And what does it all mean? However, there are still some people who swear by using the shiny side up or down for different tasks. Two layers of foil are pressed together andmilledat the same time, because otherwise, it would break. Membership includes instant access to everything on our sites: After 45 minutes, the pan with the shiny side facing in was 2 degrees hotter. We called in the experts to find out. The other, well, it's still silver but not nearly as sparkly. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. We tested a number of different variations ourselves and have read other testing that all results in the same conclusion. This is due to the fact that the shiny side conducts heat more than the dull side does. Harry Soo, T-Roy Cooks, and even Aaron Franklin wrote about it in his book A Meat Smoking Manifesto. That is really the only difference between the two sides of aluminum foil. And Other Essential Knife Tips to Know, Our Favorite Meals that Use Aluminum Foil Because You Deserve to Work Smarter, Not Harder, in the Kitchen, Why You Really Dont Need To Wash Raw Chicken. Do you often use aluminum foil when you cook? Aluminum foil is non-toxic and recyclable, so it is a great eco-friendly option. Two sheets are rolled together and the side that is in contact with the rollers turns out to be shiny because of the smoothness of the rollers. The 'shiny' side is the side milled without being in contact with another sheet of metal." The shiny side is the side milled without being in contact with another sheet of metal. This article contains one or more Amazon affiliate links. Your email address is required to identify you for free access to content on the site. A large block of almost pure aluminum is rolled through giant steel rollers, several times, reducing the thickness of the aluminum block and spreading it out to make it longer. The side where the foil comes into contact with another layer of foil appears dull, while the other side, which hasn't made contact with another sheet, appears shiny. A shiny surface shouldmake no differencetoconvectionbut it willmake a differencetoradiation. Lining a grill pan to prevent sticking and make cleanup easier. Dont be confused by convection ovens. All ovens use convection, convection ovens just use a fan to make the convection more efficient. So much better than your typical oven baked chicken and on par if not better than gas or even charcoal grilled. Learn real cooking skills from your favorite food experts, The iconic magazine that investigates how and why recipes work, American classics, everyday favorites, and the stories behind them, Experts teach 320+ online courses for home cooks at every skill level, Kid tested, kid approved: Welcome to Americas Test Kitchen for the next generation. If theres no trick to it, then why, exactly, does aluminum foil have a shiny and a dull side in the first place? This is for an atheistic effect rather than as an indication of which side you should use. However, when you cook food in an oven, the major source of cooking heat is convection. After all, one side of the foil is matte and the other side is shiny. If it is greasy or dirty, it will need to be washed before it can be recycled. We may earn a commission from your purchases. If you are using non-stick aluminum foil, you will see that the non-stick side is indicated by a dull and flat color. To get some answers, we reached out to Reynolds Consumer Products. It is the inverse! Let's see those drug smoking, aluminum foil using citizens of Earth come exercise their right to Aluminum Foil: Should the Shiny Side be Up or Down When Cooking? Sorry to disappoint, but the two different sides are just the result of the manufacturing process: To make foil, manufacturers melt aluminum, and then cool it into slabs called ingots. It gets that smokey charcoal tasted and overnight koshering definitely helps, something I do when time permits. It is the inverse! In broader terms, it makes no difference which side of the foil you use for baking. See full disclosure. I've tried smoking them out of a bubble and it worked somewhat but for just one pill then the bubble was ruined and I would have to use a new bubble everytime I smoked a new pill so not very efficient. However, there are a few small differences between the two sides that might influence your decision. The shiny and dull sides of aluminum foil are created during the manufacturing process. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. The only reason one side is shiny and one side is dull is because of the manufacturing process. Were going to break it down for you with help from the experts. The latest recipes, tips, and tricks, plus behind-the-scenes stories from the Cook's Illustrated team. A "make again" as my family rates things. Have you ever thought about why the two sides have different finishes, though? But only if every layer is flawless. Which is great news: Less time thinking about which side of the foil to use means more time to decide what to cook in it. The truth is that it makes no difference at all. It turns out there's a good reason. Share. The Exception to The Rule However, there is one instance when using the shiny or dull side of the foil makes a difference. Her other culinary mission in life is to convince her family and friends that vegetarian dishes are much more than a basic salad. Aluminum foil is often used in following ways: If youve ever used aluminum foil, youre familiar with the fact that one side is shiny and the other is dull. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. One side of a sheet of aluminum foil is shiny, and the other side is dull and flat. Is it OK to Eat Expired Canned Foods? Different wood chips and meats give different flavors, so youll need to experiment a little to find the ones you like best. Whether youre roasting bell peppers, oven-steaming fish, or baking a batch of blondies, you need a trusty roll of aluminum foil to help you get the job done. According to the Huffington Post, theyre both equally effective at heating your foodso just choose whatever side you prefer. The sheet is first spooled into a roll and then fed into the cold-rolling mill for the final milling stage. In other words, the two sides look different, but when it comes down to it, they're both made of the same stuff. The shiny or not side makes no difference in the insulation towards the wall. Aluminum foil on grill shiny side up or down? Amazed this recipe works out as well as it does. We mill two layers in contact with each other at the same time, because if we didnt, the foil would break during the milling process. (Answered). The shiny side does not have a coating, it is just the result of its' manufacturing process. One is so shiny that you can practically use it as a mirror. Heat and tension are applied to stretch the