Cooking with an Air Fryer

[ElsieD]

The Cosori I am using is really smaller one.  Tonight's spuds, while nice and brown, were not crispy.  I soaked them in water, dried them and tossed them in a touch of oil -a teaspoon maybe.  Cooked them using the root vegetable setting and shook them a few times while they were cooking.  They were Yukon Golds.  I don't think I'd repeat the exercise unless someone points me to a better way of doing them.

 

@Anna N Any suggestions for what I should try next?

[palo]

To me, frozen foods tends to work best (fries vs potataoes) - I have the Instant (Pot) Vortex - pleased with its size and price - "oven" types not reccomended

 

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07VHFMZHJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

btw the way, I only paid CDN$139 back in November - watch for sales or Warehouse Deals

 

p

Edited June 6, 2022 by palo
added Amazon link (log)

[Chimayo Joe]

9 hours ago, ElsieD said:

 

A couple of questions:  which air fryer do you have and would you get the same one again?  Do you use it as much as you thought you would?

 

I have this one. https://www.target.com/p/chefman-5qt-air-fryer-black/-/A-83469603#lnk=sametab
I had no experience with air fryers before buying mine a few months ago. I wanted one that had a square cooking area (more usable space for the size of the appliance), decent wattage for the capacity, dishwasher safe parts, and I decided the lift-out tray style might be easier to clean than the lift-out basket style.

 

I use it much, much more than I thought I would.  It works great.  The only reason that might make me not buy the same one again is that it's 5 qt., and I wouldn't mind having a slightly larger one. I've been happy enough with the brand and style that I'd probably buy this one. https://chefman.com/collections/air-fryers-1/products/turbofry-touch-air-fryer-1

Edited June 6, 2022 by Chimayo Joe (log)

[Anna N]

10 hours ago, ElsieD said:

 

@Anna N Any suggestions for what I should try next?

I would say my greatest success would be cooking Johnsonville brats!  So fast and so mess free. 

[weinoo]

13 hours ago, ElsieD said:

Sweet potato fries, from frozen.  Fail. 

 

I don't think sweet potato fries are ever crispy. (nor ever any good, but that's just a personal thing).

 

 

[gfweb]

18 minutes ago, weinoo said:

 

I don't think sweet potato fries are ever crispy. (nor ever any good, but that's just a personal thing).

 

 

 

I have had SP fries with a crispy coating of some sort.

With enough salt and black pepper SP fries are OK to me...never great though.

[Chimayo Joe]

2 hours ago, palo said:

My first air fryer was that type - after having it fall apart on to the floor I migrated to the type where the basket does not separate from the tray The tray is the basket - it has a removable grill in the bottom to catch grease and allow air circulation

 

p

I think we're talking about the same type of design--a drawer with a removable tray(grill) that sits in the bottom of the drawer.

 

1 hour ago, weinoo said:

 

I don't think sweet potato fries are ever crispy. (nor ever any good, but that's just a personal thing).

 

 

I've had Alexia and McCain crinkle cut sweet potato fries in the air fryer. They get crispy, but the problem with those is that the edges of the crinkles have a tendency to get too browned, and over-browned sweet potato doesn't taste as good as over-browned white potato.  I haven't gotten around to trying straight cut sweet potato fries in the air fryer yet.  I'm hoping those will be easier to get right.  FWIW, I like McCain crinkle cut sweet potato fries better than Alexia.  Alexia crinkle cut have garlic & onion powder, too much for my taste.  I don't think Alexia straight cut sweet potato fries have that.

Edited June 6, 2022 by Chimayo Joe (log)

[ElsieD]

18 minutes ago, Chimayo Joe said:

I think we're talking about the same type of design--a drawer with a removable tray(grill) that sits in the bottom of the drawer.

 

I've had Alexia and McCain crinkle cut sweet potato fries in the air fryer. They get crispy, but the problem with those is that the edges of the crinkles have a tendency to get too browned, and over-browned sweet potato doesn't taste as good as over-browned white potato.  I haven't gotten around to trying straight cut sweet potato fries in the air fryer yet.  I'm hoping those will be easier to get right.  FWIW, I like McCain crinkle cut sweet potato fries better than Alexia.  Alexia crinkle cut have garlic & onion powder, too much for my taste.  I don't think Alexia straight cut sweet potato fries have that.

 

The sweet potatoes I tried were Alexia straight cut.  I have a few left, barely enough to cover the bottom of the tray.  I'll do those up to see if part of my problem was quantity.

