Things You Should Never Put In An Air Fryer
Whatever you do, dont put these things in your air fryer
The best air fryers can be used to prepare all kinds of air fryer recipes, from succulent chicken-based dishes to soft and gooey cookies. This versatility and the convenience in use is what makes air fryers so popular even knowing how to clean an air fryer couldn’t be more simple.
However, air fryers are not invulnerable. In fact, there are some air fryer mistakes we all make, especially when it comes to knowing what you cant put in there. There are certain recipes which will result in nothing but disaster and avoiding them can help make an air fryer last longer. Want to know more? Here are nine things you should never air fry.
If you’re cooking in an Instant Pot instead, that’s an entirely different appliance. Check out our guide on Instant Pot vs air fryer for more details. Also, this TikTok air fryer potato Christmas tree hack has gone viral – here’s why.
Fast Safe And Easy To Use
The air fryer started out as a sort of replacement for a deep fryer. And while that was great, it wasnt enough to convince most people that they needed one, because not many people use a deep fryer on a regular basis at home anyways.
A common problem these days is that wed all would love to cook more often but simply dont have the time to do so. This is why ready meals and takeaway are so popular, even when we know how unhealthy they are. If you could cook foods like salmon or pork chops in the air fryer in under 20 minutes, wouldnt you rather do that than order out?
The fact that air fryers are fast and easy to use means that cooking at home is a much more tempting option. The air fryer makes dinner uncomplicated. All you have to do is season a piece of meat, like a chicken breast put it in the basket, and set it to cook. So simple.
Important Tips To Keep In Mind
- Always have the grate in the basket. This allows hot air to circulate around the food, and also keeps the food from sitting in excess oil.
- Air fryers are loud. When its running, youll hear whirring fans.
- Its hands-on. Even browning requires you to remove the basket and shuffle the food around every few minutes.
- It’s fine to pull out the basket for a peek. You can do this at any point into the cooking process. No need to shut off the machine, as it shuts itself off when the basket is out.
- Accordingly, make sure the drawer is pushed all the way in, or it wont turn back on. Youll know, because the air fryer will be suddenly quiet.
- Food cooks fast, faster than youre used to! Its one of the best attributes of the air fryer. Your air fryers manual likely has a handy table of cooking times and temperatures for common foods. The less food in the basket, the shorter the cook time will be the more food, the longer it will be.
- You may need a slightly lower temperature. A lot of air fryer recipes call for lower temperature settings than their conventional counterparts. This might seem fishy, but just go with it. Once again, air fryers get hot very fast and move that hot air around, so a slightly lower temperature will help keep food from getting too dark or crispy on the outside, while still being properly cooked on the inside.
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Air Fryer Crab Cakes With Chipotle Sauce
These deliciously crisp cakes are loaded with sweet crab. Not overmixing and allowing the mixture to rest before cooking helped the crab cakes hold their shape better, as did cooking them in an air fryer. Serve these hearty morsels with creamy chipotle sauce and you’ll have a decadent dinner in no time.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Crab Cakes with Chipotle Sauce
The Other Benefits Of An Air Fryer
You may be wondering why you should consider owning an air fryer. While cooking food with an air fryer can be more convenient than cooking food with traditional methods, there are also some benefits that make this appliance worth the investment. There are many types of air fryers, so youll have to make sure that you find one that works for your specific needs. One of the most common types of air fryer is the air fryer pan. These are very similar to regular pans, but they have a vent that allows hot air to escape. When youre cooking with an air fryer, you dont need to use any oil to help grease your food. This means that you dont have to preheat a pan in order to grease it, which can save a lot of time. And since theres no greasing involved, you wont have to worry about ending up with greasy or messy foods. The vent allows hot air to escape, which means that there wont be any splatters when you cook. This can be a big help when youre cooking for small children, or when you dont want food splatters to happen. Another benefit of air fryers is that they can be kept at a higher temperature than most traditional cookers. If you dont want to spend a lot of time on certain tasks, you can easily reduce the temperature to be lower.
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Faster Than Oven Cooking
A major advantage of an air fryer is that it gets extremely hot very quickly, and the circulating air helps the food cook evenly, get browned and crispy, without much intervention from you. This means youll be able to cut your cooking time.
An air fryer is faster than cooking in the oven not only because it can get hot quickly, but because of the smaller size of an air fryer compared to your oven. An oven typically needs up to 10 minutes to pre-heat, while the air fryer doesnt really need any pre-heating time for most recipes.