foil until it's thin enough to become the familiar sheets you buy in stores and use at home. Any air trapped in the aluminum foil pouch and surrounding the potato may act as an insulating barrier, slowing the transfer of heat. It is the inverse! All The Gluten-Free Dunkin Donuts Menu Items, Most Popular McDonalds Menu Items of All Time. Well there you have it. The aluminum passed through the rollers several times to make it longer and thinner. Many people believe that it matters which side is used up or down. WebThe truth is that the shiny and dull sides of the aluminum foil have nothing to do with cooking performance. Consider a baked potato. This is due to the fact that the shiny side conducts heat more than the dull side does. The side of the foil that is in contact with the other sheet of foil remains dull. Please contact for permissions. So yes, foil reflects infrared. When you pull a sheet of aluminum foil off the roll, there's a notable difference between the two sides. Quite simply, it doesn't matter. Scan this QR code to download the app now. THE RESULT: After 30 minutes in a 350-degree oven, the water in the beaker wrapped in foil with the shiny side in was 2 degrees hotter. Remember that aluminum foil can only be recycled a few times before it becomes too damaged to be reused. DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, I receive a commission. Theres actually a reason as to why this is and Reynolds Kitchens is here to provide answers. WebYou may have suspected that there is a hidden feature to your aluminum foil as well. The great thing is that you dont even have to have a proper smoker. However, when measured over time in high temperatures, the difference is so slight that there should be little discernable change in cooking times. Aluminum foil is one of those ubiquitous household items that most of us take for granted. (6 Alternatives). A lot of smokers believe that the dull side of aluminum foil should be towards the meat. Therefore, wrapping your potatoes and other food tightly will make them cook more quickly. Web126K views 4 years ago Lots of people ask whether you should put the shiny or dull side of the foil facing your food. great and easy technique for roasted chicken. And if you use aluminum foil as often as we do, you have probably noticed that one side of the foil is shinier than the other. A lot of smokers believe that the dull side of aluminum foil should be towards the meat. Many people believe that the shiny side of the aluminum foil reflects more heat. It is a popular fallacy that the shiny side of aluminum foil radiates more heat than the dull side. As far as the foil goes shiny side down, I think burning first it gets rid of some contaminates on the foil like oil from your fingers etc. So whats the truth? This is a debate that has led to a lot of arguments over the years, and even top chefs tend to disagree. Used my 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet (which can withstand 1000 degree temps to respond to those who wondered if it would work) and it turned out great. As a matter of fact that it is so thin and malleable, aluminum foil can be used for all sorts of kitchen purposes. shiny side down because it sound's kool. Make sure that the foil is clean and dry. So, wrap your potatoes tightly before baking. Conversely, other people believe that the dull side of the aluminum foil should be used. In this case, it is important to remember to use the dull side of the aluminum foil. Conduction is when heat is transferred to food through the contact of one hot object with another. There has also been widespread controversy about the cause of early-onset Alzheimers disease. So feel free to work both ways. The factory manufactures two sheets of metal simultaneously to ensure the sheets are strong enough to withstand breakage. Greek cooks slow-roast vegetables in olive oil and pair them with good bread for a lush, laid-back meal. Should it ever come up, you can cleverly settle any disagreement over which side is the right one to use. John, wasn't it just amazing chicken? The shiny side is the side milled without being in contact with another sheet of metal. Where the foil is in contact with another layer, thats the dull side, Reynolds explains. Conduction is when heat is transferred through contact of one object with another hot object. The reason the two sides look different is due to the manufacturing process. Only a little of the heat transfer in an oven is through infrared radiation, which is invisible light rays. Many adventurous home cooks try smoking meat or fish at some point. It turns out there's a good reason. This goes to show that chefs are not immune to believing dogmatic and unproven food and cooking myths.). You can conduct this experiment for yourself if youre interested? Start with putting your unwrapped meat into the grill and smoking it unwrapped for the first half of the cooking time. You can put tar in the dab pens with the ceramic coils but not very efficient but pretty discreet. The outside surfaces become shiny and the inner surfaces that are pressed together stay matte. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. In reality, they are simply the result of the manufacturing process. My Recipe Calls for Eggs in Cup Amounts How Many Eggs? Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. Even the heated vessel and the heated food itself emits this energy. (Edit: Apparently not everyone has gotten the memo as at least one chef named Michelin-starred chef, Tom Kerridge, as reported in Huffington Post was still spouting this myth as late as 2019, claiming that the reflective side makes a difference. Web126K views 4 years ago Lots of people ask whether you should put the shiny or dull side of the foil facing your food. I got the thick stuff recently was assumption it would possibly be better because it cost more LOL. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); All Things Aluminum is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. In reality, in the long length of time it takes to bake a potato, either side will work basically the same. The truth is that the shiny and dull sides of the aluminum foil have nothing to do with cooking performance. This is the point when two thin sheets are placed together, and one side becomes shiny. The reason behind their belief is the fact that they have heard that the shiny side has some sort of coating on it , that, when exposed to high temperatures might melt and be hazardous to health . When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. The shiny side is the side milled without being in contact with another sheet of metal. Yup, the cast iron was not an issue. The only exception? A homes enthusiast, Maggie writes about decor and real estate trends, designer-approved tips and tricks, and even her own DIY projects.