[ElsieD]

We did up some chicken wings from Costco, brand name Le Cage that we were happy with.  I want to get some fresh ones and see how those turn out.  Do any of you use the pre-sets?  I asked my sister about that and she says she never uses them.

[Chimayo Joe]

15 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

 

The sweet potatoes I tried were Alexia straight cut.  I have a few left, barely enough to cover the bottom of the tray.  I'll do those up to see if part of my problem was quantity.

Make sure to give them a good shake halfway through the cooking.  The sweet potato fries I've cooked have been stickier than other fries and take a little more shaking to get them to move.

 

Nah, I don't use the presets either.

Edited June 6, 2022 by Chimayo Joe (log)

[ElsieD]

16 minutes ago, Chimayo Joe said:

Make sure to give them a good shake halfway through the cooking.  The sweet potato fries I've cooked have been stickier than other fries and take a little more shaking to get them to move.

 

Nah, I don't use the presets either.

 

Thanks.  I did shake them several times and as they warmed they were sticking togethe.  I tried to separate them a bit but they did not want to cooperate.

[Smithy]

18 hours ago, ElsieD said:

A couple of questions:  which air fryer do you have and would you get the same one again?  Do you use it as much as you thought you would?

 

I have a Holsem air fryer that I bought several years ago during an Amazon Prime sale. (It's this one (eG-friendly Amazon.com link), for those curious.) I don't use it much, partly because I have to haul it out of storage (it hasn't earned a permanent spot on the counter) and partly because of its design. It has the round basket that nests inside, and supposedly latches to, the bottom tray. As a couple of people have discussed above, the basket sometimes drops the tray when I'm pulling stuff out to shake it. I also find the round configuration to be inconvenient for most of my uses: too small a diameter, too tall; stuff needs frequent turning.

 

If I were to buy another air fryer I'd go with one more oven-shaped, but I'm not sure this does anything that the CSO or BSOA couldn't do at least as well for my uses. I know a convection oven isn't the same as an air fryer, but I haven't become convinced that an air fryer is useful for my cookery. YMMV.

[Annie_H]

5 hours ago, weinoo said:

I don't think sweet potato fries are ever crispy. (nor ever any good, but that's just a personal thing).

Agree. Just expect a good flavor but soggy. But using the Kenji potato method, a couple fellas seem to have found a method I'm trying tonight with sweet potatoes and trying the Kenji method with russets. Not sure their last names but Dan and Ethan I think. They use the simmer in water/baking soda or vinegar method with a slurry before roasting in the oven. 

I went down that rabbit hole 10 years ago when every blogger said they make the 'best' and crispiest sweet potato fries. BS.

I did have good luck with rice flour after soaking in an ice water bath. 

Seems the trick is to simmer briefly first. 

SW fries...Ethan

SW fries...Dan

[ElsieD]

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

I were to buy another air fryer I'd go with one more oven-shaped, but I'm not sure this does anything that the CSO or BSOA couldn't do at least as well for my uses. I know a convection oven isn't the same as an air fryer, but I haven't become convinced that an air fryer is useful for my cookery. YMMV.

One of the reasons I am asking my questions is because I have both the BSOA and the CSO and I am wondering what the air fryer will do for me that my current set up won't.  I use both of them to such an extent that I rarely use my regular oven.  But, and this may be due to the operator (me) or my current machine, but I don't like the air fryer function on the BSOA.  I have room for an air fryer so that isn't an issue.

[ElsieD]

11 minutes ago, Annie_H said:

Agree. Just expect a good flavor but soggy. But using the Kenji potato method, a couple fellas seem to have found a method I'm trying tonight with sweet potatoes and trying the Kenji method with russets. Not sure their last names but Dan and Ethan I think. They use the simmer in water/baking soda or vinegar method with a slurry before roasting in the oven. 

I went down that rabbit hole 10 years ago when every blogger said they make the 'best' and crispiest sweet potato fries. BS.

I did have good luck with rice flour after soaking in an ice water bath. 

Seems the trick is to simmer briefly first. 

SW fries...Ethan

SW fries...Dan

 

Looking forward to reading about the result.

[Annie_H]

I should add I don't have an air fryer but a 24" wall oven stacked over a built-in steam oven. Wall oven has convection so similar. Small footprint so it cooks evenly. Efficient but small kitchen. Eye level side door wall oven is a dream. 

I'm cooking the russets first via Kenji. That should starch up the water for the sweet potatoes. Russets go in the oven, Sweets I'll simmer for a few, then join the roasting russets later. 