This means you can put your food right into the basket, slide it into the air fryer, set the time and be ready to eat in 10-15 minutes.
Its a great tool for quick and easy snacks. Whether for a party or after school treat, its super easy to turn it on, dump in your favorite snack, and cook it to perfection within minutes.
Do You Need Special Pans For Air Fryer Oven
Air fryer ovens are becoming increasingly popular as people look for ways to cook healthier meals at home. But do you need special pans for an air fryer oven?The short answer is no, you dont need special pans for an air fryer oven. Any pan that can fit in your air fryer and is safe to use at high temperatures will work fine.However, there are some types of pans that will work better than others. For example, aluminum or non-stick pans will conduct heat more evenly and prevent sticking. If you want to get the most out of your air fryer, its worth investing in a few good quality pans specifically designed for use in an air fryer oven.In general, any pan that is safe to use at high temperatures and can fit in your air fryer will work fine. However, there are some types of pans that will work better than others. Aluminum or non-stick pans will conduct heat more evenly and prevent sticking. If you want to get the most out of your air fryer, its worth investing in a few good quality pans specifically designed for use in an air fryer oven.
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Should I Line My Air Fryer With Foil
Whether or not you should use foil depends on the food you make. Some acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus react with aluminum hence you should not use foil. For foods that dont respond to aluminum, you can use foil, but it should only be in the base of the appliance.
However, the model of the fryer also affects whether or not you should use foil. Refer to the manual for precautions to be on the safe side. Ensure that you leave space in the aluminum foil for airflow circulation.
Best Foods To Cook In Your Air Fryer
Frozen foods like mozzarella sticks, fries, chicken nuggets and vegetables are transformed in the air fryer. Even homemade french fries are a breeze: Just slice potatoes into batons, rinse under water, toss in oil and seasoning and cook in the air fryer for 15 to 20 minutes. They turn out crispy without having to actually fry them.
Bacon is even easier. Add strips in a single layer in the basket and cook for 7 to 11 minutes, depending on the thickness and how crispy you want it. Its faster than the oven, you avoid grease splattering from the skillet, and excess grease drains into the drawer so its a healthier option.
Everything from steak to baked goods and even whole chicken can be cooked in the air fryer. To really get adventurous with your air fryer, invest in some inserts that allow you to make cakes, muffins, skewers and even pizza.
Its easier to list out what you cant cook in the air fryer because this device is so versatile. Avoid foods with a wet batter like beer-battered shrimp they end up sticking to the basket and causing a mess, and the texture comes out a bit gummy. Foods that are dredged and breaded, however, like chicken tenders or fish sticks, cook perfectly in the air fryer. Also, unless youre making kale chips, avoid leafy greens in the air fryer they dont really benefit from this cooking method and can end up flying around the basket from the force of the air.
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You Can Melt Down Your Countertop If Youre Not Careful
While air fryers are a countertop appliance, different models put off different levels of heat. Be sure to check the specs on your countertop materials to see how they handle heat and adjust accordingly. I use my air fryer on a rack over a sheet pan to keep air circulating underneath the unit, and to disperse any heat. If your counters are laminates, you could melt the glue, and some other manmade materials can scorch or even crack with the sustained heat.
Baking Potato In An Air Fryer Vs Baking Potato In The Oven: Which Is Better
Long before air fryers became popular demand, ovens were literally used for baking all kinds of food. However, ovens have its shortfalls, and now fall below the pecking order when it comes to baking or roasting food.
Baking potato in an air fryer makes it crispier, thoroughly baked, and flavorful. On the other hand, baking in the oven makes the potato unattractive, uneven, and somewhat half-baked. A perfectly baked potato is attractive and light, unlike ovens that leave the inside with an unattractive finish.
Using an air fryer saves time, and makes a whole lot of cooking pretty much more comfortable. Air fryers speed up cooking time by about 20 minutes, which is 2 â 3x faster than ovens. While some ovens are swift in cooking, getting that crispy and delicious taste is nearly impossible, and not the same as using an air fryer.
The best of it all is using an air fryer results in healthier cooking. Less oil is used, which results in less fat and calories.
