Air Fryer: 8 Tips for Crispy Results Every Time
An air fryer cooks with hot air circulated at high speed: when used properly, it produces golden, crispy food with very little oil. Here are eight simple tips to ensure success from your very first attempts.
1. Preheat for a few minutes
A preheated appliance sears the food from the start and helps create a beautiful golden crust. Many models have a preheating mode; if yours doesn't, let it run empty for 2 to 3 minutes. Refer to your model's user manual.
2. Do not overcrowd the basket
The air must circulate around each piece. Arrange the food in a single layer without stacking it, and cook in two batches if necessary: two small batches of crispy food are better than one large batch of soggy food. If you use parchment paper, choose paper designed for air fryers (perforated) and always place it under the food, never alone in the basket: it is so light that it could lift up and touch the heating element.
3. Dry the food before cooking
Surface moisture prevents food from becoming crispy. Pat meat, fish, and vegetables dry with paper towels. For homemade fries, soak potato sticks in cold water for about thirty minutes to remove some of the starch, then dry them thoroughly.
4. A light coating of oil is enough
An air fryer does not need much oil, but a light coating applied with a brush or spray improves the golden color and crispiness, especially for vegetables and potatoes. Toss the food with the oil in a bowl rather than pouring it directly into the basket.
5. Shake or flip halfway through cooking
Shake the basket or flip the food halfway through cooking so that it browns evenly on all sides. This is particularly useful for fries, nuggets, chopped vegetables, and chicken wings.
6. Adjust the cooking times and temperatures
An air fryer generally cooks faster than a traditional oven. As a rule, lower the temperature by about 20°C compared to an oven recipe and check the food from the first few minutes. Then, make a note of the settings that work best for your favorite recipes.
7. Take advantage of both drawers if your model has two
A double-drawer model allows you to cook two different dishes at the same time, such as meat and vegetables, with settings specific to each drawer. The sync function then allows you to finish them at the same time. To compare the two formats, read our article Single or double-drawer air fryer: which one to choose?.
8. Clean after each use
Let the appliance cool, empty the grease, then wash the basket or drawer in hot soapy water with a non-abrasive sponge to preserve the non-stick coating. On most of our models, the accessories are dishwasher-safe: refer to each product's information sheet. A clean appliance cooks food better and produces less smoke.
Key takeaways
- Preheat, dry the food, and do not overcrowd the basket.
- A light coating of oil and flipping halfway through cooking are enough for a crispy result.
- Slightly lower the temperatures from an oven recipe and check the food.
- Clean the appliance after each use.
Ready to switch to an air fryer? Discover our selection of air fryers.
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