17 TOP AIR FRYER TIPS AND TRICKS

TIP 1: GIVE YOUR AIR FRYER SOME SPACE
Air Fryers need adequate space for air flow so they can operate e!iciently and avoid overheating. Most manufacturers recommend allowing at least 5 inches of space on all sides. And never, ever place objects on top of your air fryer.

TIP 2: REHEATING YOUR FOOD IN THE AIR FRYER TASTES SOOOO MUCH BETTER THAN REHEATING IN YOUR MICROWAVE
While it may be tempting to “nuke” your food in the microwave, the results are o”en disappointing. But reheating with the air fryer will easily make your food crispy and delicious again.
In just a few moments you can reheat french fries or other “crunchy” foods and bring that delightful crunch back to life, instead of settling for limp and soggy le”overs. Here is how to reheat your Pizza in the Air Fryer.

TIP 3: PREHEAT THE AIR FRYER BEFORE COOKING
Whilst most air fryer instructions specify that the air fryer should be preheated to ensure even cooking. I will confess I didn’t do it at first. My food still turned out delicious, but once I actually started using the preheat setting, I found my dishes were ready quicker.
And if your air fryer model does not have a preheat setting, you can simply turn it to the desired temperature and allow it to run for around 3 minutes before adding your food.

TIP 4: USE THE AIR FRYER TO DRY ITSELF
This little trick is quite simple, but oh-so-handy (and fun). A”er washing the air fryer basket and drawer, just pop them back into the air fryer and turn it on for 2 or 3 minutes. E!ortless and totally e!icient!

TIP 5: CHECK YOUR FOOD FOR DONENESS.
Since the actual temperatures can vary depending on the air fryer make and model, it is important to check your food for doneness using a kitchen kitchen thermometer and then adjust the cook time accordingly.
You may find that your air fryer cooks at a faster rate, or perhaps it requires more time. Think of the published cooking time in your recipe as a guideline, not a hard and fast rule.

TIP 6: USE THE RIGHT KIND OF COOKING SPRAY
If your air fryer basket has a non-stick coating, do not use cooking sprays that contain silicone, lecithin, or soy lecithin (such as Pam). These sprays are known to damage and even chip will the basket, so check the ingredients of your spray before using. Why not spray with some oil.

TIP 7: LESS IS MORE WHEN IT COMES TO OIL
Using oil or cooking spray helps keep your food moist and prevents it from drying out, but don’t overdo it! The air fryer needs just the
smallest amount – we’re talking anything from a light spritz to 1 tablespoon. Any more than that will result in limp, soggy and sad food. Do use a spray bottle to help dispense your oil

TIP 8: TURN (OR SHAKE) YOUR FOOD AT LEAST ONCE
Shaking the basket or actually turning your food items over using tongs at least once halfway through the cook time will allow for more e!icient and even cooking, which means your food will turn out even more delicious.

TIP 9: HELP LIGHTER FOODS STAY PUT
Because the air fryer fan is powerful, lighter foods can blow around inside the basket. Use toothpicks to hold stacked foods together, like the top slice of bread on a sandwich. When making tortilla chips and quesadillas, I place a metal trivet on top so they will stay flat.

TIP 10: ADDING WATER TO THE DRAWER PREVENTS SMOKING
When cooking greasy or fatty foods, adding water to the drawer underneath the basket helps prevent the resulting grease and oil drippings from smoking. I find it is helpful when cooking bacon, sausage and other fattier cuts of meat.

TIP 11: USE A SLING TO REMOVE HOT ITEMS
When cooking and baking foods inside a dish or pan, like this Air Fryer Sweet Potato Pie, make a sling out of aluminum foil to help remove it from the hot basket. Here’s how to do it:
Fold a piece of aluminum foil into a rectangle that is at least 2 inches wide and 18 – 20 inches long.
Center the pan or dish in the middle of the foil strip and use a pair of silicon kitchen mitts to hold the ends of the sling to li” the pan or dish and lower it into the air fryer basket.
Tuck the ends of the sling into the sides of the air fryer basket. When you’re ready to remove, simply untuck and hold the ends to li” the pan out.

TIP 12: DON’T OVERFILL YOUR AIR FRYER BASKET
This is probably the single biggest mistake made when using the air fryer. I get that it is tempting to try and fit all your food inside so you can cook in a single batch. But the air fryer needs to circulate air around all sides of your food, so you need to make certain that you give your food enough space.
Overcrowding will result in food not being cooked evenly or su!iciently, and you’ll miss out on that lovely air fried crispness. And
a”er all, isn’t that the beauty of cooking in the air fryer?

TIP 13: USE THIS BREADING TECHNIQUE
When breading food, you’ll want to do it properly and perhaps most important, make sure to press the breading firmly onto the food with your hands. This will help it adhere properly and not slip o! or blow away during cooking. Head over to this post that shows you how to bread chicken properly.

TIP 14: ACCESSORIZE!
Take your air frying to the next level by invest in some accessories to use in this little kitchen miracle. There are plenty of gadgets and tools made specifically for air fryers, some of the most popular items include racks, trivets, baking pans, springform pans (for baking cheesecakes) and ramekins.
In addition, almost any baking dish or cake pan that is oven-safe should be suitable for using in the air fryer. Just make sure it will actually fit inside the air fryer basket and that it won’t come in contact with the heating element.

TIP 15: CLEAN YOUR AIR FRYER AS YOU USE IT.
To get the best out of your Air Fryer you should keep it clean and the best way to do this is to clean it a”er you use it instead of waiting till it is completely gunked up.
Cleaning tools you will need

• Non-abrasive Sponge.
• Microfibre Cloth.
• So” Brush.
• Dish Soap.

Make sure your Air Fryer is turned o! and unplugged and cool before cleaning it.

Clean the basket. Clean the Air Fryer basket with some warm soapy water and a non-abrasive sponge.

Soak to remove stubborn residue. If any food is stuck on, you can soak the basket in a bowl of hot soapy water before washing with a non-abrasive sponge. You can wash the basket in a dishwasher if you prefer.

Clean the outside of the Air Fryer. Wipe the outside of the Air Fryer with a damp microfiber cloth. Then if needed wipe the outside with warm soapy water and a non-abrasive sponge. Remove food in the heating element. Use a so” brush to clean any food stuck in the heating element.

Dry everything. Make sure everything is dry by air frying or wiping with a clean microfiber cloth. Then put everything back into the air fryer.
Important. Do not ever put the heating element bit of the Air Fryer in water.

TIP 16: MAKE SURE THE BASKET IS COOL BEFORE WASHING.
The basket gets very hot when cooking, which makes the metal and coating expand. When water meets very hot, thin, coated metal, the metal will contract at a di!erent rate than the coating, which can make the coating come loose from the basket. It can also warp your basket. Let your basket cool normally before putting water in it.

TIP 17: USE AIR FRYER COOKBOOKS.
Check out this list of the Best Air Fryer Cookbooks you can get, which can help you get the most out of your Air Fryer..