Air fryers

[Canardly]

Have been using a single air fryer for some time now. As there is only two of us it meets our needs for chips, baked/roast potatoes/sausages/fish, reheating etc and is much quicker in operation than the oven and therefore less expensive to run. The none stick properties of the crisper tray are somewhat disappointing but otherwise the unit very good.  I have seen somewhat terrifying videos on u tube where people are using water in the trays to steam/bake puddings etc, deary me. Another caution is using baking paper in the bottom of the unit during pre heat. Due to the air vortex, the fan has a habit of lifting the baking paper onto the heating element and catching fire. Take care.  I have just bought the Ninja type Sur le Table double tray air fryer from Costco as it allows cooking at different temps and fan speeds with a choice of independent or synchronised finish. It is a good size and a bit of a bargain at £70 odd. We will see how we get on.

[Woofage]

I've been wondering recently about getting an air fryer. There's just two of us now so using an oven (even a modern efficient one) seems wasteful.

My question to the panel is, what are the best or your favourite foods to cook in one? (except chips, which seems a given).

[T42]

Been doing most Asian cooking for the last year and a bit so the air fryer rarely comes out these days, and then mostly for rejuvenating croissants.

[Wowbagger]

We do anything that might have been under the grill or in the oven. Sausages, burgers, fish, chops, whole chicken (has to be a small one to fit in ours). We find that you can pretty much knock 20% off the cooking times suggested on the pack, eg Waitrose small chicken - time reduced from 1h 25m to 1h is pretty much done. Allow 1h 10m to make certain.

Sausages & burgers are done in 15 minutes.

[Legs]

Been doing most Asian cooking for the last year and a bit so the air fryer rarely comes out these days, and then mostly for rejuvenating croissants.

My parents have been using theirs for rejuvenating croissants too.

[Regulator]

Why would one need to rejuvenate a croissant?


Surely there should only be crumbs left...

[fruitcake]

My oven door broke, I got an air fryer. It does everything I would have used the oven/grill for. I didn't buy a replacement oven.

Curly kale - chopped, straight into the air fryer, no oil. Give it a stir after a minute and a half. You get toasted kale. Sprinkle these on your stir fry or your salad. Incredible flavour.

I've also used a halogen oven, which is a big, top-loading air fryer. Awesome for roast parsnips.

Small appliances are the future.

[T42]

Why would one need to rejuvenate a croissant?


Surely there should only be crumbs left...

When they've been on display for a few hours before you buy them.  Incidentally, Aldi here do excellent croissants.

[numbnuts]

I was given a Lakeland for free as she wanted a larger one, never used one before, first thing I cooked was a sausage I was amazed on how fast it cooked to a golden brown colour then I did a few chips again really quick, I thing they are good, but I don't think I would buy one for myself living on my own.

[rafletcher]

.... but I don't think I would buy one for myself living on my own.

Conversley that's when I would buy one, or even on e of the Ninja multi-cookers (that, and having enough kitchen real estate on which to site one)

[numbnuts]

.... but I don't think I would buy one for myself living on my own.

Conversley that's when I would buy one, or even on e of the Ninja multi-cookers (that, and having enough kitchen real estate on which to site one)

To be honest I have a small kitchen and the air fryer takes up a lot of worktop space and it won't fit in the cupboards so it's there on show.

[Ashaman42]

We decided to get an air fryer to tide us over till our new oven arrives. We'd been considering one anyway.

The day after looking around we see Aldi doing one for a bargainous £30. Huzzah!

Weirdly though the instructions specifically say not to use it for sausages.

Sent from my SM-G525F using Tapatalk

[ian]

.... but I don't think I would buy one for myself living on my own.

Conversley that's when I would buy one, or even on e of the Ninja multi-cookers (that, and having enough kitchen real estate on which to site one)

Indeed, as there are two of us, our Ninja umpteen-in-one is often ideal, we mostly only use the oven for pizza. Last night, we needed an easy meal because it was late and I'm lazy, so I through some chopped courgette, whole tomatoes, peeled garlic cloves, dried oregano, and a good dose of olive oil. Gave it 15 minutes on the bake function at 180 degrees. Mixed it all up with a splash of white wine and a dollop of tomato puree, plonked half a block of feta on top and gave it another 15 minutes on air frier (I'm not entirely clear on the difference, they both seem to involve the machine making the same noise) while the pasta cooked. Add the cooked pasta to the baked feta and tomato sauce, mixed it all up with enough pasta water to even out the sauce. Five minutes prep, two pans, including the machine and 30 minutes to enjoy a leisurely G&T. Meal was excellent.

Tonight, paneer and chickpea curry, saute and then give it a quick blast of the pressure cooker function while the rice cooks. I still cook a lot in the pan, frantic sautéier that I am, but it gets lots of use.

[Mrs Pingu]

I have a question:
On occasion we've tried making (from scratch) things like lentil rissoles, fish cakes, felafels and other such things that require shallow frying a lump of stuff. Invariably it makes a horrendous mess and the result is never that great and I swear off doing it again.
Are these air fryers and good for this sort of thing or do they just make a different sort of mess?

[nicknack]

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/ng-interactive/2023/sep/01/have-i-told-you-about-my-air-fryer-the-stephen-collins-cartoon

[ian]

I have a question:
On occasion we've tried making (from scratch) things like lentil rissoles, fish cakes, felafels and other such things that require shallow frying a lump of stuff. Invariably it makes a horrendous mess and the result is never that great and I swear off doing it again.
Are these air fryers and good for this sort of thing or do they just make a different sort of mess?

Never had a problem in a pan; nonstick plus plenty of oil, but yes the air fryer works but the multi thing we have has limited space. Enough for two.

Tbh, I still use the pan, as I can make a sauce.

[Mr Larrington]

One landed in Fort Larrington this arvo and did a stellar job of turning the piss-poor chips* from the local chippy into, er, deeply nomworthy ones.

* Their fish is always æxcellent

[Woofage]

Well, we bought one. So far I have cooked spring rolls (from scratch), roast tatties, chips (frozen), fish (cod & salmon), courgettes, peppers and giant mushrooms. I even tried a fried egg - not too shabby.

Consider me converted.

[Woofage]

One landed in Fort Larrington this arvo and did a stellar job of turning the piss-poor chips* from the local chippy into, er, deeply nomworthy ones.

I freeze surplus chip shop chips cos I'm a stingy bugger. Five minutes in the air fryer and they're as good as the originals.