# Shiny side or dull side?



## JustJoel (Dec 30, 2017)

Quick question. I came across a recipe that included the instruction to cover food in the oven if browning too quickly with aluminum foil (actually a bread recipe, if that makes any difference). This makes sense, but the recipe went on to stress covering the food _with shiny side facing out._ I’ve heard this before and wondered if there’s any difference which side of the foil is facing out?


----------



## Andy M. (Dec 30, 2017)

There is a difference.  I'm not sure how significant it is.  Shiny side out to reflect the heat from the oven.


----------



## tenspeed (Dec 30, 2017)

As Chef John would say "It's totally up to you.  After all, you are the Olive Oyl of your aluminum foil".  From the people who make the stuff:

Heavy Duty Foil | Reynolds Kitchens


----------



## msmofet (Dec 30, 2017)

Either side out is fine.


----------



## caseydog (Dec 30, 2017)

The shiny side, dull side is just a by-product of the production process. It is not that way intentionally. 

I used to wonder if there was a "correct" way to use foil, but in years of informal experimentation, I certainly haven't noticed any. 

Maybe the author of that bread recipe knows something I don't (gasp), so you could follow his/her instructions, or be a rebel and do just the opposite. 

cD


----------



## roadfix (Dec 30, 2017)

Yeah, I don't think it really matters here, shiny or dull side in or out.    We're not talking home insulation.

But many fresh or frozen prepared meals that come in heavy tin pans have the pans shiny in the inside and blacked out on the outside.   I can see the purpose there.    Perhaps they should make tin foils like that, black on one side.


----------



## Cooking Goddess (Dec 30, 2017)

JustJoel said:


> ...I’ve heard this before and wondered if there’s any difference which side of the foil is facing out?


It depends on how fancy you want your hat to look. 

The only "which side to use" discussion I remember hearing is that you don't put the dull side against acidic food because bad things can happen. Of course that discussion was from when I was a kid, so memory can be faulty or foil has probably changed since then.

I do know they do not make a foil strong enough to survive a weekly dose of whiskey over the homemade fruitcake over a period of 6-8 weeks...


----------



## Kaneohegirlinaz (Dec 30, 2017)

Cooking Goddess said:


> It depends on how fancy you want your hat to look.
> 
> The only "which side to use" discussion I remember hearing is that you don't put the dull side against acidic food because bad things can happen. Of course that discussion was from when I was a kid, so memory can be faulty or foil has probably changed since then.
> 
> _*I do know they do not make a foil strong enough to survive a weekly dose of whiskey over the homemade fruitcake over a period of 6-8 weeks*_...


----------



## Kaneohegirlinaz (Dec 30, 2017)

caseydog said:


> The shiny side, dull side is just a by-product of the production process. It is not that way intentionally.
> 
> I used to wonder if there was a "correct" way to use foil, but in years of informal experimentation, I certainly haven't noticed any.
> 
> ...




+1
Be a rebel Joel!


----------



## buckytom (Dec 30, 2017)

In hats, the shiny side out works better to prevent mind control.


----------



## caseydog (Dec 30, 2017)

buckytom said:


> In hats, the shiny side out works better to prevent mind control.



Sure, that's just what *they* want to to think. 

CD


----------



## buckytom (Dec 30, 2017)

I need more heavy duty foil...


----------



## Kaneohegirlinaz (Dec 30, 2017)




----------



## Caslon (Dec 30, 2017)

Alton Brown of "Good Eats" TV show made some oven cooked ribs and mentioned having the shiny side facing out when they are wrapped. I forgot exactly why. I think he mentioned that the shiny side facing in would reflect more than wanted heat back into the ribs (or something like that). It's probably not that critical and he didn't overly emphasize doing so.


----------



## caseydog (Dec 30, 2017)

Caslon said:


> Alton Brown of "Good Eats" TV show made some oven cooked ribs and mentioned having the shiny side facing out when they are wrapped. I forgot exactly why. I think he mentioned that the shiny side facing in would reflect more than wanted heat back into the ribs (or something like that). It's probably not that critical and he didn't overly emphasize doing so.



I really like Alton Brown, and admire his food science lessons, but he and I could never cook together -- I'd have to punch him at some point. His cooking style is way too rigid for me. 

This foil side thing is a classic example. I would have to see some real scientific data that would convince me that there is significant difference. Not a theoretical difference -- a real difference that you can actually taste. 

CD


----------



## Vinylhanger (Jan 1, 2018)

I know the cheap dollar store stuff hates vinegar.  That's all I got.


----------



## dragnlaw (Jan 1, 2018)

One of my boarder's husband worked for Alcan, so I just had to ask the question, this was about 15 years or so ago.  

According to him there is no difference, as already stated, it is just from the production line.

Back in the 50's my father's company used to produce the paint used on the foil Christmas wrap, so he always came home with an armful. We loved the stuff and 5 kids would fight over them to use LOL   But even back then Dad said it didn't make any difference for cooking. 

But yes, *bucky* it definitely makes a difference in absorption.  Use triple ply foil to line your boots and quadruple for hats - make sure it is the heavy duty stuff. Ray-ban sunglasses will protect your eyes.


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 1, 2018)

Foil Hats should always be made with Heavy Duty and in two layers, shiny inside and out.  If you can form two antennae they will absorb and reflect back any cosmic rays.


----------



## dragnlaw (Jan 1, 2018)

OMG...   THANK YOU PRINCESS!!!  

never imagined the inside/outside aspect...  very interesting. 

But the antennae - that's genius!  Going to the workshop right now!

oh dear, so sorry...   have we trashed this thread?


