Tinfoil is commonly used for cooking, baking and food packaging. However, its reflective and insulating properties make it a perfect material for many other uses, not necessarily in the kitchen. Learn to think outside the box and make the most of the tinfoil roll!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Food Preparation and Storage
Step 1. Cook the food in aluminum foil
If the recipe calls for grilling or baking, wrapping meat, vegetables or other foods in foil prevents the dish from drying out too much and retains the flavors inside it better. Another positive is that, at the end of cooking, you can simply throw away the sheet of aluminum foil: no more pots or pans to wash!
- Make grilled fish or grilled vegetables. Season the raw fish or vegetables and then wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. Arrange the food on the wire rack after reheating it. When they are cooked through, open the package, transfer the fish or vegetables to a serving dish and throw away the foil. The convenience of this method is that there is nothing to wash.
- Make roast turkey. Arrange the raw turkey on a baking sheet and spread a sheet of aluminum foil over it, giving it a "tent" shape so that there is some room for air circulation. This will retain the juices in the meat as it cooks and will ensure that the dish cooks well without burning. When there is about an hour, remove the foil and continue cooking: at the end, the turkey skin will be well browned and crunchy.
- Line a baking sheet with a sheet of sturdy aluminum foil. Add the meat and / or vegetables, along with any seasoning of your choice. Form a package with the foil and close it tightly. Place the roast in the oven and proceed with cooking. When it's ready, transfer it to a serving dish and throw away the foil at the end: again, no pots to wash!
Step 2. Never use aluminum foil in the microwave
Aluminum has the property of deflecting electromagnetic waves, which are responsible for the efficiency of this cooking method. The result would be uneven cooking or even damage to the appliance. Remember: microwaves and metal don't get along!
Step 3. Keep food hot or fresh as needed
Aluminum is an excellent insulator, so it is ideal for keeping dishes warm or fresh. Use it to wrap leftovers or to bring your own lunch. Wrap each individual dish in sturdy aluminum foil. Shape the wrapper into a "tent" and pin the corners under the package tightly to retain the heat inside. If you can seal it properly, the temperature will hold for hours.
Step 4. Store food in aluminum foil
Among the packaging materials, aluminum is the one with the lowest rate of vapor and humidity dispersion. This means that it is the ideal material to prevent food from drying out. It is also excellent for preventing unpleasant odors. Wrap the leftovers in an airtight foil wrapper and place them in the fridge or freezer until you decide to consume them.
- If you don't have a fridge and freezer, one way to keep food fresh is to wrap it in aluminum foil. Store the wrapper with food in a cool, dry place, away from the sun.
- Tinfoil also works better than plastic to retain flavors and prevent food from drying out. Just make sure you seal every single food as airtight as possible! In this way the food will be less subject to dehydration and oxidation phenomena during freezing.
Step 5. Dissolve the lumps of solidified brown sugar
Wrap a few tablespoons of solidified brown sugar in aluminum foil. Bake at 150 ° C for 5-10 minutes: the lumps will melt.
Part 2 of 3: Housekeeping and Cleaning
Step 1. Eliminate static electricity from the dryer
Crush a few sheets of aluminum foil to make "dryer balls" to help reduce the static adhesion that develops during drying. Compress the foil into two or three balls with a diameter of about 5 cm. Check that the balls are well compacted and pressed evenly, so as not to risk them getting caught in your clothing. This is a cost-effective, chemical-free alternative to commercially available antistatic sheets.
- You can use the same balls for months. When they begin to unravel, replace them with new ones.
- Keep in mind that they will not have the same softening effect on the laundry as commercial products. Also, they could make the dryer a little louder. Taking these drawbacks into consideration, evaluate the cost-benefit ratio and decide if they are worth using.
Step 2. Line the ironing board with aluminum foil
A standard ironing board is designed to absorb heat and moisture. The foil retains heat and moisture around the garments, which should speed up ironing. Be aware of the dangers of intense heat and high humidity concentrated in one place: if you are not careful, you will greatly increase the risk of burning yourself.
