You may already consider this common knowledge, but FORMAN recently discovered the benefits of parchment paper vs aluminum foil, and WHY parchment and wax paper are NOT interchangeable. HOWEVER, this knowledge was acquired AFTER he caused a fire in his oven!!
We don’t want YOU to go through what Forman did, so in case you didn’t know:
For future reference…
When to use parchment paper
– Lining the bottom of cake pans and baking sheets for a convenient, quick-release option when removing baked products.
– Mess-free option for rolling out dough – place the dough between two sheets before you roll it and kiss the mess goodbye.
– Preserve baked goods with parchment because it allows both moisture and air to get out.
When to skip parchment paper
– Parchment paper is not designed for high heat cooking. Avoid using it if the temperature in your oven exceeds 425 degrees.
When to use aluminum Foil
– Because aluminum foil conducts and distrubutes heat without becoming hot to the touch, it’s great for cooking at higher temperatures, or on things like the BBQ.
– Roasting veggies in the oven
– “Tenting” things like casseroles when under high heat so you don’t burn the top
– Lining the bottom of your stove for easy clean up
When to skip aluminum Foil
– You never want to put things like baked goods on aluminum foil, because it ISN’T non-stick. Depending on what you cook, the food can either stick to the foil or there will be pieces of foil stuck to the food.
When to use wax Paper
– Covering large surfaces for messy projects. Wax paper is much less expensive than parchment paper, so it’s great when you need to use large sheets that won’t be exposed to heat.
– Wrapping foods like sandwiches, instead of using plastic
– Cover foods that might splatter in the microwave. The temperature of microwaves can’t melt wax paper and this is a better alternative than plastic wrap
When to skip wax Paper
– Anything involving the oven. Wax paper is NOT heat-resistant and WILL melt in a hot oven*.
* As previously mentioned: Forman learned this one the hard way, when the wax paper set fire in the oven. DON’T BE A FORMAN!
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