Wondering how to use an air fryer? I’ll go over everything you need to know to start using this adaptable kitchen tool in this beginner’s guide.
How to use an air fryer? Preheat the air fryer, make sure your food is dry, add a small amount of oil and place in basket, fry, and stir.
Continue reading for details.
What is An Air Fryer?
In addition to air frying, air fryers can also roast, bake, broil, crisp, dehydrate, and reheat food. Once you master it, air frying will become second nature to you because it’s so simple to use!
A basket air fryer and an air fryer oven are the two primary varieties of air fryers. A removable basket is included with basket air fryers, where food is placed. The interior of air fryer ovens, which resemble toaster ovens, has racks where you can place food. Although air fryer ovens offer more cooking options and food capacity, they also take up more room in your kitchen. Both varieties of air fryers operate similarly.
How to Use An Air Fryer?
There is a straightforward explanation for how air fryers operate, despite the fact that it might seem like magic. As you know, rather than using hot oil to fry your food, air fryers technically don’t do any frying at all. Instead, a fan that evenly distributes air throughout the appliance and high heat (from a coil near the food basket) produce a texture that is similar to that of deep-fried foods.
Preheat the Air Fryer
An air fryer needs time to preheat before it is ready to begin cooking, just like your oven. Your air fryer should be ready in five minutes or less since the majority of air fryers only require a short period of time to preheat. Set the temperature of your fryer (which may have a dial or a digital display to set the temperature) to the setting you’ll be using for cooking. Some air fryers don’t require preheating, but if you don’t, your food will probably take a little longer to finish cooking. To use your air fryer at the right temperature while you’re still learning how to use one, follow the directions in your recipe.
Make Sure Your Food is Dry
Especially if you’re frying a recipe with a marinade, make sure you pat your food dry before putting it in the fryer. Your food will come out crispier the drier it is when it goes in. Even if you believe your ingredients are dry, give them one final pat with a paper towel before placing them in the basket because too much liquid can also result in splattering and smoking.
Air Fryer Safety Tip: In your air fryer, stay away from cooking foods with more fat, like bacon. The excess fat can start smoking while you’re cooking.
Add a Small Amount of Oil and Place in Basket
While we wish it were possible to fry without any oil, air fryers do need a little oil to make your food crispy (but you’ll use a lot less than a traditional fryer). Before adding it to the air fryer basket, toss your food with a little bit of oil (about a tablespoon or less) to coat it evenly. You can also utilize a nonstick cooking spray made with a healthier oil such as avocado oil ($5, Target) with a high smoke point. Make sure you don’t overcrowd the basket with food. If you do, it won’t get crispy (and that’s the best part). To ensure that everything cooks evenly, it is better to cook in batches.
Fry and Stir
The amount of time specified in your recipe should be used to cook your food. Don’t go too far, though! The majority of recipes instruct you to stir your food or gently shake the basket halfway through cooking. Everything will cook more uniformly and become nicely crispy as a result of this. If you’re cooking food high in fat, like chicken wings, you might also need to check the bottom tray a few times to empty any excess fat. Release the basket and remove the air fryer base once the cooking period has ended. Then, take your food out of the basket and give it a moment to cool before consuming it.
Important Tips to Keep in Mind
- Keep the grate in the basket at all times.In addition to keeping the food from sitting in extra oil, this enables hot air to circulate around it.
- Air fryers are loud. When it’s running, you’ll hear whirring fans.
- It’s hands-on. Taking the basket off and moving the food around every few minutes is necessary for even browning.
- It’s fine to pull out the basket for a peek.This can be done at any stage of the cooking procedure. The machine automatically turns off when the basket is removed, so there’s no need to turn it off.
- Accordingly, make sure the drawer is pushed all the way in, or it won’t turn back on.You’ll know, because the air fryer will be suddenly quiet.
- Food cooks fast, faster than you’re used to! It’s among the air fryer’s best qualities. A helpful table listing the cooking times and temperatures for popular foods is probably included in the manual for your air fryer. The cook time will be shortened if there is less food in the basket and prolonged if there is more food.
- You may need a slightly lower temperature. Compared to conventional recipes, many air fryer recipes call for lower temperature settings. Though it might seem suspicious at first, trust this. Again, air fryers heat up quickly and circulate the hot air, so a little lower temperature will help prevent food from becoming overly dark or crispy on the outside while still ensuring that the inside is cooked through.
Mistakes to Avoid
Don’t use too much oil. Use a light hand with that oil! Excess oil ends up in the drawer under the grate, but if there’s too much buildup, it might smoke. Generally speaking, you might not even need to oil the food if it already has fat on it (like skin-on chicken or frozen fried food). However, vegetables benefit from a thin layer of oil because it helps them turn a nice shade of brown.
Don’t use cooking spray to grease the drawer. Seems like that would be a good idea, right? Cooking spray, however, can eventually deteriorate the nonstick coating on the baskets. (Really, it says so in the manual! Why, you didn’t read it?) Instead of using cooking spray, toss your food in oil—you likely already do this, in most cases—or wipe it down with a paper towel dipped in oil. I discovered that pre-fried frozen foods didn’t require additional grease to cook.
Avoid packing the drawer. You’ll discover through trial and error that cooking in small batches results in crispier food that cooks more quickly. It’s so tempting to add more potato sticks or beet shavings.