Use this method to iron clothes that are not suitable for iron. Spread the clothes on the aluminum foil board and hold the iron 3 to 5 cm from the fabric. Press and hold the "steam" button to quickly unfold all the creases
Step 3. Polish the blackened metal
First, line the inside of a container with aluminum foil. Then fill it with hot water and add a tablespoon of salt, a tablespoon of baking soda and a teaspoon of liquid dish soap. Immerse the blackened metal objects that you would like to clean inside the container: jewelry, silverware, coins, etc. Leave it on for ten minutes. Remove the items from the water and dry them well.
Step 4. Sharpen a pair of scissors
Fold a piece of aluminum foil to create 5-6 overlapping layers. Then cut it with the scissors you would like to sharpen. This sharpens the blade and prolongs its life.
Step 5. Move heavy furniture with the help of aluminum foil
Before you start moving the furniture, cut out pieces of aluminum foil. Press them together and slide them under the furniture legs, with the dull side facing down. The foil pad should help the furniture slide more easily on the floor.
Step 6. Clean the dishes
Use a crumpled piece of tinfoil like a steel wool scourer. Vigorously scrub pots and pans - this should remove much of the crusted and scorched food residue. It will not be as effective as a real boater, but if necessary it can be enough. Use foil to clean all types of metal: grill, barbecue, bicycle parts, etc.
Part 3 of 3: DIY and Fun
Step 1. Get the cats to play
Take a piece of aluminum foil and ball it up. Pull it to the cat and watch it enjoy pawing and holding it between its teeth. This will save you the expense of purchasing a rubber ball. A tinfoil ball is a great idea even if you have kittens, as you can make it any size you like.
Spread a sheet of aluminum foil over the sofa cushions to prevent pets from jumping on them. When they throw themselves on the sofa they will hear the crackling: how much do you bet they don't get on it anymore?
Step 2. Use tinfoil for craft and small crafts
It is a very lively and suggestive decoration element and can also be used to cover the worktop in case of use of do-it-yourself products that get particularly dirty. Unleash your creativity and imagine what other uses it can come in handy!
- Wrap gifts with aluminum foil. You can find it in the most varied shapes and colors. It can become an inexpensive and creative way to pack!
- Use it in place of regular paper for crafting. Cut it out in geometric shapes or letters of the alphabet. It folds easily and can add a touch of refined elegance to your projects!
- Use aluminum foil to line the paint bucket. When painting, line a metal bucket with foil before pouring the paint into it. So final cleaning becomes child's play: just throw away the foil!
Step 3. Start a fire
To start a fire in a few minutes, get some foil, cotton wool and a AA battery. To make the connector, cut a strip of foil about 10 cm long and just over 1 cm wide. In the center of the strip, thin the foil further: by about 2 cm it should be a couple of millimeters wide. Wrap the cotton wool around the center of the connector, the thinnest part. Then connect each of the two ends of the connector to opposite poles of the stylus battery. The cotton should catch fire quickly.
- When the cotton starts to sparkle, add more twigs. Arrange the wood and feed the fire as it develops.
- Strictly follow the fire safety rules!
Advice
- A useful trick (but only a few follow) to ensure that the aluminum roll does not fall from the dispenser box, ending up on the ground, is to press the triangles located at the ends of the box: they serve precisely to block the roll.
- Generally, the foil has a glossy side and a matte side. If it's standard tinfoil, it doesn't matter which side you use. If, on the other hand, you use the non-stick type, to take advantage of its characteristics you must use the opaque side, which is the one that must be in contact with the food you want to wrap.
Warnings
- Tinfoil is not suitable for microwaves. At best, the food will be cooked unevenly. At worst, it could catch fire.
- Do not store foods with a high degree of acidity in the foil (e.g. pies, vinegar, tomatoes). Acids risk corrode it within a few days, exposing the food to the air and scattering the dish with tiny pieces of aluminum. These "aluminum salts" are not dangerous to ingest, but they can give food a metallic taste.