----------



## PrincessFiona60 (Jan 1, 2018)

Sorry Joel, some subjects just lean towards comedy!

Curses, foiled again!!


----------



## Cheryl J (Jan 1, 2018)

^ 

I had to stop and think about this.  Pretty much the only time I use tin foil is to tent meat that I've just taken off the grill to let it rest and stay warm while I prepare veggies. I don't think I've ever really thought about shiny/dull side, until now.


----------



## JustJoel (Jan 2, 2018)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Sorry Joel, some subjects just lean towards comedy!
> 
> Curses, foiled again!!


Oh! All this was _comedy?_ I thought you were all dead serious!
Nah, laughing right along with y’all (while I search the web for those hats!).


----------



## JustJoel (Jan 2, 2018)

Cheryl J said:


> ^
> 
> I had to stop and think about this.  Pretty much the only time I use tin foil is to tent meat that I've just taken off the grill to let it rest and stay warm while I prepare veggies. I don't think I've ever really thought about shiny/dull side, until now.


If bread is browning too quickly, it too can be tented. And I’ve nearly every lid to every saucepan I have, so foil comes in handy when I need to cover a stew, say. Also good for warming bread without toasting it or drying it out.

And of course there’s those hats!


----------



## Mad Cook (Jan 2, 2018)

I've read that it does matter and I've read that it doesn't. I've watched various chefs and cooks on TV and none of them seem to be bothered. Most people use foil shiny side out (probably because it looks right).

T'internet says:-

"*CulinaryLore.com › All CulinaryLore Categories › Food Science
19 Oct 2016* - You can place either side in either direction whether cooking or freezing food with aluminum foil. ... Aluminum foil has a shiny side and a dull side. Many people believe that it matters which side is used up or down. The truth is that it makes no difference at all.......For example, Robert L. Wolke in "What Einstein Told His Cook" and "America's Test Kitchen" say that it makes no difference at all in cooking. You can place either side in either direction whether cooking or freezing food with aluminum foil.


"You pays your money and you takes your chance" as an old English saying goes.


----------



## RPCookin (Jan 2, 2018)

Cheryl J said:


> ^
> 
> I had to stop and think about this.  Pretty much the only time I use tin foil is to tent meat that I've just taken off the grill to let it rest and stay warm while I prepare veggies. I don't think I've ever really thought about shiny/dull side, until now.



We use a LOT of aluminum foil.  We almost always line a sheet pan with foil before cooking almost anything in the oven - makes it so much easier to clean up.  Same with the oven broiler pan - line it with foil and cut slits for the grease to escape.  Nothing gets burned on to the pan that way.  I much prefer wadding up the mess and tossing it in the recycle bin to scouring the pan each time I use it.

Foil is recyclable, so I don't even feel guilty about it.  We buy Reynold's Wrap in 250 foot rolls for about $7 per roll and a roll lasts for more than a year, even as much as we use.


----------



## dragnlaw (Jan 2, 2018)

Thanks RP - I did not know that foil was recyclable!  

Where my son is, just about everything goes into the bin, bones, milk products, paper towels, etc.  Here we are we are not allowed foods into the bin - only paper, cans etc. and nothing fouled with food.  Maybe one day ours will handle it but not at the moment.

Even for my compost I do not put bones or fat.  Have enough problems with varmints on the farm without enticing them with a banquet.


----------



## GotGarlic (Jan 2, 2018)

dragnlaw said:


> Thanks RP - I did not know that foil was recyclable!



It depends on whether the system your location uses can handle it. Not all of them can.


----------



## buckytom (Jan 2, 2018)

We use a lot of foil, and recycle it much like Rick does. I've read that people should try to recycle aluminum as much as possible since it takes a lot more energy and creates a lot more toxic waste producing new aluminum.

We also re-use ours in hats, of course.

The plastics recycling business is about to take a big hit since China is greatly reducing the amount of plastic waste that it imports to be recycled into much of the crap we in turn buy back from them.


----------



## JustJoel (Jan 2, 2018)

buckytom said:


> We use a lot of foil, and recycle it much like Rick does. I've read that people should try to recycle aluminum as much as possible since it takes a lot more energy and creates a lot more toxic waste producing new aluminum.
> 
> We also re-use ours in hats, of course.
> 
> The plastics recycling business is about to take a big hit since China is greatly reducing the amount of plastic waste that it imports to be recycled into much of the crap we in turn buy back from them.


I’ve always been hesitant to recycle used foil; somewhere I read that you shouldn’t put it in the recycle receptacle if it’s got burned on food, or grease, or any other food particles attached to it. I like to think I’m making my contribution, but washing my foil before I recycle it is a bit farther than I’m willing to go!

Any one else have insight into this?

PS to my main query,
I’ve pretty much decided, thanks to all your input, that I’m just gonna not worry about it, except for making our hats.


----------



## taxlady (Jan 2, 2018)

People used to worry that one side of the foil was toxic, I kid you not. It isn't. OTOH, I suspect that putting the shiny side inward would keep something hot longer. I'm fairly sure that the amount is negligible and probably requires fancy equipment to measure such a small amount.


----------



## Addie (Jan 24, 2018)

caseydog said:


> The shiny side, dull side *is just a by-product of the production process.* It is not that way intentionally.
> 
> I used to wonder if there was a "correct" way to use foil, but in years of informal experimentation, I certainly haven't noticed any.
> 
> ...



Same advice from my Reynolds Engineer landlord in Texas. 
And that was some 40 odd years ago. Since then I stopped worrying about it. Suggest the same.


----------

