Do you own an air fryer and want to learn the best air frying tips? Read on. Homemakers can use the air fryer to crisp food even without using oil, but it has several other uses. As a matter of fact, air fryer users can actually roast a whole chicken or pork roast, quickly reheat food, and even dehydrate foods, such as fruits and meats, with this appliance.
Air fryers can do so much that an oven can do, without occupying a considerable amount of space. Thus, it takes less time to cook the food and it will generally get more crispy on the outside and stay more moist on the inside. You can find air fryers for smaller or larger spaces, such as for larger families or businesses that need to cook more food at once.
Since this fantastic appliance is very helpful in the kitchen, it is important that you get the most out of it, so here are the best air fryer tips and tricks. Plus, a listing of the best air fryers if you want to get a new one.
10 Best Air Fryer Tips You Need To Know For The Best Air-Fried Foods
1. Skip The Battered Foods
While air fryers do wonders with several recipes, from dinner to desserts, there are actually some things you must avoid air-frying, and these are dishes dipped in batter.
The batter that gets super crisp and golden when you deep-fry your favorite fish and chips will only drip right off your food when you use an air fryer, and this causes a big mess within. If a fish fry is what you want, you can check out fried fish recipes formulated just for an air fryer.
2. Don't Forget To Preheat Your Air Fryer
Like your oven, air fryers must also preheat before you add the food. This makes sure your dishes, whether they are frozen fries or chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, will cook right away. And since these appliances are fairly smaller, they typically take only a few minutes to reach the targeted temperature.
3. Prepare Golden Brown Food Each Time When You Use Your Air Fryer
If you cook your favorite frozen fries or air-fryer appetizers, you may notice they look a little pale. Without oil, it is a fact that air-fryer recipes will not immediately gain that golden shade you have always wanted.
But you are not at a loss. You can try this air-fryer trick. That is, using a quick mist of cooking spray to attain that golden air-fried food each time without the excessive oil, such as when cooking air-fryer potato chips.
4. Avoid Overcrowding The Basket
Know this: Air-fried foods only turn out so temptingly crispy and golden if and only if they are provided with sufficient space inside the appliance for the air to circulate. Follow this tip: For the best results, cook foods in a single layer. This is key when cooking Southern-style chicken, air-fryer burgers, and the like.
However, there are exceptions. These would be with your air-fryer vegetable recipes. What you can do is load the basket with a pound of Brussels sprouts and roast them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring them only once.
5. It Is Also One Of The Tips And Tricks To Give It A Shake Or Flip To Cook Crispy Foods
To help food become crispy, always turn, rotate or shake the contents in the air-fryer basket, just as you would do when flipping French fries, chicken tenders, and fish fillets halfway through cooking in a traditional oven.
6. Don't Grease The Basket And Tray Of The Appliance
Air frying is very easy, so easy that you can even skip the usual steps like greasing the tray and basket inside. Recipes like your air-fryer ravioli and frozen foods work well without you adding any additional grease, beyond a light spray to help the food brown.
7. Another Of The Air Fryer Tips Is To Use A Thermometer When Cooking Meat
Since, with the air fryer, foods can nicely brown on the outside prior to them reaching an appropriate temperature on the inside, checking the temperature with a meat thermometer is a vital step to take for safety. That goes for both frozen and fresh foods in the air fryer. Follow this through by checking out the air fryer cooking time for your go-to meal, so you can be confident your food is well-cooked.
8. Use The Air Fryer To Reheat Leftovers
As it is, you can use your air fryer to cook several from-scratch appetizers and dinners, but did you know you can also use the appliance when reheating leftovers? That's right. Everything from day-old fried chicken to leftover pizza gets a completely new life with the air fryer.
Moreover, the circulating hot air heats the food evenly, giving it the crisp texture that microwaved leftovers usually do not have. For more, learn how to reheat fries and other leftovers in your air fryer.
