My parents got me one of them fancy countertop air fryer/oven things and idk what to cook first when I get it set up. According to the box, it does everything a normal oven does as well as air fries. It can hold two whole chickens or 1 frozen pizza. It came with a rack for things like toast and a baking sheet. I also have a bunch of pans and stuff that I was given when I got my house that I’ve never used.
I don’t know much about actually cooking food other than chicken should not be medium rare and that the cereal goes before the milk.
My best tip for air fryers is to use them for the second fry of foods that are double fried. Egg Rolls, Karage, Orange chicken, etc, honestly, The double fry method isn’t just for Asian food, it takes anything where crispiness is desirable to the next level.
Do the first low fry as normal, then use the air fryer for the second high-temp fry. You don’t have to worry about overcrowding as much, plus everything will be less greasy. The whole point of the second fry is to remove moisture and the air does this just as well as the grease.
things the air fryer does extremely well:
- frozen french fries/hash browns/tater tots
- any frozen appetizer like poppers, mozzarella sticks, egg rolls
- any breaded meats like nuggets, fish sticks/fillets, wings
- frozen and fresh sausages, bacon
- asparagus with a little oil
- corn
- reheated pizza/frozen pizza
for chicken i coat chicken thigh chunks in heavily seasoned mayo and and cook them without flipping them and they come out really good
Air fryer roasted vegetables are awesome, usually between 5 - 10 mins at like 360 - 375, google your specific vege for recipes. Brussels sprouts, asparagus, turnips, beets, potatoes, squash, all come out great in half the time of the oven.
Frozen chimichangas actually turn out like deep fried restaurant chimi’s, smother in green chile for best results.
Reheated thin crust pizza can get its crunch back in the air fryer.
Cookies come out nice and crispy with a soft center at like 325 for 6 mins (more traditional) or 340 - 350 for 3 - 5 mins (more crispy edges with a gooier center).
Frozen trash food like fried pickles, mozzarella sticks, fries, onion rings all come out pretty much the same as deep fried, can save you a drunk doordash order for 20% of the cost.
Croutons, bread crumbs, pepitas, anything else dehydrated is pretty easy in the air fryer at lower temps.
Paninis are possible but a little tricky because deli meat tends to get a bit leathery, cook the pieces in stages, toasting bread and melting cheese, then give a quick finish to the whole thing.
Tip to keep your air fryer/oven in top condition: do NOT use oil sprays with propellants, like PAM. They will accumulate on your air fryer and get burnt and nasty and generally be a lot harder to clean off than a pure oil. I use a sprayer with pure avocado oil and no propellants. Also, give it a good wipe down after every use. You’ll thank yourself later when it’s not a disgusting mess.
Is a wipe down all they really take? I’ve been considering getting one, but fussy clean up put me off (in the regular oven I’ll coat the tray in foil and then just bin that, but in an air fryer I assume that would interfere with circulation)…
Specifically talking about the inside walls and glass door, if the wire racks or other accessories look like they need it I take them out and go at them with soap and water. If the wipe down isn’t sufficient for the inside then a wet sponge and a tiny bit of dish soap should be enough, just wipe it with a wet paper towel or something afterwards to make sure all the soap is removed.
It’s incredibly easy to clean up if you do it before using it again. It’s only repeated exposures to heat* that will cause oil to polymerize and become nigh impossible to clean off.
*or temps significantly above what you’re cooking at in an air fryer
Thanks for the informative reply! That doesn’t sound too bad, I had pictured having to soak bits like you might with an oven roaster, and that’s kind of hassle I don’t need lol
I think after an imminent house move I might take the plunge and try one, everyone who has seems to only have good things to say (I have used a really old fashioned halogen one before they became trendy, so I know they can cook well, but I never had to clean that one haha)…
It does a way better job at most frozen food and leftovers than a microwave does, but takes longer.
Almost anything you’d deep fry can be lightly spritzed with oil and done in an air fryer instead.
If it’s big enough for a pizza, you can make one from scratch instead of frozen. It’s cheaper than anything but the cheapest frozen crap and a lot better.
Chicken nuggets and fish fingers are my favourites, mainly because they’re so tasty for how quickly they cook.
Preheat the air fryer for 2 - 3 minutes, spray a small amount of oil, then put the food in for about 12 minutes. Crispy and delicious every time :)
Baked potatoes are easier in an air fryer. Bacon works surprisingly well. It’s essentially a small oven, so anything that fits in it is probably worth trying in it.
Air fryer taquitos has been a big one for my house! A million times better than the premade freezer ones and not much more work if you have a protein cooked already or as a leftover.
I base my approach off this But I have used all sorts of proteins instead and it’s always a great meal.
Reheating fried food in the air fryer changed how I view leftovers. Also, love roasted veggies or air fryer whole chicken. I use my air fryer a lot more than I thought I would.
