Do you enjoy grilling? I sure do. I was cooking steaks the other day and realized my gas grill was getting quite dirty. I wondered: can I line my grill with foil? It may make cleanup easier. It turns out that’s not a good option.

Do not line the bottom of your charcoal or gas grill with aluminum foil. While it might make cleanup easier, it can accelerate grease buildup. This increases the risk of a grease fire.

Don’t line the grill grates with foil either. It restricts the airflow in the grill which can be a fire hazard. Lining your grill grates with aluminum foil doesn’t allow the juices and fat to drain naturally. They will pool up inside the foil. Cooking meats in excess juices and fats is not healthy.

You can wrap smaller foods like potatoes and vegetables in aluminum foil to grill them. Cooking with foil will make your job easier in the kitchen because you can keep an eye on multiple dishes right from your grill. You don’t have to use your oven or indoor range. But a cheaper environmentally friendly alternative is to use a cast iron skillet on the grill.

Depending on what you’re cooking, foil can be difficult to unwrap. Make sure there are no bits of foil in your food before eating. Use tongs to remove wrapped food from the grill as it will be extremely hot. Aluminum foil ignites at 1220º F. (660º C) so you don’t have to worry about it burning inside your grill.

If in doubt, refer to the manufacturer’s instructions before lining your grill with foil.

Cleaning your charcoal grill or gas grill with aluminum foil

You can use aluminum foil to scrub tough grease and baked-on food from your grill grates. But Weber Grills does not recommend lining your grill with foil and turning it on high to break up the grease and stains. This used to be a popular method to clean grill grates. But it restricts the airflow of the grill and is a potential fire hazard.

You can easily remove the grill grates and soak them in some hot soap and water for a thorough clean. Learn more in our guide on how to clean grill grates.

Use aluminum foil for smoking

You can also use aluminum foil to smoke meats on a charcoal or gas grill. You don’t want to wrap the meat itself, because the smoke will not fully penetrate it. You won’t get as much of the authentic smoky flavor that everyone loves.

But you can make a foil pouch for wood chips if you don’t have a smoker box. You just put a handful or two of wood chips in the pouch and set it next to your meats to smoke them. Smoke starts to form after about 10 to 15 minutes at about 225º to 250º F.

When putting wood chips in aluminum foil, you don’t need to soak them. The foil protects the wood chips from burning quickly. Poke one hole in the box to let the smoke escape into your grill. Too many holes may cause the wood chips to burn and catch on fire. One pouch typically produces smoke for between 30 minutes to one hour, depending on its size.

Similarly, if you have a smoker box you don’t need to wrap your wood chips or pellets in aluminum foil. Check the instructions on your wood chips to verify if they need to be soaked. Typically in smoker boxes and aluminum foil, wood chips are well protected from burning. So you don’t need to soak them at all.

If you want to put your wood chips directly on the grill, soaking may be a good option to keep their temperature in check. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions to determine if you need to soak them.

Here’s a quick video on how to make a foil smoker pouch for your wood chips.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you put aluminum foil on an electric grill?

Yes, it’s safe to put aluminum foil on an electric grill. Most electric grills reach a max temperature of about 500º, which is much less than the ignition temperature of aluminum foil, 1220º F.

Is cooking in foil safe?

Yes, cooking with aluminum may marginally increase the aluminum content in your food. But it is not dangerous for your health.

Can I wrap hot food in aluminum foil?

Yes, aluminum will keep food warm for about 30 minutes to one hour. Some websites claim that aluminum is detrimental to your health and can even lead to dementia, Alzheimers, and other ailments. This has been debunked. It is safe to wrap food in aluminum foil.

Here’s more info from the Alzheimer’s Society about the link between aluminum, dementia, and Alzheimers.

Which side of aluminum foil is toxic?

Neither side of aluminum foil is toxic. The sides are made differently in manufacturing. It does not matter which side you use. But, on non-stick foils, the dull side is non-stick.

Is it safe to cook with aluminum foil in the oven?

Yes, but in most cases you won’t want to cook with aluminum foil. It traps moisture which can steam foods like potatoes instead of bake them. Do not line the bottom of your oven with aluminum foil. This can restrict the airflow and is a fire hazard.

What can I use instead of aluminum foil on the grill?

Instead of aluminum foil, you can use either a cast iron skillet, a baking sheet, or a grill basket to grill your food. Don’t use parchment paper instead of aluminum foil. It can catch fire at around 400º, sometimes much lower, so it’s not nearly as reliable as aluminum foil.

Hopefully you found the information you need about lining your charcoal or gas grill with foil. You can wrap food in foil to grill it, but don’t line the bottom of your grill with foil. Have fun grilling!

For more content on outdoor cooking and grilling, check out our articles below.

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