Using aluminum foil makes it easier to bake vegetables, meat, and everything else. However, the sheet often tears, crumples, and doesn’t lay flat on the bottom of the pan.
It turns out there’s a simple way to fix this — experts from Tasting Table shared it.
The main rule is "outside in"
To get the foil to lay perfectly, don’t try to shape it inside the pan or baking dish. Instead, turn the pan upside down and gently press a sheet of foil against its outer side. The material will take the desired shape.
After that, simply remove the foil and place it inside the pan — it will exactly replicate the contours of the bottom and sides.
How not to use foil
Professor Darin Detwiler warned that using aluminum foil is not always appropriate and is not necessarily safe. It should be avoided:
- when storing acidic foods (dishes with lemon, vinegar, tomatoes, and citrus react with aluminum);
- when storing leftovers (air and bacteria easily penetrate through the foil, causing food to spoil faster);
- when baking at temperatures above 200 °C (the foil conducts heat too quickly, so food can easily dry out);
- when reheating food in the microwave (metal can damage the appliance).
