air fryer - lots of Qs

[Anonymous]

I recently bought an InstaPot air fryer (6 qt), my first air fryer.

I have used it once so far, to cook cubed salmon tossed in a spice rub (I preheated the air fryer and cooked the salmon cubes for 8 minutes at 400 deg, and I spread them out in the basket such that I needed to cook in two batches which frankly was also annoying). It turned out fine but no different than if I had cooked it in the oven. The exterior wasn’t crunchy at all, and I had patted moisture off the raw salmon and included a oittle cornstarch and olive oil in the spice rub. I make this dish frequently in the oven and it takes a few minutes longer but the final product is the same.

I had been under the impression that air fryers can produce crispy exterior without the addition of much oil.

Any tips for me? I am going to try several more times before returning the air fryer - I know I am new to this type of cooking and have only tried it once.

Also, I looked for some air fryer recipes, abd most don’t indicate whether to preheat the air fryer. What do you do?

[Anonymous]

It's great for reheating previously crispy items that have gotten soft in the fridge - french fries, half a baked potato, fried or coated fish/chicken, pizza, breakfast sandwiches...

It's also great for vegetables like asparagus or broccoli.

We use ours so much we now have 3. Our oldest one was wearing out, but we're using it until it finally breaks, as well as the one we bought to replace it.

I would choose to have an air fryer over a microwave.

I hope you aren't going to return something that you coated in olive oil and it has a salmon odor!

I think you need to try it for a few months to see what you can do with it.

I personally don't like the "air fryers" that are multi-purpose toaster oven, convection oven, etc.

I never pre-heat. I cook most everything on 400 for 4-8 minutes.

[Anonymous]

My family loves chicken wings made in the air fryer. They come out crisp and juicy. We also use it to make French fries from scratch, chicken thighs, fish and to cook/reheat from
frozen. All the recipes I cook from have temperature and time mentioned, but you’ll have to tweak them to your preferences.

[Anonymous]

Baked potatoes in the air fryer are heaven. Crispy salty skin, soft delicious inside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's great for reheating previously crispy items that have gotten soft in the fridge - french fries, half a baked potato, fried or coated fish/chicken, pizza, breakfast sandwiches...

It's also great for vegetables like asparagus or broccoli.

We use ours so much we now have 3. Our oldest one was wearing out, but we're using it until it finally breaks, as well as the one we bought to replace it.

I would choose to have an air fryer over a microwave.

I hope you aren't going to return something that you coated in olive oil and it has a salmon odor!

I think you need to try it for a few months to see what you can do with it.

I personally don't like the "air fryers" that are multi-purpose toaster oven, convection oven, etc.

I never pre-heat. I cook most everything on 400 for 4-8 minutes.

Do you use all 3 at the same time? I use the air fryer on my toaster oven but not sure if a stand alone air fryer would provide better results. Which brand do you prefer?

[Anonymous]

I don't know what an instapot airfryer is so I can't help. I have the basket airfryer and it's amazing. I keep it cranked to 400 at all times and everything crisps up amazingly. I never add oil.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's great for reheating previously crispy items that have gotten soft in the fridge - french fries, half a baked potato, fried or coated fish/chicken, pizza, breakfast sandwiches...

It's also great for vegetables like asparagus or broccoli.

We use ours so much we now have 3. Our oldest one was wearing out, but we're using it until it finally breaks, as well as the one we bought to replace it.

I would choose to have an air fryer over a microwave.

I hope you aren't going to return something that you coated in olive oil and it has a salmon odor!

I think you need to try it for a few months to see what you can do with it.

I personally don't like the "air fryers" that are multi-purpose toaster oven, convection oven, etc.

I never pre-heat. I cook most everything on 400 for 4-8 minutes.

Do you use all 3 at the same time? I use the air fryer on my toaster oven but not sure if a stand alone air fryer would provide better results. Which brand do you prefer?

We often use 2 at the same time. DH will make something for lunch in 1, then it's still dirty, so I will use the other for my dinner.

We have the Ninja Power XL from Sams (medium size) and the Bella Pro Series from Best Buy (smaller). Not sure what the older one is. They are all the kind that have baskets that you remove. The old one has a inner basket that lifts out of the base and the other 2 have a removable grill that sits in the base of the outer basket.

The air fryer setting on our toaster oven is a "joke" as far as demonstrating the benefits of air frying.

I can see why large families might consider the "boxes" that have 3 racks, but I've not been impressed with the results when friends have used them.

I've also seen the ones that have 2 medium/large baskets side by side,, to cook 2 different things, or larger quantities. When we were raising our 5 kids, this style might have been good. The air fryers we have now would have been ok to cook one thing back then - french fries in 2 AFs or fish, but it would have been hard to fit enough food for 4-7 people in 2 or 3. Now we are retired, so 2 (plus a backup) suits us fine.

If we are cooking something "clean" like fries, we can often just wash the removable grill. If it's messier where toppings fall thru the grill grates to the base, we throw both parts in the dishwasher. Get a style that is DW capable. I would have to have to manually clean one that can't go in the DW.

My friend has a huge Ninja that she has to keep in a cabinet and it is so bulky and heavy to lift out, that she just doesn't use it. We have lots of counter space, so we just have them on the counter beside the fridge, so they are mostly blocked from view.

[Anonymous]

Oh, I use an olive oil spray if I think something will stick to the grills.

[Anonymous]

I don't think there is really snyhing that you can not do with the oven at a high temp. it's just faster easier. Not essential imo

[Anonymous]

I find it actually the best for chicken. chicken comes out so much juicer and more flavorful in the air fryer. I don’t use it for much else but I do make a lot of chicken.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there is really snyhing that you can not do with the oven at a high temp. it's just faster easier. Not essential imo

Yes but faster and easier can be essential on busy days.

[Anonymous]

What setting/temp did you use?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there is really snyhing that you can not do with the oven at a high temp. it's just faster easier. Not essential imo

Yes but faster and easier can be essential on busy days.

DP- and especially since there's not preheating time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there is really snyhing that you can not do with the oven at a high temp. it's just faster easier. Not essential imo

Yes but faster and easier can be essential on busy days.

This was undercut for me since I needed to make the salmon in two batches in order that it be spread out in the basket. I have a 6qt air fryer and this was to cook 1lb of salmon.

-OP

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure how big your air fryer is but mine from Ninja is 2 sided. On one side I can cook 2-3 pieces of meat (1 lb) and on the other a veggie serving for 3-4.