Marianne Martinez
Air fryers are a popular kitchen appliance, but they are not essential if you already own a conventional oven. Air fryers cook food by rapidly circulating hot air and a small amount of oil to fry foods. This can be replicated in a conventional oven by using a perforated pan, oven-safe cooling rack, or a baking tray to allow air to circulate under and around food. The drier the food is before it goes into the oven, the better, and spraying it lightly with cooking spray or oil will help encourage browning and crisping. If your oven has a convection setting, you can likely use the same temperature setting as an air fryer, but if not, increase the temperature by 20 to 25 degrees.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Oven type | Convection oven or toaster oven with a convection setting |
| Pan type | Perforated pan or oven-safe cooling rack |
| Oven preparation | Line the bottom of the oven with aluminum foil or a baking sheet to catch crumbs and drips |
| Food preparation | Cut food into long sticks or small bite-sized pieces to maximize surface area |
| Food preparation | Dry food before placing in the oven |
| Food preparation | Lightly spray or toss food with neutral oil to encourage browning |
| Cooking | Flip food halfway through cooking and spritz with cooking spray for even browning |
| Cooking | Air fryer recipes may take a few minutes longer in a conventional oven |
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What You'll Learn
- Use a perforated pan or oven-safe cooling rack to allow air to circulate under and around your food
- Cut food into long sticks or small, bite-sized pieces to maximise surface area and encourage even browning
- Use a convection oven or toaster oven with a convection setting to achieve similar results to an air fryer
- Preheat your oven and use a temperature 20-25°F lower than you would with a conventional oven
- Use a dark or non-stick pan to achieve better browning than a glass dish or shiny aluminium pan
Use a perforated pan or oven-safe cooling rack to allow air to circulate under and around your food
If you want to cook without an air fryer, you can use a regular oven or toaster oven with a convection setting. Air fryers are small ovens with a fan that circulates hot air and dries the surface of the food. Therefore, you can use a regular oven to achieve similar results.
To cook without an air fryer, use a perforated pan (also called a perforated crisper tray) or an oven-safe cooling rack. These allow air to circulate under and around your food, resulting in even crisping. If you don't have a perforated pan, you can use a pan with low sides. It is important not to overload the pan, as this will cause the food to steam instead of air fry. Spread the food out in an even layer, leaving space between each piece for air to circulate. This will help achieve the desired crispy texture. You can also cut your food into long, thin sticks or small, bite-sized pieces to maximise the surface area and encourage browning.
If you are using an oven, it is recommended to line the bottom with aluminium foil or a baking sheet to catch any crumbs or drips. You can also use parchment paper to minimise mess. It is important to ensure the oven is fully preheated before placing the food inside. Air fryer recipes usually recommend a temperature 20 to 25 degrees lower than a conventional oven, so be sure to adjust the temperature accordingly.
Additionally, spraying the food lightly with cooking spray or tossing it with a neutral oil, such as vegetable or grapeseed oil, will help encourage browning and crisping. Air fryer recipes also typically recommend flipping the food halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking and browning. After flipping, spritzing the other side with cooking spray will help achieve even crispness.
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Cut food into long sticks or small, bite-sized pieces to maximise surface area and encourage even browning
When cooking without an air fryer, it is important to cut your food into the right shape and size to maximise surface area and encourage even browning. This is because an air fryer works by rapidly circulating hot air and a small amount of oil to fry foods. The oil and air work in tandem, transferring heat via conduction (the direct contact of the hot oil) and convection (the heavy rotation of hot air). Therefore, the more surface area your food has, the more evenly it will cook and the more it will crisp up.
For example, if you are cooking fries, cut your potatoes into long sticks, or batons, to maximise their surface area and provide plenty of exterior for browning. The same goes for other vegetables, such as carrots, cucumbers, beetroot, zucchini, celery, and bell peppers. This cutting technique is often used for salad ingredients and is known as the julienne cut. To achieve this, cut the ends off your vegetable of choice, then cut it into 2 1/2-inch long portions. Next, cut the sides of each portion until they become rectangular. Cut these pieces into 1/4-inch slabs, then cut the slabs lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips.
You can also cut your food into small, bite-sized pieces to encourage even browning. This technique is ideal for harder root vegetables, such as beets and turnips, as well as tofu. This cutting method is known as the dice cut and involves cutting your ingredients into uniform squares. For example, to achieve a brunoise cut, first julienne your food, then turn it a quarter and dice again to create approximately 1/8-inch cubes.
In addition to cutting your food into the right shape and size, there are other ways to maximise surface area and encourage even browning. For example, use a perforated pan (sometimes called a perforated crisper tray) to allow air to circulate under and around your food for even crisping. If you don't have one, you can use an oven-safe cooling rack. Also, ensure your food is dry before it goes into the oven, as this will help encourage browning and crisping.
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Use a convection oven or toaster oven with a convection setting to achieve similar results to an air fryer
If you want to achieve similar results to an air fryer without actually using one, you can use a convection oven or a toaster oven with a convection setting. Air fryers work by rapidly circulating hot air and a small amount of oil to fry foods. The oil and air work in tandem, transferring heat via conduction (direct contact of the hot oil) and convection (heavy rotation of hot air).