Don’t forget to shake the basket. Doing this periodically ensures food is evenly exposed to heat, which gives you better browning. A lot of recipes call for you to shake the basket every five minutes. Flip larger items instead, like breaded fish fillets. If a recipe calls for shaking or flipping and you don’t do it, it won’t be harmful, but you won’t get that profitable, oh-so-similar-to-fried-food result.
Don’t just pour the warm contents of the drawer into a bowl. Use tongs or a spoon to get cooked food out. The removable grate in your basket collects extra oil, so if you pull it out and tip it onto a platter, the oil will also spill out. You risk getting burned, a mess is created, and greasy food results.
The timer should not be relied upon completely. Many air fryers with baskets have a dial that you can set to resemble a vintage kitchen timer or the children’s game Perfection. When the timer expires, a PING sounds! and the machine stops. Five minutes passed erratically quickly on one of the models I was using. As a result, I set the timer on my phone at the same time as the air fryer, and guess what? The appliance was off by a few minutes. This is not a big deal because air fryers allow you to simply reset the timer until the food is cooked to your preferences. But do realize that not all timers run accurately.
Don’t put the hot drawer on the countertop. Think of the drawer as a hot pan. Especially the bottom will be hot when you remove it from the appliance. Take hold of the drawer by the handle, not the other components, and be prepared to set it down on a trivet or potholder if heat will damage your countertop.
With the air fryer, avoid being overly sentimental. The air fryer’s exterior, most likely the back, can become quite warm. Don’t get too frenzied with it, but it’s not hot enough to burn you either.
What Can You Cook in An Air Fryer?
You can cook just about anything in an air fryer! Proteins like chicken, fish or pork, healthy vegetable side dishes, appetizers such as zucchini fries or chicken wings, and even desserts and baked goods. For some cooking inspiration, see my collection of my best air fryer recipes.
The air fryer is especially suited for cooking foods that you want extra crispy or crunchy, such as French fries, fried chicken and baked potatoes with crispy skins. It’s also one of my favorite ways to cook meats such as steak or chicken, since they always turn out juicy and flavorful.
Air Fryer Safety
The safety instructions in the manual for your air fryer should be carefully read and adhered to. Here are a few tips for how to safely use your air fryer:
- You should never fill the basket with oil in an air fryer because they are made for air frying rather than traditional oil frying.
- Always cook in a well-ventilated area. Allow plenty of room around the air fryer so that the exhaust can properly vent. A wall should not be in the vicinity.
- You must be aware of the smoke point of the fat you are cooking when preparing some foods, such as bacon. To avoid smoking or burning, it is best to cook bacon at a temperature lower than the smoke point of bacon grease. I cook Air Fryer Baconat 350° F.
- The smoke point of the cooking oils you use should be considered. It might be best to steer clear of oils with low smoke points or to cook food at a lower temperature. You don’t want oil to burn, smoke, or splatter on the heating element.
- After using the air fryer, keep the hot basket away from your hands and countertops. When I remove the hot air fryer basket, I typically place it on a silicone trivet, pot holder, or hot pad.
- When not in use, turn off the air fryer’s electricity.
- Keep your air fryer off of the stove.
FAQs
How Does An Air Fryer Work?
How Does An Air Fryer Work? In an air fryer, hot air is circulated around the food in the basket using a heating element that radiates heat. Using much less oil than you might in an oven while still achieving the desired level of crunch allows you to take advantage of the hot air circulation. I also find that food browns nicely, giving you delicious flavor, especially on the caramelized edges.
How to Clean Your Air Fryer?
It’s important to clean your air fryer after every use, since a build-up of oil can make the unit smoke. In some instances, you can simply wipe off the drawer and grate with a paper towel. If they’re gunky, hand wash. Most models have parts that are dishwasher safe, so check with your manual.
Should You Use a Lot of Oil in An Air Fryer?
No. While some recipes don’t use any oil, most do—and it’s still significantly less than oils used in standard fried recipes. Most recipes only call for 1-2 teaspoons, or 1-2 tablespoons for breaded items.
Can You Fry An Egg in Air Fryer?
Simply crack 2-3 eggs into individual lightly buttered pie dishes. Use greased ramekins if pie dishes are not available. Air-fry for 3-5 minutes at 190C, or until eggs are fried to your liking. Utilizing a spatula, carefully remove from basket and place onto a plate.
Can You Put Raw Meat in Air Fryer?
It is safe to cook raw meat in the air fryer if it is fully defrosted, seasoned, and monitored. Frozen foods can be cooked in the air fryer once they are fully cooked, such as chicken tenders or fries. To ensure more even cooking and a tasty end product when using raw meat, it is advised to completely defrost it first.
Summary: How to Use An Air Fryer?
How to use an air fryer? Preheat the air fryer, make sure your food is dry, add a small amount of oil and place in basket, fry, and stir.
It’s beneficial to learn how to use an air fryer, whether you’re an expert or a beginner. The bottom line is that, like any other kitchen appliance, you won’t get the most use out of your air fryer if you don’t know how to use it.
You now understand how to use an air fryer from the moment you take it out of the box, as well as how to clean it and what to cook with it. Happy air frying!
If you have any questions, please leave a comment. My Prime Home tries to give you the best home improvement information. Don’t forget to share the post. Thank you for reading.
