The Air Fryer topic

[rotuts]

@mgaretz

 

that's a fundamental question that w/o experience makes no sense  :  how can steam make something crispy ?

 

why not just soggy ?  that would make more every day sense,

 

but stream at higher temps, lets say above  boiling indeed far above this indeed will make thinks crispy

 

this only dawned on me when I made chicken thighs in the CSB :  the crunchiest chicken skin Ive ever made and tasted.

 

the skin 'bubbled'

 

I do know   the 'tots I make in the CSB are as crispy as Id like them, and better than the BVXL which is a dry oven.

 

they turn out in the steam oven both crispy and moist.

 

I do not have a PAF  and Im guessing I might get fine 'tots in that sooner than a CSB  I can't say if they would be on the dry side

 

as a dry oven might make them.  perhaps not as its quicker in the PAF

 

and I have not done traditionally sized white FF in the CSB    I can tell you  sweet potato fries and not impressive in both the

 

BVXL and the CSB

 

if you do not have a steam oven, then maybve the PAF will be a good addition for your kitchen.

 

if you have a steam oven, maybe the PAF will not be as uniquely helpful

 

that's how I see it for me at the moment,

 

if you had neither , and the PAF was 200 , I think you might do better in the long run to consider a

 

steam oven for < 200 ,

 

how ever , if you have a PAF  Im sure you will enjoy it.

Edited August 18, 2016 by rotuts (log)

[mgaretz]

Maybe I will try a little water in the pan.

[Anna N]

 

 Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

tomorrow I will try another egg because I believe my failure here was that the oven was already hot from cooking the sausages. 

[Anna N]

5 minutes ago, mgaretz said:

Maybe I will try a little water in the pan.

 I was amazed to discover that you can in fact use it as a bain marie for flans and custards. 

[Thanks for the Crepes]

On 8/17/2016 at 0:41 PM, Anna N said:

 I agree with you. Very recently we had a discussion on this very topic on eG with some claiming that the Japanese sweet potato did better than our standard North American versions.

 

 

That someone was me, and I said I had had crispier results with conventional oven fries using Asian sweet potato like these here, than with the far more common around here orange sweet potatoes we grow tons of in this state. The Asian sweets are not as sweet as the orange variety, and seem to have a higher starch content, lower water content, and do come out crispier than the orange sweet oven fries, but still not as crispy as Idaho potato oven fries. I also remember Anna N tried them and did not agree.

 

Personally, I like and prefer the flavor of orange sweet potato fries, but agree with the consensus here that they will never be close to as crispy as Idaho fries. I wonder what pre-soaking in salt water would do to pull some of the moisture from the fries through osmosis? I might give that a try next time I try some.

 

@Tri2Cook's story about trying to make this item in a restaurant setting was both comical and empathetically exasperating. No wonder he/she hates to see them on the menu. I'd have to have the patience of a saint, which is not one of the things I'm known for. 

[Anna N]

 

Onion pakora.  These may have potential but as they stand now they are dry and a bit unpleasant in texture.  The challenge will be to make them much more moist but still able to hold their shape.  The original recipe called for them to be wrapped around a cube of cheese but that just seemed wrong to me. I think the next time I attempt them I will increase the moisture in the batter and perhaps form them into small flat patties. I would also make sure to spray the basket as they stuck rather stubbornly.  I still think they are worth a second chance.  

 

 

[Lisa Shock]

I don't own one of these, but I have been reading along here. It seems that this device is best suited to heating frozen fried foods, as they have a considerable amount of fat coating them already. -And coating them really evenly. I think it's going to be difficult to take vegetables from scratch and get them to rival real fried foods. It may be useful for quickly cooking other random foods, like that braised meat, but I am not really feeling it. I think I'd rather pan fry in a cast iron skillet or my wok.

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, Lisa Shock said:

I don't own one of these, but I have been reading along here. It seems that this device is best suited to heating frozen fried foods, as they have a considerable amount of fat coating them already. -And coating them really evenly. I think it's going to be difficult to take vegetables from scratch and get them to rival real fried foods. It may be useful for quickly cooking other random foods, like that braised meat, but I am not really feeling it. I think I'd rather pan fry in a cast iron skillet or my wok.

It certainly isn't winning me over the way both the instant pot and the Cuisinart Steam Oven did.  Yet I find it challenging and fun to see what it can do.  I do not have room for a CSO but this sits right on my glass top.  When I use it I am reminded of the very sexist comment by Dr. Johnson:

 "Sir, a woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on his hind legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all." . I think it is oversold and overhyped but that doesn't mean to say there are not some things it might do well and more conveniently so I will keep playing.  

[rotuts]

@Anna N 

 

very well said.   I was so close to getting one but am holding off.  with a CSB and IP ( and plenty of space on the floor ) their's not much 

 

that can't be done well.

