Cooking with an Air Fryer

[palo]

My Air Fryer: Chefman 6.5 litre

 

https://www.amazon.com/Chefman-Digital-Liter-Quart-Fryer/dp/B07BJ21VS9/ref=sr_1_10?crid=1SYLOT14CH91T&dchild=1&keywords=chefman+air+fryer&qid=1628882685&sprefix=chefman%2Caps%2C509&sr=8-10

 

Large size and most importantly the basket does not detach from the handle - hard to explain but the basket that you pull out and the basket you put the food in are all one piece my first air fryer had a separate food basket that you released by way of a button, second use the basket holder released expectantly and the food basket ended up on the floor with the food - that was a tout suite Amazon return - one of the attributes of this device is the "flat basket" which gives you more capacity "so they say"

 

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[Anna N]

1 hour ago, mgaretz said:

Actually there is a video I watched yesterday that compares the Cosori, Instant Pot and Ninja Grills. 

Thanks very much for sharing this   It seemed to be one of the more honest reviews that I have watched. I was definitely not impressed with the Insta air fryer. A lifetime ago I might have wished for the Ninja but in the end I’m glad I have the Cosori. 

[gfweb]

Anyone know how the BSOA compares to the others?

[palo]

Having both an Air Fryer and a BSOA - the BSOA runs a distant second - the Air Fryer's design concentrates the heat and convection at the food whereas the BSOA spreads it around the much larger oven cavity - if you can only have one the BSOA is the winner due to its much wider and varied applications, but don't expect air frying to be one of its strengths - the same goes for its dehydrating capabilities as compared to a dedicated dehydrator

 

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[David Ross]

We have a local grocery store that puts out fried chicken from the previous day in the cold case, marked down, sometimes to $3.00 for eight pieces of fried chicken.  I pop it in the air fryer for about 5-6 minutes and it's crisp and juicy.  Of course not like made from scratch at the time, but still very delicious. I use it in salads, sandwiches and of course just to get my fried chicken craving in.

 

[Anna N]

 

My goal was to produce a protein, a carb and a vegetable as easily as possible. This was not a complete success but gave me a roadmap forward. I placed the beans which had been tossed in some oil, and the hash brown patty in the bottom of the basket. I put a rack over them and added the frozen burger. 
The hashbrowns were perfectly cooked and I was satisfied with the green beans but the burger was overcooked and as tough as shoe leather. Cooking temperature was 380°F and cooking time was 15 minutes. 
My next iteration will involve adding the burger to the rack later in the cooking cycle. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

44 minutes ago, Anna N said:

 

My goal was to produce a protein, a carb and a vegetable as easily as possible. This was not a complete success but gave me a roadmap forward. I placed the beans which had been tossed in some oil, and the hash brown patty in the bottom of the basket. I put a rack over them and added the frozen burger. 
The hashbrowns were perfectly cooked and I was satisfied with the green beans but the burger was overcooked and as tough as shoe leather. Cooking temperature was 380°F and cooking time was 15 minutes. 
My next iteration will involve adding the burger to the rack later in the cooking cycle. 

 

Anna, do you still have your A4 Box?  I seldom use my A4 Box, however it might be a better choice for burgers than an air-fryer.  Though I confess the only appliance I use for burgers these days is my Paragon Induction Cooker.  The Paragon works wonderfully for me.  No regrets or excuses.

 

If only my kitchen wiring allowed me to use the Paragon and my APO at the same time.

 

 

 

 

[Anna N]

I do still have my A4 box but it does not get a lot of use. It’s a matter of endurance. It’s enduring but I’m not doing quite that well!😂
 

[palo]

@ Anna N & other Air Fryers - have you ever found "Air Fryer instructions" on any foods you've purchased?

 

Most preparation instructions are for oven or microwave.

 

Would they not be helpful as not everyone has access to someone like Anna N "to take one for the team" and benefit us with her experiences?

 

p

[gfweb]

1 hour ago, palo said:

@ Anna N & other Air Fryers - have you ever found "Air Fryer instructions" on any foods you've purchased?

 

Most preparation instructions are for oven or microwave.

 

Would they not be helpful as not everyone has access to someone like Anna N "to take one for the team" and benefit us with her experiences?

 

p

I think the differences among air fryers might make this tough. 

[mgaretz]

2 hours ago, palo said:

@ Anna N & other Air Fryers - have you ever found "Air Fryer instructions" on any foods you've purchased?

 

Most preparation instructions are for oven or microwave.

 

Would they not be helpful as not everyone has access to someone like Anna N "to take one for the team" and benefit us with her experiences?

 

p

 

Some of the frozen foods are now starting to have air fryer instructions.

[Anna N]

10 minutes ago, gfweb said:

I think the differences among air fryers might make this tough. 

I read somewhere that some products were including  Air fryer  instructions but I have yet to come across any. 

