We gathered the 10 most common air fryer mistakes to avoid in this article. Cooking some of your favorite recipes with the best air fryer is a wonderful experience and the results get better and better over time, as it produces a texture and crispiness that other methods cannot achieve.
However, even with the best air fryers, there are mistakes you could be making which can easily ruin your meal. The errors can range from what you put into the meal, to mistakes throughout the cooking process. This article highlights 10 of these problems and tells you how to fix them.
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10 Common Air Fryer mistakes that users make and how to fix them
Overfilling it
This is another common mistake. Air fryers come with a deep basket so it is most times tempting to fill it to the tip but this should be avoided. Air fryers cook by circulating hot air, and overfilling it may block this circulation preventing the food from cooking evenly.
A healthy practice is placing your food in a single layer across the basket with some space between each item to allow airflow. You can stack smaller items like French fries but you should also be wary of the capacity in this case as well. The fires will come out uneven and soggy if the basket is overfilled or overcrowded. If you have a large quantity of food to cook, you can split them and do it in batches or buy an air fryer with a larger capacity.
Cooking the right amount is very essential to getting the best results in terms of taste and texture.
Forgetting to shake
Many expect the air fryer to do all of the work, but it won’t hurt to give this amazing cooker a helping hand to produce better results. By flipping the food while it is cooking, or shaking the basket, the air fryer will cook the contents more evenly.
Feel free to take a look in the basket while cooking to make sure the process is going well. The basket is a small cavity so reheating won’t take that long. Don’t forget to keep an eye on your food to achieve the perfect finish.
Improper Positioning
Ensure that your air fryer has enough breathing space on your countertop. You can check the manual for instructions on recommended margins. Your air fryer could overheat if you don’t follow those instructions on spacing and this overheating could lead to a fire hazard.
Also, ensure that your air fryer is sitting on a stable surface so it doesn’t travel and fall off because of the vibration.
Forgetting to preheat
Forgetting to preheat your air fryer can result in your food not being cooked to the correct temperature for the required period and may leave your food undercooked and not as crisp as you would like.
Ensure you allow your air fryer to preheat for an adequate period of time. You can set it before you start preparing your food so you won’t have to wait for it to heat up.
Not cleaning it
Cleaning your air fryer regularly is very important. If you’re wondering how to properly clean your air fryer, it’s not only about machine washing each accessory after use or hand washing. You can deep clean your air fryer and you should take the time to do this often if you regularly use your air fryer.
Deep cleaning your air fryer will elongate the lifespan of your air fryer and will eliminate any lingering smell as well, so it is a welcome practice.
Air frying wet foods
Frying your food when wet could make your recipes come out soggy. If your vegetables or meat has a wet surface, it will create steam in the air fryer and take longer for your food to crisp. The simple solution to this is to dry your food with a paper towel before air frying.
Putting things in it you shouldn’t
There are a few things that should never go in your air fryer. They include items that are very lightweight and may get blown about by the air current in the fryer, like seasoning and herbs. Also, things that can drip and burn like wet batter and cheese should not be put in the air fryer.
Also, things that are too large should not be put in your air fryer, like whole chickens.
Using the wrong air fryer
Most users are guilty of this one. Ensure that the air fryer you are using is the right fit for the type and amount of food you are cooking. You should go for a larger model that can cook more at once if you are feeding a multitude. This will save you the time and energy that will be wasted on running multiple batches. You can go for a smaller and more compact model, if it’s for personal use or if you’re cooking for a small family.
Using the wrong amount of oil
We often forget that air fryers need very little oil to run, which is one of the benefits of this device. Most recipes only require one or two teaspoons of oil and putting more than that would have no added effect on the result.
That said, lightly coating your food in oil is advised, as it helps it to crisp, and oil can also help your seasoning to stick to the food preventing the air fryer current from blowing it away.
Not checking the temperature
If you’re winging it in terms of cooking or making something larger than anticipated in the recipe, you’ll need to be sure of the final temperature. You can make use of any meat thermometer to clear any doubt, so you know exactly what temperature your food is cooking at, and to what level it has cooked.
Our Final Verdict on air fryer mistakes to avoid
Proper maintenance of your air fryer should be a normal practice if you want to get the best out of your device. The mistakes outlined in this article should be avoided, likewise, proper hygiene should be maintained while cooking.
