Give me your air fryer tips and recipes!

claireychn074

My gas oven packed up and it will be a few weeks before I can get the replacement range installed (the joys of living in a 200 yr old cottage). So I’ve bought an electric steamer (I eat a lot of veg) and an air fryer to tide myself over.

Never had one before, am guessing I can use it as a mini oven, but give me your tips, hints and any good recipes please 😀

tomcustombuilder

I use the air fryer for almost everything I used to use the oven for unless it’s too big to fit. Best chicken ever. Lots of good websites with recipes and cooking times.

acpgee

Since getting an air fryer, I never use the oven anymore except at Christmas for things like a whole goose or a whole leg of lamb.

The aggressive fan is great at melting off subcutaneous fat, so try chicken wings or drumsticks, salted in advance and maybe tossed with a little cornstarch and a pinch of baking soda (increasing alkanity helps crisp up the skin) and air frying at the highest temperature for 20-25 minutes. Give everything a shake halfway. Tossing in any kind of wing sauce afterwards is optional. Not the same as deep fried, but just as good, IMO.

I use it for roasting potatoes. I follow the standard British recipe of peeling, cutting into two inch chunks, and par boiling for 3 minutes. Then drain, toss in duck fat (or any other fat) in the cooking vessel and air fry on the highest setting for about 15 minutes until golden, again tossing halfway.

The ar fryer is great at roasting veggies. Green asparagus is probably my favourite, followed by cherry tomatoes (prick each one with a fork to prevent explosions and use a small casserole that fits in the air fryer with the basket removed). As for the oven, toss veggies in olive oil before roasting. I find this easiest to do by shaking everything in either a recycled plastic bag, or a re-usable plastic food box.

I make all kinds of unlikely things in the air fryer such as NY cheesecake, clafoutis, banana bread and cheese souffle. You might want to cover the top with foil for the first 15 minutes to prevent over browning of baked goods.

I have made classic British Sunday roast for 4 in my air fryer (the tiny Phillips Viva model). I can fit a 500g roast beef or half leg of lamb scattered with roast potatoes in the basket, and sliced carrot or parsnip under the basket. Coat everything with a little olive oil first. Put the meat in 15 minutes before scattering par boiled potatoes on top and thinly sliced veg in the space below the basket.

sollyn23l2

The air fryer does potatoes really well. I cut my potatos into wedges, spray with oil, season, and air fry for 15 minutes. It also roasts carrots really well. I'll second that it does chicken thighs, wings, and drumsticks pretty well. I'd personally stay away from roasts.... they do better with much slower cooking styles. And skinless breasts would probably turn into chicken jerkey by the time they got done.

kshama2001

I'm thinking of getting an air fryer when my toaster dies IF air fryers can toast. Can some models do this?

claireychn074

Thanks all 😀 I can’t currently boil anything (no hob or cooker) so I’m having to cook stuff from scratch in the air fryer. I did manage potato wedges and roasted peppers last night and they worked brilliantly. Going to try chicken pieces tonight, as I tried cod in the old combo microwave and grill last night too and made…fish leather.

lesdarts180

sollyn23l2 wrote: »

And skinless breasts would probably turn into chicken jerkey by the time they got done.

No, skinless chicken breast is fine - but don't overcook.
You will need to check your food for done-ness fairly frequently until you get used to your particular model

COGypsy

kshama2001 wrote: »

I'm thinking of getting an air fryer when my toaster dies IF air fryers can toast. Can some models do this?

Cuisinart makes a toaster oven type air fryer. It air fries, but my model also toasts, bakes (with or without convection), broils (ditto), and grills. Practically the only thing it doesn’t do is boil water. I rely on it so much that when my first one died (after about 6 years of near daily use), I replaced it in a day.

acpgee

Don't forget that you can use your microwave for parboiling and blanching.

claireychn074

I’VE GOT A COOKER!!

I am completely excited to have a working cooker after about seven weeks without one. Air fryer and electric steamer about to be donated to good homes 😀 crickey I’ve missed the hob. I hadn’t realised how many of my meals involve the hob; cooking butter chicken curry this weekend, lasagne for the freezer and flapjack. I am a happy Claire! 😀😀

MacLowCarbing

Nice oven!

I just got a new one last month... I wasn't gonna. I have a small kitchen and I hardly cook in the oven anymore between my Instant Pot and my Air Fryer. I thought I could get a little propane gas burner for my wok and just build myself some nice little storage racks with counter space where the oven used to be. I'd be set with everything I need and some precious extra space.

Unfortunately other household members overruled me and wanted the actual oven, lol. So we got an electric one.

fabgeekmom

Try Skinnytaste. com for air fryer recipes.

mjstewies

I agree! I did my first skinless chicken breast with Cajun seasoning on it, sliced it and put in my salad. It was great!!

VegjoyP

I air fry corn tortillas and make tortilla chips!