Why Does Food Stick To Foil?

Foil is one of my favourite things to use in a kitchen as it is so versatile and can be used for a number of cooking styles, but one thing that really annoys me is when the food gets stuck to the foil.

Foods stick to foil for a number of reasons, the most common is the lack of oil or water to keep the food from cementing to the foil itself. Another reason is using sticky foods and sauces which naturally attach to anything and finally the food itself being wrapped too tightly with the foil.

In this article, I am going to explain why your food is sticking to foil and how you can avoid it and prevent it in the future.

5 Reasons Food Sticks To Foil?

There are a number of reasons food can stick to foil, it isn’t always an exact science and different foods can behave differently when in foil and different cooking situations.

Here are 5 reasons your food is sticking to foil.

1. Sticky Secretions

Most foodstuffs are either the product of scientific processes, or are subject to scientific processes themselves. The important result is that food tends to leak stuff when it is either cooked or chilled. A lot of meats will leaks fats and oils when cooked, as well as water escaping through porous meat.

Similarly when placed in a fridge freezer or left on the kitchen side to cool, as the food contracts with the lowering of temperature moisture is forced out. This is all completely natural and normal. The problems come when the food item is either resting on, or encapsulated with foil.

The secretions, of whichever nature, form a sticky layer between the meat and the foil surface, causing the food to stick to the foil. One way to understand this process, if a little distasteful, is to notice how clothing sticks to your body as perspiration dries. The result is exactly the same.

2. Brittle Foil

Not all foils are made equal, and not all foils retain their structural integrity after having been used more than once. If left on the side of the roll before being used, or if removed from one food item and placed on or around another the foil will most likely have become brittle.

The effect of this is that food will stick to the foil more easily as the surface layers break down over time. An exaggerated comparison to understand the effect would be to run your hand, or even long hair, across stubble. The effect is enhanced friction, creating a sticky response without any moisture being involved, similar to velcro.

One of the most common causes of this is leaving foil on a grill; when used for food such as toast this is not much of an issue, but over time the foil can break down, creating a rougher surface.

3. Pressure Induced Fusion

Whilst this is a complicatedly named issue it is perhaps more common than you may think. By wrapping food tightly in foil you risk squashing parts of the foil into the food item itself.

Particularly if the foil is crinkled there is a risk of foil ridges being pressed under the surface of soft food items, creating grip and the effect of stickiness. 

4. Freezing

Most people are more than happy to wrap food items in tin foil for freezing, and in itself it is a perfectly fine thing to do. The problems arise if the food item is moist, or contains liquids below the surface. In this instance a wet layer can form between the food item and the foil surface, which in turn will freeze.

You may not even realise the possibility of this until you remove the food item from the foil, as not all food items contain obvious moisture. This problem is exacerbated by wrapping moist food in foil while still warm before freezing, as the food item will sweat before being frozen. 

5. Acidic Foods

Food items that are high in acid content, such as fruit, high vinegar content items, tomato sauce etc can be more likely to stick to foil than others. This is because the acid can eat away at the foil, causing parts of the foil to dig into the food items creating sticky friction.

This is less likely to be a serious issue if the food is only wrapped in tin foil for a short while, but over time the degradation of the foil will increase, causing the problem to occur. 

How To Stop Food Sticking To Foil

Lubrication

Whilst moisture existing between the food item and the surface of the foil can be the main cause of food sticking to tin foil, not all liquid is problematic. The main scientific effect that creates friction between food and foil is grip, almost glueing the two items together. This can be prevented far more easily than it can be cured.

The best method for achieving this is to lubricate the area between the food item using a non-stick substance. Most people are aware of the properties inherent in cooking oils and butter; both are used to prevent food from sticking to pans, for example. The same substances can be utilised to prevent food items from sticking to tin foil.

If cooking items with high levels of moisture, particularly such as meats, on top of a layer of foil it is good practice to spread an even layer of oil or butter on to the foil. This will prevent the moisture between the food item and tin foil from being able to fuse the two together. You can also use other substances such as coconut butter, or margarine, if you prefer. 

If you are using tin foil to wrap food items to be chilled or frozen then the item itself should be covered in a thin layer of oil if possible to create the same effect. 

Reduce Surface Area

A reliable method of preventing food items from sticking to tin foil is to reduce the amount of surface area of the tin foil that is in contact with the food item. The more of the surface that is in contact, the more chance there is for the surface to stick to the food item. There are two good ways to achieve this.

One is to softly crinkle the tin foil before wrapping around the food item, or before placing under it to cook. The other is to fold the tin foil in a concertina shape, almost like folded curtains, so that there are gaps between the food item and the foil surface.

The risk of both is creating sharp edges, which can cause the tin foil to either tear or dig into the food item. Be very careful when using either method, as you could create sharp edges and cut yourself on them.

Remove Moisture

Removing moisture from food items is a method that can reduce the chance of them sticking to tin foil if you are planning to freeze them. This doesn’t have to be too excessive. IF the food item is meat based, or oily, squeeze the item gently until the moisture has partly been squeezed out.

The next and most important step is to wipe the outside of the food item before wrapping it, then when it is dry place it in or on the foil before placing in the freezer. This method can also help when you are placing items in a fridge freezer, as you are removing the layer of moisture that can stick the foil to the food. 

Let Food Cool

Before wrapping food items in tin foil and placing them in the fridge or freezer allow them to fully cool. This will go some way towards ensuring the food item has finished ‘sweating’ moisture and fat from inside and should prevent them from secreting any more when the items are being stored.

It is vitally important that you make sure the cooling process occurs while the food is unwrapped, otherwise you will end up with a layer of sticky moisture inside the foil before you put the food item away. 

Check Foil Before Use

If you are reusing tin foil, having used it either for cooking or wrapping previously, make sure you check it before use. Check the surface for bumps, tears, and bulges between the layers. Also try scrunching it up a bit to check whether it has become brittle.

Any of these imperfections can create friction and ultimately cause the food item to stick to the tin foil. Also make sure to check the tin foil for food debris, as this in itself can bind to the food item when heated or frozen. 

Pierce When Cooking

When using a layer of tin foil on a grill make sure to pierce a few holes in between the grill bars themselves. This will allow excess fats and oils to drain into the tray below, reducing the amount of liquid between the food item and tin foil to stick them together.

You should also make sure the grill bars are free from food debris to maintain the integrity of the tin foil. The potential problem with this technique is that the fats and oils will pool in the tray below, creating a lot of congealed mess. You can remove this problem by placing another layer of tin foil on the bottom of the tray to catch the fats and oils.

If you choose to do this, make sure to dispose of the bottom layer after each cook, otherwise you could create a fire risk. 

Removing The Foil

As strange as it sounds you can reduce the effect of stickiness between food items and tin foil through the way you remove the tin foil from the item. If you are concerned that you haven’t followed any of the other steps when you put the wrapped food away, do not be too concerned, all hope is not lost.

When it is time to unwrap the food, simply be very careful with the way you remove it. Open the wrapped item very carefully, making sure to peel the tin foil rather than rip it. Once the item itself is visible and touchable, place a small amount of pressure on the item to make it easier to peel back the foil.

Similarly if using it for cooking, make sure to move the food item around the foil carefully, rolling where possible rather than sliding, to make sure you haven’t stuck them together.