 

I imagine there is not a fish-monger next door that offering fresh calamari for you to try in the PAF ?

 

just saying.

 

I have the feeling 'Tots from frozen might be very nice in the PAF

 

and as mentioned , other Fz items :  wings , etc  

[Anna N]

 No fishmonger next door. I am inclined to agree with @mgaretzthat  calamari are best shared and best cooked by someone else. But if it became a possibility I would not be completely averse to giving them a shot in the air fryer. 

I am anxious to try frozen fries, tater tots, though they are not easy to find in these parts, shake and bake pork chops and or chicken, perhaps even a small steak and a few other things.  When all is said and done for singleton households it sure does save heating up the big oven or even the Breville.  There are days when I am challenged by health issues and reheating something from frozen might well save me from going hungry. 

 There are many ways to look at these appliances from a user point of view. For those who are young and in the peak of health these might elicit a sneer but for others less fortunate they can be very helpful. 

[Anna N]

 

 Not much wrong here and because these potatoes needed almost no attention it seemed much easier and less messy  then other methods.  This was one Russte but I would love to try it again with a Yukon gold. I seasoned them with the Dutch potato spice we have talked about before. 

[Kerry Beal]

22 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 

 Not much wrong here and because these potatoes needed almost no attention it seemed much easier and less messy  then other methods.  This was one Russte but I would love to try it again with a Yukon gold. I seasoned them with the Dutch potato spice we have talked about before. 

We are going to be taking this beast up north in October, aren't we? Does it do anything low carb?

[Anna N]

@Kerry Beal

 

 Lower carb perhaps. Low-carb I doubt it!  

[cyalexa]

On 8/17/2016 at 11:13 AM, KennethT said:

I have never met a cripsy, non-greasy sweet potato fry

There is an ATK recipe for sweet potato fries that results in a crisp fry. It involves a boil with baking soda followed by a toss in cornstarch slurry before frying.  A lot of hassle but it does work.

Edited August 20, 2016 by cyalexa (log)

[rotuts]

indeed.  I reviewed that vid.

 

I think they  finished the sweet potatoes in the oven.

 

noi matter.

 

what they did not mention, is how long after cooking them 

 

did they remain ''' crisp'   ??

[gfweb]

It appears that this infection is running its course without claiming too many victims.

[cyalexa]

46 minutes ago, rotuts said:

I think they  finished the sweet potatoes in the oven.

 

what they did not mention, is how long after cooking them did they remain ''' crisp'   ??

I have not reviewed the video. I last made them quite a while ago and enjoyed them a great deal. The recipe, as I have it saved, says, "serve immediately".  I make 2 servings which we have with dinner so do not try to hold them but my recollection is that they were crisp enough to make it through dinner. 

[rotuts]

perhaps.

 

but the Trump ( not that one ) card would be the 

 

salt and Pepper calamari :

 

 

BTW  Food Safari is about as good as it gets.

[Anna N]

15 minutes ago, gfweb said:

It appears that this infection is running its course without claiming too many victims.

 On the other hand you can reassure yourself that I am not part of the marketing team. It is amazing to read all the reviews that elevate it to such a level. When I read them I always ask myself: "What the hell were they eating before they got it?"  

[rotuts]

@Anna N  

 

When I read them I always ask myself: "What the hell were they eating before they got it?"  

 

indeed.

 

however, Come October  ..................

[Shelby]

Can you do popcorn in there?  My brain isn't on full go today so apologies if that has been mentioned.

[Anna N]

 

Low carb "pizza". Portobello caps with gills scraped out, lightly sprayed with oil then a layer of pizza sauce, a few sliced onions and some grated mozzarella. Tastewise these were neither better nor worse than similar preparations. Not sure that the air fryer made preparation any easier. Still if you are living in a dorm....

[rotuts]

however, to be fair :

 

if you don't have an IP, nor a CSB, but decided on the PAF

 

I think it would a fine item to work with   ( BB$B  $ 160 ).

 

after all, many Hemmed and Hawwed on the CSB, didn't there ?  and some still have to sneak the CSB into their basement

 

for what ever cultural issues they might have North of the Border.

 

etc.   I do think those curly fires we have seen are going to be made over and over again  

[Anna N]

8 minutes ago, Shelby said:

Can you do popcorn in there?  My brain isn't on full go today so apologies if that has been mentioned.

If you can someone else will have to confirm.  Popcorn does NOT appear in my list of edible food products. 

[rotuts]

having looked at the analogue and digital ( much larger version ) at BB$B

 

and having in the past an AitPopper   

 

you are going to be very limited on the final amount of Pop the PAF can make  based on the size of the basket.

 

barely enough for One id say, more like enough for a 1/2.