Can You Use Foil in an Electric Oven to Catch Drips?

Foil can be used to catch spills and drips in electric ovens.

Aluminum foil is useful for many kitchen applications. The shiny sheets protect foods from overbrowning, seal tightly to keep stored foods fresh, line baking pans for easy food removal and cleanup and securely package food cooked on barbecue grills. You can safely use aluminum foil to catch drips in electric ovens by following a few guidelines.

Foil in Electric Ovens

Do not line the bottom of an electric oven with foil, liners or pans, because the barrier they create disrupts the oven's operation and makes food cook unevenly. These items may also damage the bottom of the oven, start a fire or cause an electric shock. To effectively catch spills, place a piece of foil directly under the dish on a rack or on the rack below the food. The foil should be an inch or two larger than the bottom of the dish and not cover the entire rack, which would prevent proper air flow in the oven.

Foil in Gas Ovens

Gas ovens have vents in the bottom necessary for proper operation and air flow that should not be covered by foil. Do not block any holes, vents or slots in a gas oven as this may damage the oven, create a fire hazard or block passages and generate lethal carbon monoxide emissions in the appliance.

Burners and Storage Drawers

Foil is not recommended to line or cover the drip pans or grates underneath burners on electric or gas ranges. The heat from the burners can ignite the foil, create an electrical shock on electric stoves or cause toxic carbon monoxide fumes on gas ranges. Do not use aluminum foil to line the storage drawers common on some stoves. Although the drawer is not part of the oven itself, the air that flows around it is essential for the overall oven operation. The oven heat may also cause the foil to adhere to the bottom of the drawer.

General Foil Usage Guidelines

Use new foil to catch spills under pans each time you bake to prevent fires in the oven and smoke in the kitchen. To make cookies brown better on the bottom, line your cookie sheets with foil. Line broiler and baking pans with foil before use to make cleanup easy and fast. Avoid covering or wrapping acidic foods in foil as they will interact with the material, create pinholes in it and give the food a metallic taste.

References

• Real Simple; Aluminum Foil Do's and Don'ts; Libby Callaway
• KitchenAid: Aluminum Foil in the Oven
• GE Appliances: Range: Using Aluminum Foil in the Oven