Someone explain the science between parchment paper and aluminum foil?

Being lazy, when cooking something in the oven, I usually put a layer of aluminum foil on the pan so I can just pick that up and throw it out....voila, clean pan. Or so you hope.

So many times, there's no tear in the foil I can see, but somehow grease, whatever gets under the foil. This was ESPECIALLY true when I started oven cooking bacon. Completely solid piece of foil.....still lots of grease underneath.

But then I do bacon on parchment paper....totally clean. Wait for the bacon grease to harden, throw out paper, cleanup done.

But aluminum foil is rolled metal. Metal is supposed to NOT be absorbent or permeable, right?

Parchment paper is (duh!) paper. Paper absorbs and is permeable.

So why does parchment paper work SO MUCH better?

Posted: 12/19/2019 at 10:35AM

Someone explain the science between parchment paper and aluminum foil? -- Late 80s Hokie 12/19/2019 10:35AM

75% of the time my aluminum foil holds the grease, but 25% it leaks through -- MVIII 12/19/2019 2:08PM

ASTM-757 recommends the Heavy Duty aluminum foil. -- MikeVT85 12/19/2019 3:21PM

This is the type of question the lounge is for, in my opinion! ** -- soldcokesatLane 12/19/2019 11:47AM

Yep ** -- EDGEMAN 12/19/2019 1:15PM

Parchment paper is for scrolls and cookie making ** -- bigbadbird 12/19/2019 11:42AM

Started using parchment paper a couple years ago. The stuff is amazing -- VTSnake 12/19/2019 11:23AM

Cast iron skillet. ** -- 6GHokie 12/19/2019 11:17AM

They make the best christmas gifts too. ** -- ElbertoHokie 12/19/2019 11:40AM

And rain barrels ** -- bigbadbird 12/19/2019 11:42AM

You broil your bacon? is that legal? ** -- bigbadbird 12/19/2019 11:06AM

Actually, no....bake. Broiler heat might be too much for the parchement -- Late 80s Hokie 12/19/2019 1:06PM

Why would where the burner is affect this ? ** -- bigbadbird 12/19/2019 1:07PM

I haven't measured the temperature, but when the oven is set to "Broil", -- Late 80s Hokie 12/19/2019 1:11PM

I hadn't really thought about the paper catching on fire and the grease -- bigbadbird 12/19/2019 1:13PM

It may be legal but highly frowned upon by the bacon lovers society. ** -- hokietony 12/19/2019 11:14AM

I used to be a purist about cooking bacon ONLY in a skillet... -- HokieSignGuy 12/19/2019 12:12PM

Yup...bunch of closed minded people. -- vthokieq 12/19/2019 1:52PM

This is changing my whole world view -- JoesterVT 12/19/2019 12:26PM

Always cook my bacon in the oven, make it medium rare, medium and well done -- Fightin Gobbler 12/19/2019 1:33PM

No grease popping/spattering onto your arm or into your eye either, so -- Late 80s Hokie 12/19/2019 2:28PM

I have been using parchment paper for most oven baking, even bacon, for -- ArdbegHokie 12/19/2019 11:04AM

One question: -- EDGEMAN 12/19/2019 11:04AM

You mean you don't? -- Late 80s Hokie 12/19/2019 12:21PM

LOL! This is what I use: -- EDGEMAN 12/19/2019 1:01PM

The BPA from the plastic gives it that something extra! ** -- ArdbegHokie 12/19/2019 1:24PM

Bonus baby! ** -- EDGEMAN 12/19/2019 2:35PM

It works... If you try to oven cook bacon on a sheet pan with foil, -- HokieSignGuy 12/19/2019 12:10PM

I'm thinking he has a rack on a baking sheet with foil/paper underneath. -- vthokieq 12/19/2019 11:15AM

Someone explain the science between parchment paper and aluminum foil?

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