Tiffany Haney
Cooking spray and air fryers might seem like a perfect combination, but using cooking spray in an air fryer can actually cause a lot of damage. Cooking spray contains lecithin, an emulsifier with a low smoke point, which can leave a sticky residue on your air fryer basket or racks. This residue is difficult to remove and can degrade the coating of your air fryer, making it unsafe for use. So, while it might be tempting to use cooking spray in your air fryer, it's best to avoid it and opt for other methods of adding oil to your food.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cooking spray and air frying | Cooking spray and air frying may seem like a match made in heaven, but the combination can leave a huge mess in your appliance. |
| Cooking spray ingredients | Many cooking sprays contain soy lecithin, an ingredient that emulsifies and stabilises processed food. |
| Cooking spray and non-stick coating | Cooking sprays can damage non-stick pans' coating, and cooking sprays on an air fryer is no different. |
| Cooking spray and sticky residue | Cooking spray contains lecithin, which has a low smoke point. Over time, the lecithin will start to build up onto your basket or rack, resulting in a sticky spot that is hard to remove and can degrade the coating. |
What You'll Learn
Cooking spray can leave a sticky residue in your air fryer
There are plenty of simple alternatives to using cooking spray in an air fryer. For example, you can use a pastry brush to evenly coat your food with oil before cooking. You can also choose an oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil, and use it to grease the food itself.
It's important to note that cooking spray should never be sprayed directly onto the basket or racks of an air fryer, or any nonstick cookware for that matter. This is because it can damage the nonstick coating, leaving the pan unsafe for use.
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Cooking spray can damage the nonstick coating of your air fryer
The high temperatures of air fryers mean that the soy lecithin in cooking spray can't reliably stand up to the heat. As a result, using a cooking spray can leave behind a sticky residue that fuses to your air fryer basket. This grime can be difficult to remove and can leave lasting damage, so it's best to use another method if whatever you're air frying calls for a little oil.
If you need to use a cooking spray, like when cooking breaded food items like chicken tenders, only spray the food directly before turning on the air fryer. If you're following a recipe that does call for spraying the racks or basket, go the DIY approach with an oil that has a high smoke point.
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Cooking spray can make your air fryer unsafe for use
The high temperatures of air fryers mean that cooking spray can leave behind a sticky residue that fuses to your air fryer basket. This grime can be difficult to remove and can leave lasting damage.
If you need to use a cooking spray, only spray the food directly before turning on the air fryer. If you're following a recipe that calls for spraying the racks or basket, try using an oil with a high smoke point instead.
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Cooking spray can leave a mess in your air fryer
Cooking spray and air frying may seem like a match made in heaven, but the combination can leave a mess in your appliance. Cooking spray contains lecithin, an emulsifier with a low smoke point that can't reliably stand up to the high temperatures of air fryers. As a result, the lecithin can leave behind a sticky residue that fuses to your air fryer basket. This grime can be difficult to remove and can leave lasting damage, degrading the nonstick coating so that the surface no longer does its job.
If you need to use a cooking spray, only spray the food directly before turning on the air fryer. You can also try a DIY approach with an oil that has a high smoke point. For example, when making a recipe that calls for butter, use a pastry brush to ensure you're evenly coating your foods before cooking in the air fryer.
The next time you're using an air fryer to cook something that would benefit from a bit of extra fat, like French fries or homemade potato chips, start by choosing the best oil for the job. There are plenty of simple alternatives to cooking spray, such as using certain equipment and choosing the right oil.
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Cooking spray can ruin your air fryer
Spraying the basket in the air fryer with nonstick spray can damage the air fryer’s nonstick coating and can make the pan unsafe for use. If you need to use a cooking spray, like when cooking breaded food items like chicken tenders, only spray the food directly before turning on the air fryer.
The next time you're using an air fryer to cook something that would benefit from a bit of extra fat, like french fries or homemade potato chips, start by choosing the best oil for the job. There are plenty of simple alternatives, such as using certain equipment, choosing the right oil, and greasing the food itself.
The single worst thing you can do to your air fryer (aside from, say, submerging it in water)? Spraying the basket or racks with cooking spray.
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Frequently asked questions
No, you should not use cooking spray in an air fryer. Cooking spray can leave a sticky residue that fuses to your air fryer basket and is difficult to remove.
Cooking spray contains lecithin, an emulsifier that cannot withstand the high temperatures of an air fryer. Over time, this builds up on the basket or rack, resulting in a sticky spot that is hard to remove and can degrade the coating.
You can use a pastry brush to coat your food with oil or butter before cooking in the air fryer. If you are cooking breaded food, you can spray the food directly with cooking spray before turning on the air fryer.
Cooking spray can leave a sticky residue that is difficult to remove and can leave lasting damage to your air fryer. It can also make the pan unsafe for use.
You can use certain equipment, such as a pastry brush, or choose the right oil with a high smoke point.
