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Views: 88 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2023-12-15 Origin: Site
Here's everything you need to know about the popular countertop cookware.
More than a decade ago, air fryers burst onto the kitchen scene and immediately became all the rage. Air fryers are favored by home cooks because they cook faster and easier than a large oven and are healthier than frying in oil.
Despite the name, air fryers don't actually fry, but rather mimic the results of cooking with hot oil. Air fryers are also faster than any other type of convection oven, and most nonstick basket air fryers take no more than a minute or two to clean. Most air fryers are relatively inexpensive and offer great value considering all the heavy lifting they can do.
Let's start at the beginning.
Contrary to the name, air fryers don't actually fry at all. Instead, air fryers work more like convection ovens, circulating hot air through a fan. The main difference between a regular convection oven and an air fryer is that air fryer fans blow faster and the compartments in which the food is cooked are usually (but not always) smaller. As a result of these two things, all that hot air touches the food faster, so it doesn't lose as much heat in transit. Most air fryers come with grated racks or perforated baskets so the air can pass through and hit the food on all sides.
This fast, hot baking or "super convection" can quickly brown chicken, potatoes, frozen snacks, vegetables and fish without overcooking the interior. This is very similar to how deep-frying works, which is where the comparison and name come from. While this is not true for all foods, many of the foods I have gas fried taste almost identical to deep fried. In fact, some things taste better (in my opinion) because they are not saturated with heavy oils, which can overwhelm the flavor of the food.
It depends entirely on the food you make in your air fryer, but cooking in an air fryer is almost universally healthier than deep-frying or sautéing in oil. Less oil means less fat and fewer calories.
The foods that are most flavorful when deep-fried - wings, fried chicken, French fries, mozzarella sticks - are also usually best served in an air fryer. You'll get the same crispy, browned crust without overcooking the insides. But you can also make roasted vegetables like zucchini, stuffed peppers, sweet potatoes, and cauliflower in an air fryer in less time than in a large oven.
Some favorite foods to cook in an air fryer include skin-on "fried" chicken; just quickly dredge in eggs and seasoned flour, then cook on high heat for 25 minutes. Brussels sprouts, frozen dumplings (coated with a thin layer of oil) and mushrooms seasoned with chopped garlic are some of the easier side dishes and appetizers to make in the air fryer.
Speaking of appetizers, popular frozen foods such as bagels, pre-made chicken tenders, jalapenos, fish sticks or crab cakes are all excellent choices for cooking in an air fryer.
