How to Air Fry Without Instructions
Despite the remaining fryer haters, this mini convection oven isn’t going anywhere. You can fry steaks and cheesecakes , but my favorite are ready-made frozen snacks like samosa, french fries, and anything wrapped in foil. Unfortunately, the companies that make your favorite frozen snacks and snacks haven’t caught up. They know we airfry here, but many boxes don’t have airfry instructions on the back. Here’s how to troubleshoot issues with air-frying blind.
Consider your fryer, historically
Deep fryers come in two main types: with a basket or with a hinged door (one that looks a lot like an intensive toaster oven). Like most household appliances, they work a little differently from model to model, machine to machine. Think about the past performance of your fryer. Have you noticed that some recipes cook faster? Do you always need to shave for a few minutes or the fries will burn? The outside will probably cook earlier than the inside, so you always bring the temperature down by 50 degrees.
If you are making a recipe for the first time and your only directions are for a conventional oven, use that as a starting point and adjust knowing that the convection will be hotter and faster. Aging by lowering the temperature. I usually lower the temperature by 50°F, and one of the tips on Reddit is to lower the temperature by 25°F and reduce the time by 20%.
Looking for deep fryer? Consider these models:
- 6 quart Instant Vortex Deep Fryer
- Airfryer Instant Vortex Pro 9-in-1 with grill
- Fryer and toaster Cuisinart
Think about what you’re frying in the air
Some tasty bites will require a different frying process, so consider the shape, density, and temperature of the food. A frozen string roast will take less time than a sirloin steak. Frozen boxed spanakopita may have a more even color at a lower temperature, while a homemade room temperature version may be suitable for a short stay hot. Desserts or more delicate dishes will require more attention. This reminds me:
check this
Sometimes even the recipe packages for the deep fryer can be wrong. As mentioned above, some models simply cook to the beat of their own drum. Always check if you are cooking outdoors. Since they cook quickly, I usually check them in the middle of the estimated cooking time. At this point, I pulled the food out of the fryer because it was completely finished. It’s never too early to look. I have a basket model fryer that warns me to flip food halfway through, so this is a nice built-in checkpoint for me. Hinged door fryers with a window are a real godsend for this because you can just peek inside without distraction. That being said, I always set the timer halfway through no matter what. I love well-fried food, but I refuse to eat sun-dried french fries.
Until each box comes with instructions for air frying, these considerations will help you not burn your precious snacks.