So many things to air fry, so little time for futzing around with potential flops. Herewith we present an informal guide. Call it Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Air Fryers but just didn’t have the time to research for yourself.
First off – the number one question everybody asks:
Do I have to clean my air fryer?
Come on now. What is it about convenience that has you getting even lazier? Yes, you have to clean it. But! You can make clean up a bit easier by using foil. You have to be strategic with the foil, so as not to impede the all important air that gives the air fryer its name, but it can be done with most models (if you’re not sure, double check first).
Look at how happy, peaceful and contented this family is while making a big batch of fries. No fighting or sad faces in this kitchen. What’s their secret you may ask. Simple: they read this blog post!
What is the worst thing to cook in an air fryer?
Now we all know that everything cooks better in an air fryer – from donuts to pickle chips to popcorn shrimp! But what absolutely does not work well? From our extensive research, and personal flops, we can tell you this; the air fryer is no place for a wet batter. Meaning, you must avoid tempura broccoli (broccoli is a double whammy, more on that later) or battered fish, or anything battered for that matter. You need a true deep fryer for battered foods. And bringing a deep fat fryer into your home is what you have probably been trying to avoid by buying the air fryer in the first place.
Also, it is no place for fresh greens, they’ll just fly all over the place. And broccoli gets dried out. Brussel sprouts brown beautifully, but broccoli florets can turn into tumbleweeds.
To recap: say no to wet sloppy batter, fresh greens and broccoli. Not on your plate of course! You can still cook them in traditional ways. Just keep them out of your air fryer basket.
Spiced Cider Donuts by Better Homes & Gardens
All I do is eat Dorito-crusted chicken nugz, what have I become?
We bought the air fryer to eat healthy. Well sorta. I mean, it’s a way to eat delicious things like fries and chicken nuggets without all the deep frying, but aren’t there healthier options so that we’re not eating fries all day?
Yes.
Try beets. Ha ha. No, that is not a joke. You read that right – beets are amazing cooked in an air fryer. So amazing that you’ll start craving beets instead of Dorito-crusted nugz (actually those sound pretty good…). And we already mentioned Brussel sprouts. Also – tofu. It’s a dream come true for tofu haters. Just try it once and you’ll become a superfan.
What is the greatest air fryer recipe that has been discovered to date?
There have been many, so so so many. But honestly, to our minds, the greatest recipe that the air fryer allows us to create in our own homes has got to be this steakhouse classic. The ethereally beautiful Blooming Onion! Our favourite recipe comes from The Kitchn and we share it here so you can start making it now. You’ll want to perfect it before the Super Bowl in a few weeks.
outrageously delicious air fryer Bloomin’ Onion image courtesy of The Kitchn
There you have it. An exhaustive, well, perhaps that’s not the right word, let’s say an extensive look at the greatest appliance you ever got for Christmas during a pandemic. We hope this info will help you become the best air fryer owner you can be. Now go clean out your basket!
