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11 Best Air Fryer Tips and Tricks

11 Best Air Fryer Tips and Tricks

Air fryers have become very popular and for good reason. They are convenient, easy to use and consume electricity than conventional ovens. As with anything new, you might be wondering what you don’t know. To help you stop wondering, here are my 11 best air fryer tips and tricks to get you started with your air fryer.

11 Best Air Fryer Tips and Tricks

There is a wide range of air fryers available. Make sure you choose an air fryer that suits your family and cooking style the best. Here you can read my guide on the best air fryers to buy.

Let’s get to the 11 best tips and tricks.

Preheat Your Air Fryer (If the Recipe Says so)

It is quick to preheat your air fryer, simply turn it on for 2 – 3 minutes. When you preheat your air fryer, your cooking time will reduce. So make sure you adjust the cooking time from your recipe. Or if the recipe doesn’t require preheating, simply skip the preheating part.

Shake the Basket Halfway Through the Cooking Process

I have to admit, I often turn my air fryer on and forget about it until I hear the beep at the end. But if you like more evenly fried food, it is best to shake the basket halfway through the cooking process. For larger items, use silicone tongs to flip over your food.

OXO Good Grips 9-Inch Tongs - Best Air Fryer Tips and Tricks

Put a Slice of Bread on the Bottom of the Air Fryer

Air fryers use very little to no oil but you will still have oil and grease dripping from your food getting stuck at the bottom of the air fryer. To soak up the oil and prevent it from hardening, put a slice of bread on the bottom of your air fryer.

Don’t Over Crowd the Basket

I know you want to get it all cooked in one go. But if you over crowd the basket, you will end up with unevenly fried food. You also risk undercooking some of the food items and nobody wants to eat that. Rather leave a bit of space between your food items.

Spray Your Food With a Bit of Oil Halfway Through Your Cooking

If you like extra crispy food, there is nothing wrong with adding a bit of extra oil halfway through the cooking process. In fact it will enhance the flavor of your food.

Be careful how and what you spray though. Take the food out of the basket before you start spraying. Spraying food inside the air fryer can result in oil all over the interior. I don’t recommend using aerosol cans as they have harsh agents that is harmful to the coating of the air fryer. Rather invest in a good kitchen spray bottle and fill it up with your preferred oil.

Evo Oil Sprayer - Best Air Fryer Tips and Tricks

Avoid Cooking Light Foods

By light, I mean the opposite of heavy. You can cook food light in color…

Be careful with food that are lightweight. Air fryers distribute the heat through a fan and light items might get blown away. Literally, they end up in the fan, or somewhere obscure. You will have a big mess plus it can be dangerous.

Cooking Times May Differ

The more you use your appliance, the better you will get to know it. There are indications on recipes and the air fryer itself as to what heat setting to choose. How long you need to cook your food will also be indicated. But nothing is perfect so be prepared to adjust with a few minutes here and there.

Use a Thermometer to Check Your Meat

I am lost cooking meat without a thermometer. Have you watched Master Chef and wonder how the chefs know exactly how well done the meat is? I also wonder. I am not one of those people who can estimate without help. A thermometer takes away all the guessing.

Thermometer

Use Parchment Paper for Food That Stick

Some types of food is trickier to cook than others. I always feel like fish is fragile. It breaks apart quickly and tends to stick to the basket. To prevent this, place your food on a piece of parchment paper inside the basket.

A great help is air fryer parchment papers. They are precut with air holes, ensuring there is still proper air circulation around your food.

Use Tin Foil

Tin foil can be used for various reasons. You can cook on it to reduce the mess and make clean up easier. Or use it when cooking food with liquids. If you like steamed food, wrap your food in the foil and cook it in your air fryer. If you don’t like foil, disposable paper liner is also a great option.

Use Your Air Fryer to Reheat Leftovers

Air fryers work great to reheat food that tends to get soggy in the microwave. Your air fryer is the ideal appliance to quickly reheat leftovers and keep them crispy.

I hope these tips and tricks help you getting maximum cooking from your air fryer. Enjoy your cooking while building a stronger life.

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Lize

I love helping women to empower themselves with knowledge and wisdom so they can build stronger lives and embrace a new better version of themselves. Let me show you how to connect a healthy body, mind, and soul so you can live with confidence. See Here >>

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