Why I stopped covering the roast with foil
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I was flicking through one of my cookbooks over the weekend, looking for a bit of inspiration for roast night, when I came across yet another recipe telling me to cover the roast with foil, either before it goes in the oven or while it rests.
I discovered years ago how toxic cooking with foil actually is, and it's changed the way I cook ever since.
What's actually in foil
Foil is aluminium. Most of us know that much, but few of us think about what happens to it once it hits real heat.
What the research found
A 2020 study measured exactly how much aluminium ends up in food after it's been cooked wrapped in foil. The researchers found that heat, salt and acid all increased how much leached in, and some of the levels they found were high enough to raise real concern about exceeding the recommended weekly intake set by European food safety authorities.
It's not rare exposure
It's easy to assume this only matters if you're wrapping something in foil once in a blue moon. But it's the roast, the fish, the vegetables, wrapped most weeks in most kitchens. Once I started paying attention, I realised how often I was reaching for it without a second thought.
What I use instead
These days I cook with the Hagane Home Ultimate Roaster instead of foil. The vented lid lets hot air circulate and steam escape, while keeping the mess contained, so I get the same golden, juicy result without a single sheet of foil touching the food.
It's also how I do a proper slow-cook. A lamb shoulder can sit under that lid for hours, low and slow, and comes out so tender it pulls apart on its own. No foil needed, not once.
It's made from non-toxic, food-grade stainless steel, free from PFAS and synthetic coatings so it's safe for your food and your family.
I still love flicking through my cookbooks for recipe inspiration. I just skip the foil instruction now.