If you have an air fryer, it is best that you can master it. You should learn its fundamentals–from frying veggies and fries down to the proper way of cleaning it.
The following tips should be able to teach you all the things that you need to know about this fantastic kitchen utility.
21 Air Fryer Tips That You Should Know!
Tip #1: Preheat Your Air Fryer
Many air fryers claim that they no longer need preheating. I recommend that you discard that marketing pitch. Similar to ovens, preheating your air fryer greatly benefits your ingredients. It is an effortless step; it doesn’t even take more than five minutes. However, it significantly reduces the cooking time of your recipes.
Tip #2: Don’t Use Non-Stick Aerosol Spray
Alarmingly, there are a lot of nonstick cooking sprays that have additives that can weaken the nonstick coating of air fryers. If you want to ease the process of applying oil in the air fryer, just get a food-safe spray bottle and fill it with your preferred oil and lard.
Tip #3: Oil Your Air Fryer Basket
Almost all air fryers have baskets that have nonstick coatings. However, this doesn’t mean that you will skip greasing their baskets. In this way, you can guarantee that your food will not stick at all. The best oils for this matter are those that have a high smoke point since they don’t burn or smoke amidst high temperatures.
Tip #4: Add Water To The Air Fryer When Preparing Fatty Food
Ingredients that contain a substantial amount of fat, such as bacon and chicken thigh, can cause your air fryer to smoke. The fat that drips from these ingredients gathers to the air fryer, which, in turn, would result in smoking or burning. To prevent this from happening, you can add water to the tray before you start using the air fryer.
Tip #5: Drain The Fat From The Ingredients
You can always stop or pause the air fryer if you notice the fat is already smoking. Remove the food first so that you can drain the fat out from the tray. Of course, it is indeed beneficial if your air fryer has a pause/start feature so that you will be able to do this feat. Otherwise, you should just do the previous tip.
Tip #6: Reheat Food On Air Fryers, Not In Microwave
It is a common practice that we use our ovens in reheating food. But interestingly enough, you can use your air fryer to do the same thing. Your air fryer can reheat leftovers that are still edible. All you need to do is to set it on a low temperature so that the reheating can be done without the risk of overcooking your food.
Tip #7: Don’t Reheat For Extensive Periods
It is a mistake that you reheat your food in an air fryer for longer than a minute. Keep in mind that these devices have powerful heating elements; in short, they can heat air quickly. If the air fryer has been preheated, just let your food stay there for a minute. Otherwise, your leftovers will get bland, soggy, and too crispy.
Tip #8: Use The Drippings In Drawer To Make Sauces And Condiments
Even if the fat in the air fryer is mixed with water, it is still usable for sauces. It is still flavorful and downright applicable as an ingredient for pan sauces, gravies, and other recipes. Never throw the drippings away!
Tip #9: Don’t Apply Oil In Food Excessively
Many think that dousing your food with a lot of cooking or vegetable oil will enhance its crispiness while being cooked in an air fryer. However, always remember that crisp results are derived from food that has a minimal oil content. For instance, if you fry food coated with a lot of oil, it will get soggy. Learn how to control how much oil you put in your dishes.
Tip #10: Shake The Air Fryer During The Cooking
Again, many air fryers would want to claim that they can fry or bake things perfectly–even without your intervention. But if you are skeptical about this, it is best that you shake the basket a few times while the air fryer is cooking. You can just leave the air fryer running while you take out the basket to give it a good shake. By shaking, ingredients will be rolled and turned over properly. It is incredibly beneficial for small ingredients like french fries and veggies.
Tip #11: Avoid Over-Stuffing The Air Fryer Basket
Do you want to achieve the maximum flavor and texture every time you use an air fryer? Then you should stop putting too much ingredient in its basket. If there’s a lot of content, the air inside will not be able to circulate properly. Once this happens, your food won’t get prepared properly. It will cause some sides to be overcooked while the rest, soggy and tasteless. Give enough space for the heated air to work on your food.
Tip #12: Cook Frozen Goods In Your Air Fryer
Albeit the popular belief, you can actually cook frozen food in your air fryer without thawing them. The heated air generated by this machine is enough to remove the stiffness of frozen ingredients. Since the device is not using fire, it can melt the rigidness smoothly.
Tip #13: Cook Large Ingredients In A Single Rack, Not In A Stack
Items like pork chops, burgers, and fish fillets should be cooked in a single rack of an air fryer. If you stack them against each other, expect that the sides in contact with each other will become soggy and colorless. If you intend to prepare food in large batches, cook them in multiple batches.
Tip #14: Use Parchment Paper Or Foil For Easier Clean-Up
Some recipes tend to generate enough mess that can make you scratch your head. If you deem that the recipe you are making has lots of sticky and greasy ingredients, I recommend that you put them on a sheet of parchment paper first. Do this before you insert them in the basket of the air fryer. In this way, you will be able to minimize the splatter and stain that you clean.
Tip #15: Check The Doneness Of Your Food
Temperatures in air fryers vary from one model to another. Hence, it is essential that you assess the food’s doneness. You can do this through the use of a kitchen thermometer. If you have a recipe book, you will be able to tell the appropriate cooking temperature for a particular dish. The thermometer can tell you if your food is being cooked in the right amount of heat or not. Adjust the timer and temperature controls accordingly so that you can achieve the best results.
Tip #16: “Hold” Light Ingredients
Air fryers have powerful fans. And if you put light ingredients inside the machine, the fans can blow them easily. There are effective ways of dealing with this problem. You can use toothpicks to hold sandwiches. Metal trivets are also great for holding quesadillas and tortilla chips.
Tip #17: Air Fryers Are Perfect For Making Toasted Nuts
You don’t need to use an oven for toasting nuts. The superheated air of air fryers is already enough to quickly toast nuts, regardless of their quantity. You can save time preparing these tasty treats if you are going to prepare them in an air fryer. Just toast the nuts until they turn golden.
Tip #18: Be Smart In Breading
It is essential that you press the breading to the food before inserting it into your air fryer. You can use your hands on this process to ensure that the breading is tightly attached to your ingredients. In turn, it will allow the breading to integrate properly into your dish, allowing tastier results.
Tip #19: Mix Seasonings With Oil
Another method can stop the spices and seasonings from being blown while inside the air fryer. Just mix them with oil since the fluid has a heavier texture. After that, you can coat your food using the mixture. That would help things glue together and achieve delectable outcomes.
Tip #20: Invest On Accessories
Interestingly, there are numerous accessories tailored for air fryers. Such tools are the following: baking pans, trivets, ramekins, springform pans, and racks. When you have these items, the versatility of your air fryer gets to a new level. You will be able to create unlimited recipes because of them, and that’s pretty fantastic.
Tip #21: Clean Your Air Fryer Every Time You Use It
It would be best if you make cleaning your air fryer a habit. Do not wait for the gunk and stain to sink in. As much as possible, you should clean the device after you use it. It is a simple process but will extend the cleanliness and lifespan of your air fryer twofold!
Do you know other useful air fryer tips? Comment them down below!