The Cookina grilling sheet: a real breakthrough?

Last year, we briefly spoke about the Cookina reusable grilling sheet. Its promises? According to the company, this sheet is reusable, easy to clean and allows for oil-free and fat-free cooking. Well, we admit it, this sheet is truly a wonderful alternative to aluminum foil.

At first

I started using this product about a year ago, intrigued by the general idea but also because my own Napoleon barbecue is a small, portable one and the flame is quite close to the grilling area.

When I grill certain pieces of fatter meats, such as ground beef, flare-ups are all too common. I thought the grilling sheet might solve this problem.

So I first tried it with a beef patty and results were amazing. The fat from the meat simply stayed on the Cookina sheet, never touching the flame. As for the meat, it remained juicier than if it had been cooked directly on the grill.

On my next test, I prepared some ribs and grilled them at low temperature while basting them a few times. The result was just as delicious as if I’d used a mix of indirect (with foil) and direct cooking.

In the oven during winter

The Quebec winters are extremely cold for at least two to three months, so I have little choice but to use my conventional oven. That’s when the baking sheet comes in very handy. Just use it as you would regular aluminum foil. I myself use it directly on the oven’s cooking plates to avoid sticky and hard to clean residue. It is great for cooking bacon, chicken breasts and even skewers.

Easy to clean

All you need for thorough cleaning of the grilling sheet is soap and water. Unless some fat or other liquid spilled over, the grill normally won’t need cleaning. Although some residues remain a bit tougher to clean, it is never as hard as with other kitchen accessories.

After a year of use

After one year, its original aspect is gone; but even if a bit deteriorated, it is still in good enough shape so that no food will stick. At this point, it only takes a little more time to clean it. I must admit though, that I didn’t always follow to the manufacturer’s instructions regarding its maintenance. In fact, I did not often wait for it to be totally cold before putting it in water. That might have had some effect on its degradation.

Verdict

I liked it enough to go out and purchase another one just recently.  While studying its many uses, I discovered other practices I would like to try. For example, covering a casserole – or any other type of similar foods – while cooking in the oven, in order to get a more even result. It again replaces aluminum foil in this manner.

What I liked:

The versatility of the Cookina grilling sheet – Even if other types of sheets are offered, each promising a different purpose, the versatility of this one prevents multiple purchases.

The savings and the environmental benefit – With only one sheet, I refrained from buying three to four boxes of aluminum foil which would have ended up in the garbage after being used only a couple of times.

The easy cleaning–I scrub a lot less than before and that is a wonderful advantage since I hate this chore.

Please note that Cookina grilling sheet is also available in individual pack.

Below is a list of fireplace and grill stores that service Iowa (IA)

Bettendorf, IA

Fireplaces Plus, Inc.
1745 State Street
Bettendorf, IA 52722

Fireplaces Plus, Inc. LogoVisit Store Page

Cedar Rapids, IA

Colony Heating & Air Conditioning
2224 16th Avenue SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

Dubuque, IA

Dubuque Fireplace & Patio
925 Century Dr
Dubuque, IA 52002

Dubuque Fireplace & Patio LogoVisit Store Page

Sioux City, IA

Kalin's Indoor Comfort Inc.
1715 4th Street
Sioux City, IA 51101

Kalin's Indoor Comfort Inc. LogoVisit Store Page

Rochester, MN

Brekke Fireplace Shoppe
1904 S. Broadway
Rochester, MN 55904

Brekke Fireplace Shoppe LogoVisit Store Page

Omaha, NE

Fireplace By Design
13913 R Plaza
Omaha, NE 68137

Sioux Falls, SD

Hebron Brick Company
2211 W. 50th Street
Sioux Falls, SD 57105-6525

Hebron Brick Company LogoVisit Store Page

Vermillion, SD

Kalin's Indoor Comfort Inc.
710 Cottage Avenue
Vermillion, SD 57069

Kalin's Indoor Comfort Inc. LogoVisit Store Page

For more information, contact your local fireplace and grill store.

2 Responses

  1. SCOTT
    I used on my grill as the grates had deteriorated. While i was gone my roommate threw a children's birthday party with other parents and cooked on the grill using the cookina sheet. At some point he must've had the temp too hot as the cookina sheet suddenly caught fire and the flames leapt up and melted the vinyl underside of my covered deck. Thank god it didn't catch that on fire or it would have burned the house down. I talked to a few other witnesses and they confirmed it caught fire, burned very hot, and the flamed jumped high. Even closing the grill lid didn't help as the flames engulfed it.
    • Dominique Page
      Hi Scott Thanks for reaching out. Sorry you had this awful experience with the Cookina. The Cookina is not meant to be burnt at high temperature. Another key note, this event highlights the importance of never using a gas grill that has deteriorated. Burners and grates need to be maintained. Thankfully no one got injured and no further damage happened. Dominique

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