9. Give The Appliance Some Space Throughout The Cooking Process
Whenever you are using your air fryer, be sure you move it a minimum of six inches away from any nearby walls. This will allow your air fryer to pull in air for circulation more effectively.
Once you are done using it and it has been cooled down, you can stash your air fryer toward the back of your counter or in a cupboard again.
10. Clean Your Air Fryer Well
So you've gotten the hang of using an air fryer. Chances are, you will be using it often. Keep it in the best condition by learning how to clean an air fryer the right way. We got the details right here.
The basket and drip tray must be cleaned after every use with warm soapy water or in your dishwasher if the manual specifies these parts are dishwasher-safe. If the heating coil inside looks a bit dirty, you can wipe that down using a damp cloth, but when the machine is cooled and unplugged. The outside of your air fryer may also be wiped down using a damp cloth. However, if you are running out of time and want to skip these steps, it is possible, provided that you put foil in an air fryer before use.
After Learning Those 10 Air Fryer Tips And Tricks, Let's Check Out The Best Air Fryers On The Market Today And Fry Foods Better
1. Ninja FT102A Foodi 9-In-1 Digital Air Fry Oven
This Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven is loaded with a lot of features and cooking capacity, leaving a small countertop footprint, unlike the other traditional methods of cooking. With this, you can air fry, air broil, air roast, bake, toast, dehydrate, warm, and reheat your favorite foods. And when you are done cooking, you can simply reclaim your counter space by simply flipping the oven up and away to clean and get ready for storage. You can get this from Walmart and Amazon.
2. CHEFMAN Large Air Fryer
Another promising air fryer is this from CHEFMAN. This air fryer makes healthy fried foods a reality. Cook at your desired temperature, and achieve a healthy, crispy and fried finish while only using less oil than what you would in traditional fryers. Air fry vegetables, pizza, frozen foods, and leftovers, among many others.
Extra guests, or just extra hungry? Either way, you don't have to worry. This air fryer was thoughtfully designed with the whole family and your friends in mind. It increases space by 40 percent so you can make delicious, crispy, and healthy food for the entire family.
It is also equipped with a digital temperature control and integrated timer so you can easily air-fry everything from frozen veggies to mozzarella sticks, chicken or fries, and even reheat dessert from yesterday. No need to worry about overcooking since, once the timer is up, the fryer will automatically shut off. Plus, it is easy to clean. This air fryer is available on Amazon.
Now That You've Learned How To Fry With Your Air Fryer And Some Best New Air Fryers Out There, Let's Answer Some Questions
What Can We Fry In Air Fryer?
An air fryer can be used to fry a variety of foods that are traditionally fried in oil, such as French fries, chicken wings, fish, vegetables, onion rings, fried chicken, tofu, shrimp, mozzarella sticks, and even donuts.
Are Air Fryer Baskets Healthy?
Yes, they are. Take note of these air frying tips. Air fryer baskets are a healthier alternative to traditional deep fryers as they use hot air to cook food instead of oil. By using hot air circulation, air fryers can cook food to a crispy texture without the need for excessive amounts of oil, which can lead to a reduced calorie intake.
How Long Does Chicken Wings Cook In Air Fryer?
The cooking time for chicken wings in an air fryer can vary depending on the size of the wings and the temperature of the air fryer.
Why Is My Fried Chicken Not Crispy In Air Fryer?
During the air frying process, if you pull out your chicken and notice any dry flour spots on the chicken, lightly spray those spots with oil. The chicken breading will never crisp up if it does not have a tiny bit of oil to hydrate it. It will simply burn.
Is It Worth Getting An Air Fryer?
Yes, it is. Studies show that air fryers are more energy efficient than using an oven and that means you can save on energy bills. They also produce healthier foods than deep frying or using an oil-soaked frying pan.
Conclusion On The Best Air Frying Tips
There you have it. What you just learned are the best air frying tips and some of the best air fryers on the market today if you wish to buy a new one. Be the master in the kitchen that you are -- the healthier way.