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Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
You can have crispy, salty pumpkin seeds ready in just 30 minutes thanks to the air fryer. They are delicious plain, but also great with your favorite seasonings. Toss the seeds with a generous coating of ranch seasoning, chili powder or sumac, for instance, just before air frying them.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Pumpkin Seeds
How To Cook Chicken In An Air Fryer
Skin side up: Air fryers heat from above, so make sure your skin-on poultry always finishes cooking skin side up to crisp in the more direct heat. This means starting thicker bone-in breasts skin-side down and then flipping them, while thighs and split Cornish hens should cook skin-side up for well-burnished skin. Give it a poke: When cooking fattier chicken thighs and drumsticks, poke a few holes in the skin with a skewer to help render the fat.
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Doesnt Work So Well: Foods With Loose Seasonings
As you can imagine, any herbs or spices that arent stuck to your food might not stay put in an air fryer. Hold off on salting, peppering and seasoning your foods until they come out of the deviceotherwise, the little bits could get caught in the air fryers nooks and crannies, making it harder to clean.
However, if you do make this mistake, its not the end of the world: most air fryer pieces are dishwasher safe. Here are more tips for using one.
How To Use An Air Fryer To Prepare Complete Meals
Stack your dinner: How do you produce both a main and side in an air fryers compact space? Layer them! Placing our protein directly over vegetables not only yielded a full meal but allowed the meats juices to baste the veggies below. Use time wisely: Air frying is so hands-off, its easy to focus on preparing a simple side or sauce while the main dish cooks.Enlist the microwave: Theres no need to turn on the stove when air frying, but we do find the microwave incredibly helpful in parcooking certain foods, speeding up overall cook time. We also recommend using it prepare simple sauces to make many of your meals complete.
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Can You Use Foil Pans In An Air Fryer
The short answer is yes, you can use foil pans in an air fryer. However, there are a few things to keep in mind when using foil pans in an air fryer.First, its important to note that not all air fryers are created equal. Some air fryers have fans that are located on the bottom of the unit, while others have fans on the side or back. This can impact how well your food cooks when using a foil pan. If possible, its best to use an air fryer with a fan on the bottom for best results.Second, when using a foil pan in an air fryer, be sure to place the pan on a raised wire rack inside the basket. This will allow hot air to circulate evenly around the food and prevent sticking.Finally, keep an eye on cooking times when using a foil pan in an air fryer. Foods cooked in foil pans will usually cook faster than those cooked without one. As such, you may need to adjust your cook time accordingly.
You Can Make Sweet And Savory Baby Carrots In An Air Fryer
Chef Zach Cummings of Timbers Kauai in Lihue, Hawaii, told Insider that baby carrots are one of his favorite foods to prepare in an air fryer.
“The intense, focused heat of the air fryer achieves this beautiful caramelization in a fraction of the time it takes to cook baby carrots that way in a traditional oven,” said Cummings.
For perfectly caramelized carrots, Cummings said, coat them in extra-virgin olive oil, toasted fennel seeds, fresh thyme, sea salt, and pepper. Cook them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes and shake the basket halfway through.
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Works Well: Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds, say hello to your new best friend. The air fryer is an easy way to get those yummy little seeds baked to crispy perfection. While traditional methods would take you around an hour to complete, youll save plenty of time by using an air fryer.
No air fryer? No problem. We have a guide to roasting pumpkin seeds the traditional way, too.
Air Fryer Flower Fries
Made with a thin apple slicer and a melon baller, these cutie flower-shaped potatoes perfect for kids cook entirely in the air fryer until theyre tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. For best results, use potatoes that are similar in size, at least 1 1/4 inches wide. Once theyre done cooking, fill each flower with ranch dressing and a cherry tomato half. Or mix things up and add a different dip, like hummus or guacamole.
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Frozen Fish Fingers Or Goujons
Be it battered fish fingers or breaded chicken, the hot air element of an air fryer comes into its own when it comes to freezer food that calls for a crispy finish.
The upside of cooking these freezer foods in an air fryer rather than an oven is that not only will it be quicker, but the fried texture of the breadcrumbs or batter will be achieved. Oven-cooked soggy fish fingers, begone!
What Can I Cook In An Air Fryer 11 Easy Things To Cook
“Essentially an air fryer is a mini oven that can cook almost anything that a conventional oven can”, according to Currys kitchen expert, Lara Brittain. “The difference is, it uses rapid air technology to create heat quickly, so you dont need to pre-heat an air fryer in the same way that you should a conventional oven.” Plus, their small size allows the hot air to circulate quickly and more evenly. Even mastering how to clean an air fryer is an easy task, so it’s a winning cooking solution all around.
Here are 11 easy things you can cook in an air fryer to get you started on your new food journey.
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