 

[ElsieD]

8 hours ago, Anna N said:

I was about to answer and say that there were no presets on mine! That gives you an idea of how often I use them. I have had lovely roasted potatoes from my air fryer. It is theb larger one so perhaps that is the difference. I have also done them in a small non-stick pan which fits into the air fryer and that seems to work really well. I consider crispy sweet potato fries a figment of somebody’s imagination. 
I buy PC brand Chicken Kiev and find that 380°F for 18 minutes to work perfectly every time. One of those and a side salad makes a fine meal for me. 
I also happen to think that the air fryer is the easiest way ever to guarantee perfectly cooked hard boiled eggs. 

 

Hard boiled eggs?   How did you make the roasted potatoes?  Were they crispy?

[Anna N]

27 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

 

Hard boiled eggs?   How did you make the roasted potatoes?  Were they crispy?

Eggs: Straight from fridge into basket of air fryer 275°F for 15 minutes and then into an ice bath. 

Potatoes were tossed in a little oil seasoned and roasted in air fryer 380°F for 20 minutes or until crisped to your satisfaction. These were at the small whole potatoes cut in half. I posted a little earlier in this thread about them. 

Edited June 7, 2022 by Anna N
To correct temperature for potatoes from 400° down to 380° (log)

[mgaretz]

11 hours ago, ElsieD said:

One of the reasons I am asking my questions is because I have both the BSOA and the CSO and I am wondering what the air fryer will do for me that my current set up won't.

 

Look up thread for my comparison of BSOA fries and air fryer fries.  While I love my BSOA, I also love the air fryer for certain things (also because it's a grill).  

[ElsieD]

@Kim Shook had me lusting after pound cake.  In flipping through the Cosori recipe book I saw a recipe for lemon pound cake so I decided to make one for dessert.  The recipe said "small" loaf pan, I tried my appx. 3" x 5" pan and had to transfer the batter to another one because it was too small.  Strike one for not being more specific.  I followed the instructions and pre-heated the air fryer, and when complete, in went the cake.  At 30 minutes, the thing dinged and I tested the cake.  My toothpick was wet while the top was in danger of burning.  My thermopan read 185F.  Strike no. 2.  Back in it went for 10 minutes with a piece of foil over the top.  At the end of 10 it appeared to be done.  I flipped it over to a rack and only 2/3 of it released from the pan.  Once cool I discovered that just under the top crust there were still some unbaked spots.  Small ones, but still....  the cake tasted fine but we both thought it was overly sweet.  The blueberry compote and whipped cream were delicious.  Now, I doubt very much that I would ever bake anything in an air fryer and so it really didn't matter, but I thought someone might be interested in how well the baking function worked.  It might be nice if some company manufactured one with a window.

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, ElsieD said:

Now, I doubt very much that I would ever bake anything in an air fryer and so it really didn't matter, but I thought someone might be interested in how well the baking function worked.  It might be nice if some company manufactured one with a window.

Well you have my admiration for even trying it. When I googled “baking in the air fryer” I was shocked to see how many recipes there are. The problem is that it is very hard to judge the real results. There does appear to be a Bundt pan for some air fryers which might improve the success rate. Nevertheless I have to wonder if it’s a case of once you have a hammer everything is a nail. I can certainly see if the air fryer were the only appliance available then it might be worth the effort to perfect baking in it. 

Edited June 8, 2022 by Anna N
Transcription failures. (log)

[ElsieD]

Tonight I cooked Johnsonville brats.  10 minutes and they were done and I think they were done before the ten minutes were up.  I am officially sold on this thing.

[Anna N]

39 minutes ago, palo said:

Lots of recipes on their site:

Thanks for this. If it did nothing else it amused me. People who eat roasted grapes on ricotta toast I would not consider to be the demographic likely to own an air fryer.
I looked at what purported to be a recipe book for this air fryer (or perhaps a much, much bigger model) that called for the ingredients to be placed in a 9 x 13 pan!  The book is on special on the Amazon site for a mere $4. I downloaded a sample but I won’t part with even $4 for this. Sheesh. 
None of this should detract from the appeal of the air fryer itself but recipes such as these  set one up for disappointment.  
A little realism would be welcome. 

[Anna N]

14 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Tonight I cooked Johnsonville brats.  10 minutes and they were done and I think they were done before the ten minutes were up.  I am officially sold on this thing.

Brats makes sense; ricotta cheese toasts with roasted grapes not so much!

Edited June 8, 2022 by Anna N
Transcription error. (log)

[Anna N]

15 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Tonight I cooked Johnsonville brats.  10 minutes and they were done and I think they were done before the ten minutes were up.  I am officially sold on this thing.

I tried hard to find a YouTube review on this particular model (the one with the window) but was unable to find one.