“Illustrating the popularity of the air fryer, some frozen foods now have instructions for using this appliance right on the package, and I think we will see more of this in the months to come. Meanwhile, for a general rule of thumb, set the air fryer at 400°F and start checking smaller items at around eight minutes, larger items around 10 minutes, and give the basket a nice shimmy and shake halfway through the cooking to redistribute the food, and give it a chance to brown and crisp up evenly.”

 

From here.

 

 

[palo]

50 minutes ago, gfweb said:

I think the differences among air fryers might make this tough. 

I was thinking of your bog standard round pot, heater above as opposed to air fryer "ovens", which I'm guessing what most people have, present company excluded - us egulleteers just can't leave a good thing alone 😇

 

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[Anna N]

1 hour ago, gfweb said:

I think the differences among air fryers might make this tough. 

Tougher than say, for instance, microwave instructions? Many leave you to work it out yourself stating that their instructions are good for a X000W model. In the end I think the best they can offer you is a starting point. 

[mgaretz]

Finally got a chance to play with the air fryer mode (which they call Air Crisp).  Did a few sweet potato tots.  The tots' directions for the oven called for 425F for 20-24 minutes, while the manual called for 360F for 20-22 minutes (actually just tots, not sweet potato).  So I went for 425 for 18 minutes and at 9 minutes when I shook them I knew it would be too much.  So I lowered the temp to 360 and cut the total time to 11 minutes.  Next time I will try what's in the manual.

 

The tots came out very nice, much crispier than I recall in the BSOA.  The Ninja heated up very quickly.  Impressed so far.  Tomorrow I plan to try some regular frozen shoestrings.

 

 

[Kim Shook]

On 8/14/2021 at 11:36 AM, David Ross said:

We have a local grocery store that puts out fried chicken from the previous day in the cold case, marked down, sometimes to $3.00 for eight pieces of fried chicken.  I pop it in the air fryer for about 5-6 minutes and it's crisp and juicy.  Of course not like made from scratch at the time, but still very delicious. I use it in salads, sandwiches and of course just to get my fried chicken craving in.

 

Jessica would like to know time and temp for that.  Publix has great fried chicken and she'd love to extend it's time.

 

I'd like to know if anyone has done arancini and how that worked.  

[David Ross]

14 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

Jessica would like to know time and temp for that.  Publix has great fried chicken and she'd love to extend it's time.

 

I'd like to know if anyone has done arancini and how that worked.  

I do the fried chicken at 375 setting and about 8 or 9 minutes, gets nice and hot, crispy and juicy and I use an old, as in one of the first, air fryers.

[lindag]

@mgaretz Have you tried grilling pork yet?  I went to the nearby meat packing shop yesterday and got some beautiful loin chops.  I plan to cook  them on the grill.  I'm just not sure which temperature setting to use.

We have a Hutterite farmers market here in town  on Saturdays where I got some super fresh corn and beefsteak tomatoes.

[mgaretz]

7 minutes ago, lindag said:

Have you tried grilling pork yet?

Yes.  Look back in the thread.  It was one of the first things I did. 

[mgaretz]

Last night I did Safeway brand shoestring frozen fries.  The package said for an oven to use 425F for 20 minutes, the Ninja instructions called for 350F for 20-24 minutes, but that was for a full pound.  I only did 4 ozs, so I cut it back to 16 minutes and that was a little too long.  The fries were very crispy, actually a bit overdone, but very edible.

 

 

[saluki]

1 hour ago, mgaretz said:

Last night I did Safeway brand shoestring frozen fries.  The package said for an oven to use 425F for 20 minutes, the Ninja instructions called for 350F for 20-24 minutes, but that was for a full pound.  I only did 4 ozs, so I cut it back to 16 minutes and that was a little too long.  The fries were very crispy, actually a bit overdone, but very edible.

 

 

Take the Ninja suggested temp times with a grain of salt.  They are way off...

[Anna N]

3 hours ago, mgaretz said:

Last night I did Safeway brand shoestring frozen fries. 

OK this is not a reflection on you at all but these are not what I think of as shoestring fries. 

[Anna N]

No photograph but in the interest of learning just how versatile the air fryer could be I attempted to reheat some frozen cabbage rolls. 
I placed them in a disposable  aluminum dish which I covered with tinfoil and put them in the air fryer at 350° for 20 minutes. After this time they were barely even thawed. I gave them another 20 minutes and they were still far from heated through. At this point I removed the foil and put them in the CSO on steam bake 325°F for 15 minutes they were great. (I would normally do these in the CSO for 20 minutes and they would be perfect.)

Edited August 17, 2021 by Anna N
To remove the unintended bolding. (log)

[mgaretz]

10 hours ago, Anna N said:

OK this is not a reflection on you at all but these are not what I think of as shoestring fries. 

 

What is you idea of them?  Even smaller/thinner?

[palo]

Like McDonald's

 

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