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What Is the Purpose of an Air Fryer? What It Does to Your Food

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Jody's Bakery
What Is the Purpose of an Air Fryer? What It Does to Your Food

What Is the Purpose of an Air Fryer?


The air fryer is essentially a convection oven on steroids. (However, there is a distinction between air frying and baking.) The small appliance, patented by Philips Electronics Company, claims to replicate the results of deep-frying using only hot air and little or no oil.

This device has grown in popularity in recent years—nearly 40% of US households will have one by July 2020, according to market research firm NPD Group. Air-frying is suitable for a wide variety of foods, from frozen chicken wings and homemade french fries to roasted vegetables and freshly baked cookies.

How Do Air Fryer Machines Operate?


An air fryer's top section houses the heating mechanism and fan. When you turn on the fryer, hot air rushes down and around the food. This rapid circulation results in a crispier product—similar to deep-frying but without the oil.

How to use an air fryer is as follows:

1. Fill the basket halfway with your food.


Depending on the size of your air fryer, the basket may hold between 2 and 10 quarts. Generally, you'll want to add 1 or 2 teaspoons of oil to assist the food in becoming crisp.

2. Alternately, set the time and temperature.


Cooking times and temperatures in an air fryer typically range between 5 and 25 minutes at 350° to 400°F, depending on the food being cooked.

3. Allow the food to cook.


In some cases, flipping or turning the food halfway through the cooking time may be necessary to ensure even crisping. After cooking, it's critical to clean your air fryer.

Which Air Fryer Is the Best?


Our Test Kitchen evaluated several models in order to determine the best air fryer, and three brands emerged as the clear winners. For years, we've lauded the Philips Avance Turbo-Star Air Fryer, and our experts also lauded the Black + Decker Purify Air Fryer and the PowerXL Vortex Air Fryer.

The price of these gadgets varies according to their size and features. Along with the appliance, you may wish to purchase some air fryer accessories.

What Can an Air Fryer Cook?


While many of the best air-fryer recipes involve deep-fried foods, this appliance can also be used to roast vegetables, cook meat, and bake cookies.

Frozen Snacks


The air fryer shines when it comes to preparing frozen foods with a deep-fried flavor. French fries, mozzarella sticks, and chicken nuggets are just a few of the frozen air-fried foods that can be prepared.

Finger Foods Made at Home


If you prefer to make your finger foods from scratch, the air fryer is an excellent choice for crisp homemade snacks and sides—try Air-Fryer Sweet Potato Fries, Air-Fryer Pickles, or Air-Fryer Papas Rellenas.

While frozen mozzarella sticks cooked in the air are delectable, fresh cheese melts into a gooey mess (so homemade cheese curds are out).

Poultry, Fish, and Meat


You can make tender and juicy air fryer chicken. Make chicken recipes in the air fryer, such as Air-Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken. Air-Fryer Keto Meatballs are an excellent choice for a healthier option. We adore this Air-Fryer Crumb-Topped Sole when it comes to fish and seafood dishes.

Vegetables Roasted


Due to the fact that air fryers are essentially miniature conventional ovens, they are ideal for roasting vegetables—particularly if you are cooking for one or two people. Air-Fryer Herb and Lemon Cauliflower and Air-Fryer Garlic-Rosemary Brussels Sprouts are two of our favorite air-fryer vegetable recipes.

However, if you're cooking vegetables with this gadget, omit the leafy greens.

Various Baked Goods


Air fryers are ideal for making single-serving desserts, such as cookies and apple fritters (find out how to make air fryer cookies here). Additionally, you can make these Air-Fryer Peppermint Lava Cakes for the winter holidays or these Air-Fryer Mini Nutella Doughnut Holes any time of year.

You cannot, however, make anything that requires a liquid batter (unless you freeze it first).

Air Fryer Suggestions


Is air-fried food nutritious?


One could argue that air-fried food is healthier than deep-fried food due to the reduced amount of oil used. Frozen french fries prepared in an air fryer contain between 4 and 6 grams of fat per serving, compared to deep-fried french fries, which contain a whopping 17 grams.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of air fryers?


Pros: Air fryers make it simple to prepare frozen foods and do so in a slightly healthier manner than deep frying. The results are significantly superior to oven frying, and your kitchen remains cool.

Cons: Even the largest air fryers have a limited capacity, which means you'll almost certainly need to cook in batches—especially if you're cooking for a crowd. Air fryers are larger than a toaster and take up valuable counter space. Finally, depending on the model, they can be quite costly.

Is it worthwhile to purchase an air fryer?


With numerous models available, the price of this popular appliance has decreased in recent years—many models are now less than $200, and some are even less than $100. Still, investing in an air fryer is likely only worthwhile if you frequently prepare fried foods—frozen or homemade.

See more: https://jodysbakery.com/ 

What are the Pros and Cons of an Air Fryer?

Best air fryer consumer reports in 2021

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