Common Airfryer Cooking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

​Preparing extra-crispy meals with a minimum amount of oil may sound too good to be true, but with an air fryer, it’s a piece of cake. Some common mistakes, however, can prevent chefs from achieving that coveted result. These include the wrong amount of oil, improper food selection, and overloading.

Reducing the amount of oil used is one of the main advantages of air fryers. However, many people fail to use the right amount, going to one of two extremes: too much or too little. Air fryers are not deep fryers or frying pans. Instead, they more closely resemble a mini-convention oven. Most air fryers require about a teaspoon or two of oil. Recipes typically include the right amount of oil for the specific dish. Professionals advise sticking to the recommended amount, but, if still unsure, chefs should quickly spritz the food with oil to add to its crispiness and achieve that appetizing golden-brown color.

Another common air fryer cooking mistake is not selecting the proper food. While deep fryers can remove moisture from battered foods, air fryers do not have that capability. Professionals advise avoiding cooking limp, wet, or lightweight foods, as they will not produce the desired results. Furthermore, lightweight vegetables like spinach can fly around and end up in the heating coil, burning and triggering the smoke alarm. Professionals recommend choosing already breaded, crunchy, and heavier foods like breaded cheese, breaded chicken tenders, Brussels sprouts, or broccoli.

Finally, people often overload the air fryer baskets. Air fryers constantly circulate high-temperature air, but overcrowding the basket will hamper that circulation and limit the food surface the heat reaches, resulting in soggy, unevenly cooked meals. The larger the food surface the hot air meets, the crispier the meal and the richer its flavor. A professional tip is to cook in smaller batches or opt for a larger air fryer (or one with dual baskets).

Robert Palley

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