Convection ovens work like traditional ovens, with heating elements on the top and bottom. The convection setting works in tandem with a fan that is usually located in the back of the oven. This fan can be turned off to bake like a traditional oven, which is ideal for delicate tasks like cookies and cakes.
To mimic the results of an air fryer, you can purchase an air fryer basket accessory or a perforated pan (also called a perforated crisper tray) that allows air to circulate under and around your food for even crisping. If you don't have one, you can use an oven-safe cooling rack placed on a baking tray. It is important to note that the drier your food is before it goes into the oven, the better. Spraying it lightly with cooking spray or tossing it with a neutral oil will help encourage browning and crisping, giving a hint of that deep-fried taste.
Air fryer recipes usually recommend flipping the food halfway through cooking to ensure even cooking and browning. After flipping, spritzing the other side with cooking spray will ensure both sides are equally crisp. Air fryers cook hotter and faster than conventional ovens, so your recipe might take a few minutes longer. Start checking for doneness at the time indicated in the recipe, and if it doesn't look browned enough, check back every three minutes until it's golden brown.
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Preheat your oven and use a temperature 20-25°F lower than you would with a conventional oven
If you're looking to cook without an air fryer, you can use your oven instead. Air fryer recipes usually recommend a temperature of 20 to 25°F lower than what you would use with a conventional oven. So, when using your oven, remember to preheat it and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Preheating your oven is essential for ensuring your food is cooked thoroughly. It can be done in a few simple steps. First, remove any racks from the oven that you won't be using, and make sure the oven is clean. Keep the oven door closed until it reaches the desired temperature. Different types of ovens may have specific settings, so refer to your oven's manual for guidance.
When cooking with an oven instead of an air fryer, you can use a perforated pan or a perforated crisper tray. This allows air to circulate under and around your food for even crisping. If you don't have one, an oven-safe cooling rack can be used instead. You can line the bottom of your oven with aluminium foil or use a baking sheet to catch any drips or crumbs.
It's important to note that the cooking time may vary when using an oven instead of an air fryer. Air fryer recipes usually cook hotter and faster than a conventional oven, so your recipe might take a few minutes longer in the oven. Start checking for doneness at the time indicated in the recipe, and if it's not browned enough, check every few minutes until it's cooked to your liking.
Additionally, the drier your food is before it goes into the oven, the better. Lightly spraying your food with cooking spray or tossing it with a neutral oil, such as vegetable or grapeseed oil, will help encourage browning and crisping, giving a hint of that deep-fried taste.
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Use a dark or non-stick pan to achieve better browning than a glass dish or shiny aluminium pan
When cooking without an air fryer, you can still achieve that crispy, golden texture by using a dark or non-stick pan. This is because darker bakeware absorbs more heat in the oven than a shiny, reflective pan, resulting in better browning. Metal pans are great for achieving even browning, especially for foods that don't need to be in the oven for long, like cookies or biscuits. Dark-coloured metal pans absorb more heat and can result in over-browning, so be sure to keep an eye on your food as it cooks.
If you're using a regular oven or toaster oven without a convection fan, you'll need to increase the temperature by 20 to 25 degrees compared to an air fryer. Make sure the oven is fully preheated before putting the food inside.
Another benefit of using a metal pan is that they can withstand higher temperatures than glass. Metal pans are also convenient when removing them from the oven, as they cool down faster. If you're using a glass pan, be aware that it will take longer to heat up but will retain that heat for longer. Glass pans are perfect for dishes that you want to keep warm after cooking, like casseroles or pasta bakes. However, they may not cook as evenly as metal pans, so you may need to reduce the oven temperature to prevent over-browning.
To get the best browning results, it's important to prepare your food properly. Cut your food into long sticks or small, bite-sized pieces to maximise the surface area and give more exterior for browning. Before cooking, lightly spray your food with cooking spray or toss it with a neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed oil. This will help encourage browning and give a hint of that deep-fried taste. Don't forget to flip your food halfway through cooking to ensure even browning, and spritz the other side with more cooking spray if needed.
By following these tips and using a dark or non-stick pan, you can achieve better browning and crispy textures similar to an air fryer, even without the specialised appliance.
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Frequently asked questions
An air fryer is a small electric appliance that uses a heating element and a fan to quickly blow hot air around food to "fry" it to a crisp with little to no oil.
Air fryers are more economical to operate if you are cooking for just 1 or 2 people. They are also faster and more efficient. However, if you are cooking for a large family, using an oven might be a better option as it can hold more food.
If your oven, range, or toaster oven has convection, you can air-fry with it. You can also use a perforated pan or an oven-safe cooling rack to allow air to circulate under and around your food for even crisping.
Air fryer recipes usually recommend a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees lower than what you would use if cooking with a conventional oven.
The drier your food is before it goes into the oven, the better. Spraying it lightly with cooking spray or tossing it with a neutral oil will help encourage browning and crisping.
