Surprisingly, many folks still don’t know what an air fryer is and how to use one. Neither did we until we purchased a few and tested them. An air fryer is basically a convection broiler that is modified for home use.
Enormously popular, it’s estimated that approximately 50% or half of all households in the US have an air fryer. There is essentially no limit to what you can cook in an air fryer. In other words, whatever you can cook in a traditional oven or stovetop, you can cook in an air fryer. Air Fryers are extraordinarily versatile as they can also roast, bake and reheat.
How Does An Air Fryer Work?
The main compartment of an air fryer holds a warming instrument and fan. Your choice of food is placed on a rack that sits in a fryer-type basket that is made from aluminum or some other type of metal and has a handle so it can easily slide in and out. Once pre-heated (this only takes minutes unlike a traditional oven), hot air surges down and around the food and broils the food in approximately ⅓ to ½ the time it would take in a traditional oven.
Steps To Using An Air Fryer
- Select your cooking mode, in this case we select “Air Fry.” Your air fryer digital display will now read “re-heat.” Now, place your basket into the air fryer unit. Pre-heating an air fryer is by actually selecting the actual cooking temperature that you can manually set. Or at least that is how the process works with the models we have tested. Cooking times for various foods are going to be different but most air fryers have general guides regarding. There are also thousands of books and quick guides online you can use or physically purchase. Place your food on the basket rack on a counter with some aluminum foil or paper towel underneath. You may want to add 1-2 tablespoons of oil such as olive or avocado to the food as this assists in giving it a bit of a crispy texture.
- Once the air fryer beeps, letting you know it has reached the proper temperature, place your food into the basket. Be careful as the basket will be hot. It is also perfectly permissible to place your food into the basket prior to pre-heating. It’s really just a matter of preference.
- Most air fryers will notify you of when the cook time is approximately halfway done. At this time you may want to turn your food over for uniform cooking but this is not always 100% necessary as the air generally flows uniformly throughout the air fryer. Once the cooking time has expired, the air fryer will notify you with a beep, letting you know your food is ready.
- Place your hand on the basket handle and slide out and remove the basket and place it on a stove top or counter with a silicone mat or flat pot holder as it will be hot. Take a wooden or plastic spoon (or a fork if it is something like a whole chicken) and place the food in serving dishes or directling on dinner plates and enjoy!
Final Thoughts About Air Air Fryers
Air fryers are a fantastic small cooking appliance for any size kitchen. The beauty of an air fryer is you can accomplish so much in less time than using a conventional oven but of course, ovens play a key role in home kitchen.
Like any small kitchen appliance in the marketplace, air fryers come in a wide range of prices, colors, sizes and functionality. There is no need to rush into purchasing one. Take some time read some articles and useful information online prior to making a decision to purchase you air fryer.
