Air Fryer Cooking: A Beginner's Guide

Air fryers are a versatile kitchen appliance that can be used to cook a wide range of foods, from proteins like chicken, fish and pork, to vegetable side dishes, appetisers and even desserts. They are especially good for cooking foods that you want to be extra crispy or crunchy, such as French fries or fried chicken. Air fryers are also a great alternative to using an oven in hot weather, as they don't heat up your kitchen. In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about how to use an air fryer, from choosing the right temperature to avoiding common pitfalls.

What you can cook in an air fryer

You can cook practically anything in an air fryer that you would fry, roast, or bake in an oven. It's great for heating up frozen foods, but it's also fantastic for from-scratch foods, like chicken wings, potato chips, and cinnamon-sugar donuts. You can even make desserts like chocolate cake, apple pie, and cookies.

If you're looking for a quick and easy meal, the air fryer is a great option. You can cook chicken thighs, legs, and wings, as well as pork chops and steaks. For a healthier option, try cooking fish with a crunchy coating, served with thick-cut steak fries. You can also cook vegetables like Brussels sprouts, green beans, and potatoes.

The air fryer is also perfect for making appetizers and snacks, like stuffed Tuscan mushrooms, deviled eggs, loaded zucchini skins, and avocado fries. And if you're in the mood for something sweet, you can make desserts like berry crisp, zucchini chocolate cake, apple pie "baked" apples, or peanut butter chocolate chip cookies.

The air fryer is a versatile appliance that can cook a variety of foods to perfection. So, whether you're looking for a quick and easy meal or a delicious dessert, the air fryer has you covered.

How to get crispy food

Air fryers are a versatile kitchen appliance that can be used to cook a wide variety of foods, from proteins like chicken, fish and pork, to vegetable side dishes, appetizers, desserts and baked goods. They are especially good for cooking foods that you want to be extra crispy or crunchy, such as French fries, fried chicken and baked potatoes with crispy skins.

To get crispy food, it's important not to overcrowd the basket. Food should always be in a single layer in the air fryer basket, not stacked or layered. You can cook in batches if you need to. It's also important to choose the right temperature. As a general rule, you should lower the temperature by 25 degrees from the temperature you would use if cooking in an oven. For example, if you're cooking bacon, it's best to cook it at a temperature lower than the smoke point of bacon grease, to prevent the bacon from smoking or burning.

How to cook meat in an air fryer

Air fryers are versatile kitchen appliances that can be used to cook a wide range of foods, including meat.

When cooking meat in an air fryer, it's important to ensure that the meat is completely defrosted before cooking. Thaw the meat in the refrigerator overnight, or use the quick-thaw method by placing it in a bowl of cold water in its packaging or a sealed plastic bag for 30 minutes.

Preheat your air fryer to the recommended temperature, usually between 375°F and 400°F. Remove the meat from its packaging and pat it dry with a paper towel.

Place the meat on the air fryer rack or in the basket, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm) between portions. This ensures proper airflow and even cooking. Most proteins, except for salmon fillets, will need to be flipped halfway through cooking.

Cooking times will vary depending on the type and thickness of the meat. For example, a 1-inch steak cooked at 400°F will take about 10 minutes for medium-rare and 12 minutes for medium. It's important to note that thicker cuts of meat will require longer cooking times.

Once the meat has reached the desired internal temperature, remove it from the air fryer and let it rest for 2-3 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and ensures a juicy and flavorful final product.

It's important to note that air fryers are not designed for traditional oil frying. Do not fill the basket with oil, and always cook in a well-ventilated area, leaving plenty of space around the appliance for exhaust ventilation.

How to cook bacon in an air fryer

Air fryers are versatile kitchen appliances that can be used to air fry, roast, bake, broil, crisp, dehydrate and reheat foods. They can be used to cook proteins like chicken, fish or pork, as well as healthy vegetable side dishes, appetisers such as zucchini fries or chicken wings, and even desserts and baked goods.

To cook bacon in an air fryer, first lightly spray the inside of the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. Then, add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the basket. This will prevent the rendered bacon fat from smoking. Next, lay 4 or 5 slices of thick-cut bacon, lying flat, in the basket, trying not to overlap them. Some slight overlapping is okay. Air fry the bacon for 5 minutes at 350˚F. Then, remove the basket from the air fryer and carefully flip the bacon, placing them back in without overlapping. At this point, you can sprinkle brown sugar on top and drizzle a little Sriracha, if you like. Air fry the bacon for another 5 minutes at 350˚F. For thin-cut bacon, check the bacon after 5-6 minutes, as thin-cut will cook faster. For regular-cut bacon, air fry for 7-9 minutes, or until the bacon is browned and reaches your desired crispiness. For thick-cut bacon, air fry for 10-12 minutes. Finally, transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and serve.

Air fryer cooking times and temperatures

Air fryers are versatile kitchen appliances that can air fry, roast, bake, broil, crisp, dehydrate and reheat foods. They are designed for air frying, not traditional oil frying, so you should never fill the basket with oil. Always cook in a well-ventilated area, leaving plenty of space around the air fryer for the exhaust to ventilate.

A general rule of thumb when determining the temperature to set your air fryer is to lower the temperature by 25 degrees from the temperature that you would use if cooking in an oven. For example, with bacon, it's best to cook at a temperature lower than the smoke point of bacon grease to prevent it from smoking or burning.

Your air fryer’s manual likely has a handy table of cooking times and temperatures for common foods. The less food in the basket, the shorter the cook time will be; the more food, the longer it will be. A lot of air fryer recipes call for lower temperature settings than their conventional counterparts. To get foods crispy and promote even cooking, food should always be in a single layer in the air fryer basket, not stacked or layered. You can cook in batches as needed.

Frequently asked questions