Air fryers are an amazing and healthier way to cook. They really do help when you have a craving, but you can make the healthier version of it and not feel guilty. And these tips and tricks down below will help you make the most of your own air fryer. So give them a try and let us know how it goes!
Wash it immediately!
I’m sure you’re thinking well…duh! But, I know it’s easy to let your air fryer sit for a couple of days while you get around to cleaning it. However, it’ll only get harder to clean; so the sooner you clean it the easier it’ll be.
Never Apply Aerosols Directly
Spraying your air fryer with nonstick sprays like PAM can cause chipping to the basket. So instead, use a spray bottle to spray regular oil (i.e. olive oil) or purchase an oil mister.
Fry Those Veggies
Roasting those veggies isn’t just for the oven. You can also stick those vegetables into the air fryer for a quick and delicious side. The air fryer is great for vegetables because it allows them to cook from all sides and keep the outside golden brown, and the inside soft and tender.
Let the Food Breathe
Overcrowding the fryer’s basket will result in the food not cooking or browning properly on all sides and will take longer for the food to cook. But if you want to cook more all at once, then you can always upgrade to a bigger air fryer.
Shake it up!
When you’re cooking things like french fries and breaded chicken, make sure you shake the basket at least once. Shaking the basket will help the air to circulate and help to evenly cook the food. Some recipes say to shake once halfway through, but it doesn’t hurt to shake every 5 minutes or so.
Pre-heat, always!
Like other household appliances, pre-heating is important so don’t forget to pre-heat your air fryer, too! And if your air fryer doesn’t have a pre-heat setting, then you can just turn on your air fryer three minutes before cooking to help it catch up to speed and be at the right temperature.
Adapt Oven Recipes
If you have a favorite recipe for your conventional oven, you can easily adjust the temperature of your air fryer to use those traditional oven cooked recipes. Lower the recipe temperature by 25 degrees to adapt your recipes. For example, if the recipe calls for 400 degrees, then turn your air fryer down to 375 degrees.
Use Toothpicks
Sometimes lighter weight foods can end up getting pulled into the air fryer’s fan. So to prevent this from happening, use toothpicks to secure the foods that may be pulled up into the fan.
Got smoke?
If, while you’re cooking, you start to see white smoke, add 2 Tbsp of water to the basket of your air fryer and this will stop the smoke and allow your food to keep cooking.
Self-drying!
Once you’re finished washing the basket of your air fryer, simply place the basket back in and turn the air fryer on for another 2-3 minutes and let it dry itself out.
Air fryers can make your favorite dishes healthier, but keep them super tasty! So give these tips and tricks a try and let us know how it goes.
And one last thing, did you know you can even reheat fried chicken in an air fryer so that it stays crispy? Air fryers are so cool!
Chasing Foxes was started in 2016 as a way for Grace and her husband, Silas, to start traveling. However, they started to realize that they had a passion for improving themselves, and wanted to help others level up their lives as well. So whether it's with cooking, travel, or staying healthy, they want to help you better your life bit by bit, as they do the same.