Tips for Using Your Air Fryer

So you just got an air fryer…now what? How do you use your air fryer? This post will give you some quick tips for using your air fryer like a pro.

Figuring out any new appliance is a hassle. This quick guide will get you off on the right foot and covers all the big questions most people have.

How it Works

Air fryers are essentially miniature ovens.

Just like an oven, an air fryer uses hot air to cook your food.

The main difference between the two is that an air fryer has a fan to help circulate the air to get a nice consistent finish.

Can You Bake In an Air Fryer?

Yes, yes, yes! It is possible to bake in the air fryer!

It’s important to pay attention to the directions and take your time. Using the air fryer may add a few more steps, but it is possible to bake with it! You can have your cake and eat it too!

Expert Tips

1. Try using Oil

You are going to want to use a hot oil.

The best ones to use would be avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil.

There is some debate on whether you can use spray oil in your air fryer.

So far, I haven’t had any issues with my Cosori.

2. Give It a Shake

This is referring to the cooking basket in your air fryer. Sometimes, food can settle and start to stick during the cooking process.

Simply grabbing the cooking basket handle and giving it a good shake will allow that food to separate a bit and become unstuck so that the airflow can resume flowing through all the food.

3. Avoid These Mistakes

With any new appliance, there is a learning curve to overcome! Common mistakes that people make include:

• Not letting the fryer heat up or preheat to the appropriate temp before use
• Only using it for certain foods and not expanding to cook other great options in it
• Putting too much food in the basket (this will cause your food to be less crispy because not as much air can circulate)
• Not cleaning it after each use

4. Stay Away From Wet Batter

Wet batter doesn’t usually fare well when cooking in a greaseless fryer since you aren’t immersing the food in a ton of oil.

So there is nothing that is “flash frying” that batter quick enough to make it stop from falling off.

Many people have success with rolling the food in flour after dipping it in the wet batter.

This helps hold it in place and lets the oil-less deep fryer work its magic.

5. Check Before Using Foil

It’s always important to read your user’s manual, but some say that it’s fine to put foil in your hot air fryer.

If you decide to use it, make certain that it doesn’t completely cover up the bottom of the air fryer and cut off air circulation.

Parchment paper is a good option if your air fryer manual says not to use foil.

Let’s talk! Drop me a comment below telling me what air fryer questions you have!