Wraps & Liners

Aluminum Foil

Wraps, covers, and tents food for the oven and grill

A versatile metal sheet for covering dishes, tenting roasts to rest, lining pans, and making foil packets on the grill. Use the shiny or dull side, it makes no difference. Keep it off acidic foods for long storage, which can pit the metal.

Aluminum foil is rolled aluminum pressed into a flexible, paper-thin sheet that holds whatever shape you fold it into and shrugs off oven and grill heat. That combination of moldability and heat tolerance is why it earns drawer space in nearly every kitchen: it tents a roast to keep the top from scorching, seals a baking dish to trap steam, lines a sheet pan for fast cleanup, and folds into a packet that steams fish or vegetables over coals. It is a true workhorse — cheap, disposable, and endlessly improvised.

Types & varieties

Standard foil

Everyday weight for covering, wrapping, and lining.

Heavy-duty foil

Thicker and more tear-resistant — best for the grill, big roasts, and foil packets.

Non-stick foil

One side coated so cheese and skin release cleanly; the dull coated side faces the food.

Extra-wide foil

18 in rolls that wrap a whole turkey or span a large pan without seams.

Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil

Thicker, more tear-resistant aluminum foil for tenting roasts, sealing grill packets and lining heavy pans; holds its shape and shields better under high heat than standard-gauge foil.

Non-Stick Aluminum Foil

Aluminum foil with a food-safe nonstick coating on one side so cheese, fish skin, and sticky glazes release cleanly; the coated side faces the food, unlike plain foil.

Shiny side vs. dull side

The two faces look different only because of how the foil is milled — two layers are rolled together in the final pass, leaving the outer faces shiny and the inner faces matte. Functionally there is no meaningful difference in cooking; use either side up. The lone exception is non-stick foil, which has a treated side that must face the food (it is usually labeled).

How to use it well

Tent loosely over browning roasts to slow the top without steaming it. Crimp it tightly to a dish to trap moisture for braises. For a foil packet, lay food on a doubled sheet, fold the long edges together in a tight seam, then roll the ends to seal so steam stays in.

Tent (loose dome) to shield from browning
Crimp (tight seal) to trap steam
Packet (folded pouch) to steam over coals or in the oven

Care and storage

Foil is single-use but the cleaner pieces can be wiped and reused for covering. Store the box somewhere dry; humidity makes sheets cling and tear. Crumpled foil also makes a quick scrubber for cast-iron grates.

Common uses

Tenting roasts and turkeys while they rest or finishCovering baking dishes to trap steamLining sheet pans for fast cleanupFolding grill or oven packets for fish and vegetablesWrapping baked potatoes and cornShaping a makeshift pie-crust shieldScrunching into a scrubber for stuck-on grates

Tips & pitfalls

Keep foil off acidic foods (tomato, citrus, vinegar) for long storage — the acid pits the metal and can leave a metallic taste.
Never put foil in the microwave; the thin metal arcs and can spark a fire.
Doubling the sheet prevents tears and leaks in grill packets.
A loose ball of foil makes a passable substitute for pie weights when blind-baking.
Recycle clean foil where accepted, but rinse off grease first — food residue contaminates the batch.

Good to know

Material: Rolled aluminum, food-grade
Common gauges: Standard (~0.016 mm) and heavy-duty (~0.024 mm)
Typical roll: 12 in (30 cm) wide; 18 in extra-wide also sold
Heat safe to: Oven and grill safe; aluminum melts at ~660 C, far above any home heat
Microwave?: No — arcs and sparks; never microwave
Price range: Inexpensive; heavy-duty costs a bit more per foot