium foil manufacturer since 1947, says: "It's perfectly fine to place your food on either side so you can decide if you prefer to have the shiny or dull side facing out." It's simply a result of the manufacturing process. The performance of the foil is the same, whichever side you use.
Quite simply, it doesn't matter. Since the exact same material makes up both sides, they will perform precisely the same way. The only difference is aesthetic.
Either side of the foil can be used to place food on, unless you are using Bacofoil® The Non-Stick Kitchen Foil, then the food should be placed on the non shiny side side, as this is the side that is coated with a food safe silicon to stop food from sticking.
How can I tell which side of the non-stick foil to use? 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."
Aluminum foil outperformed tin foil in cost, efficiency, durability, and conductivity, becoming a popular substitute in the following decades. Wartime rations on tin rendered aluminum the standard for packaging, and after World War II aluminum foil completely superseded tin.
Two layers of foil are pressed together and milled at the same time, because otherwise it would break. “Where the foil is in contact with another layer, that's the 'dull' side,” Reynolds Kitchens explains. “The 'shiny' side is the side milled without being in contact with another sheet of metal.
Roasting potatoes:
(Note: parchment paper is better to prevent sticking and aluminum foil yields crispier results but it does need to be lightly greased and may still stick.) Roast potatoes for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of larger potato pieces.
Aluminum foil is safe to use up to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) in the oven and for direct heat grilling. Keep in mind that lining your oven with aluminum is not recommended as it could damage the oven's heating elements.
He claims that the dull side provides better heat insulation — so, in Ramsay's opinion, if you're covering a dish, the dull side of the foil should be on the inside (that is, facing or touching the food), and the shiny part on the outside to reflect heat.
Food wrapped in foil for the oven should be wrapped with the dull side around the food, it collect the heat. The shiny side reflects it and should be on the outside / facing down if the food is laying on a tray.
Place food in the center of the foil and fold up the sides to meet at the top, creating a crease to secure. Leave an inch of space between food and the top of the foil. Place into oven or on the grill until food is warm and ready to serve.
The reason the two sides are different is because of the manufacturing process called tilling. However, when it comes to non-stick foil, there is a designated side, which is the dull side, as the non-stick coating is only applied to that side.
It's safe to wrap cold food in foil, though not for long stretches of time because food has a shelf life and because aluminium in the foil will begin to leach into the food depending on ingredients like spices.
Some say wrapping baked potatoes in aluminum foil helps them cook faster (aluminum conducts heat, then traps it), and it does keep them hot for longer once they come out of the oven, which is why we think restaurants use this method. Wrapping potatoes will also give you a softer, steamed skin, if that's what you like.
Don't wrap your potatoes in foil
"I see a lot of people using foil to wrap their potatoes in but this is a big no-no and causes soggy skins!" he says. Foil holds in moisture and steams the potatoes, resulting in a "boiled" taste and texture. Plus, without the use of foil, the skin will get extra crispy and flavorful.
A: Wrapping a potato in foil prior to baking traps the potato's natural moisture, steaming instead of baking it. This results is a soggy baked potato, not the light fluffy Idaho Baker that most people prefer.
Q: Why does foil darken or discolor sometimes during baking? A: That discoloration is aluminum oxide, a harmless substance that is naturally present on the surface of the foil. When the foil comes in contact with moisture, it can accelerate the buildup of aluminum oxide.
Tear a sheet of foil to fit your pan's specified size. Spray the underneath side of the sheet of the aluminum foil with PAM Cooking Spray – spray only the side that will touch the cheese. Cover the dish with the prepared aluminum foil, laying the cooking spray greased side facing down towards the food.
Quite often chocolate is wrapped in foil and not plastic or paper. This is mainly because the foil protects the chocolate from exposure to air, light, and moisture. Too much moisture – Is caused by high humidity or condensation from a refrigerator.
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.
Chemicals from the foil can leach into food (especially if there's heat involved), causing potential health issues over the long term. A safer alternative is to use silicone food covers. Silicone lids or covers are often used to cover tins, pots, and bowls of leftover food to avoid bacteria during storage.