Air Fryer Cooking Tips For The Perfect Cook Every Time

I wanted an air fryer for a long time and when I finally found a good sale on one I was shocked at home much it can do. From making crispy chicken tenders and the perfect mozzarella sticks to baking without heating the house up on hot summer days I fell in love.

These air fryer tips will help you dive right into using this kitchen appliance like a pro.

Air fryer cooking tips

Choosing the right type of foods

Meats, poultry, fish and seafood, vegetables, and frozen foods are all great options for air frying. Avoid using foods that are high in water content suck and liquid frying batters.

Properly preparing food for air frying

Cut food into similar-sized pieces to ensure even cooking if you are cooking something large such as a pot roast, season food as desired, and if desired, coat with a small amount of oil or cooking spray.

Don’t skip the oil

It may be called an air fryer but to get the perfect crisp every time you will still need to oil your food. For the best results use a spray bottle for your oil. This will get you an even crisp more closely resembling your favorite fried foods while being much better for your heart health.

Arrange the food properly

Arrange the food in a single layer in the fryer basket and avoid overcrowding. Shake the basket halfway through cooking to redistribute the food and ensure even cooking. If cooking something like bacon in the air fryer you will need to stir it very often. Alternatively, you can get a double rack that allows you to add an extra layer to your air fryer.

How to properly set the temperature for different types of food

Many air fryers come with a range of preset temperature and time settings for specific types of food. Consult the manual for your specific air fryer for guidance if you do not see what you are cooking as an option.

Tips for adjusting cooking time

Depending on the type of food and the desired level of doneness, you may need to adjust the cooking time when using the air fryer. Most recipes even air fryer recipes have not been tested in your air fryer so you want to start checking the food early.

If you are adjusting a recipe yourself keep in mind that an air fryer will cook in about 20% less time than a typical oven will so you will want to start checking around this adjusted time.

Always preheat your air fryer

Preheating the air fryer helps to ensure that food cooks evenly and you get the crispy results you are looking for. Most air fryers have a preheat cycle built right into them to make this easy.

For sticky foods

If you are cooking something that is highly likely to tick you can use air fryer liners or spray the inside of your air fryer basket before cooking to help prevent the food from ticking. Turning over the blood or shaking the basket a few times while cooking can also help prevent sticking.

Cleaning your air fryer

My sister taught me my favorite way of cleaning our air fryers. We place a small amount of water and dish detergent into the air fryer and run it for about 10 minutes. This will loosen everything up so we can simply wipe it out and rinse it for the perfect clean every time.