NEVER Put These Foods In The Air Fryer
By molly atherton
1 year ago
If you haven't met the mighty air fryer yet, let me assure you, it's about to become your culinary best friend! But hold on, my friend - there are some rebellious ingredients that will rise up against the power of the air fryer and unleash their true nature, perhaps leaving you with a sizzling catastrophe. So buckle up your taste buds as we take a mouthwatering journey through the forbidden world of foods that should never, ever be put in the air fryer!
1. Whole Roast Chicken - Food poisoning ALERT!
While air fryers excel at providing a quick and efficient cooking method for various dishes, their spatial limitations make it challenging to accommodate larger food items such as roast chickens. The compact size of the cooking compartment restricts the ability to fit a whole chicken comfortably.
Image source: Reddit
Air fryers are not just for finger foods and French fries. They can save the cooking time on a multitude of foods but a whole roast chicken is not one of them. The roast might not fit in the basket or on the cooking rack. This will result in what looks like a crispy roast but the white meat will be raw inside.Original content sourced from Femanin.com2. Popcorn - it could burn down your home...
While air fryers offer numerous advantages in terms of healthier cooking options and reduced oil usage, certain dishes, like popcorn, simply may not be suited for this cooking method. It's essential to be aware of these limitations and choose the appropriate cooking equipment to ensure a safe and delicious outcome.
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Remember when you were young and your mom put oil and popcorn kernels in a huge pot, the one she used to cook spaghetti in? Within a few minutes there was a big, slightly greasy, bowl of popcorn and we loved it! Air fryers cannot get up to 400 degrees which is needed to get popcorn to pop so some bits might burn and some will be hard pop balls or get stuck and means a serious fire concern!3. Poppadom - Fire Hazard!
While recreating the pleasures of a takeaway in the comfort of your own kitchen is an enticing prospect, it is important to recognize the limitations and potential dangers of various cooking methods. In this case, the air fryer is undoubtedly ill-suited for poppadom preparation.
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It might seem really smart to put a poppadom in the air fryer thinking that it'd just be like a takeaway. BIG NO! The minute you turn it on it'll fly u into the element and burn right into it - and you'll be left with a burning smell throughout your house for weeks on end. Definitely not the takeout you were hoping for!4. Hamburger - Burnt to a crisp
To fully savor the gastronomic pleasure of a medium rare hamburger with its succulent texture and flavorful juices, it is recommended to explore alternative cooking methods such as grilling, pan-searing, or broiling which are better suited for achieving that desired pink, tender center.
Image source: Reddit
If you enjoy a medium rare hamburger, then don't cook it in the air fryer! The forced air method is not designed to cook at 130 degrees Fahrenheit which is what's required for such a burger. A cheese topping will not happen either, it will just blow right off the meat and stick to the pan!5. Melting Cheese - Expensive disaster!
If you have a craving for some scrumptious jalapeno poppers or a delectable cheese melt, it's important to consider the potential mess an air fryer can create. Just like with wet batter, the melted cheese tends to splatter all over when cooked in an air fryer. This issue is particularly prominent when using fresh cheese.
Image source: Reddit
If you fancy making jalapeno poppers or cook a cheese melt, then an air fryer may cause you a messy issue. Similar to wet batter, the melt splatters all over. Fresh cheese is particularly problematic for the device so go down the conventional route unless you want to spend your evening cleaning out the basket!6. Pizza - DON'T ruin it!
Ahhh the best food in the world. Well, if your air fryer has anything to do with it, then you'll certainly not want to be chancing it with this pizza creation. Although an air fryer may offer convenience and swift cooking, it might just ruin the glorious nature of a perfect pizza.
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Ahhh the best food in the world. Well, if your air fryer has anything to do with it then you'll certainly not want to be eating this pizza. Before you know it the crust will be burnt to a crisp and the toppings will no longer be edible. Of course, pizzas are nice crispy, but just not worth trying it!7. Raw Veggies
As the air fryer circulates hot air around the food, it pulls out moisture, causing the water content of the vegetables to evaporate rapidly. While this may be suitable for high-moisture foods, it can be detrimental to raw vegetables with an already low water content.
Image source: Reddit
Frozen vegetables cook well in an air fryer as they can retain some of the water but raw veggies, particularly carrots, come out looking unappetising and as dry as a bone! The air fryer tends to over-dehydrate foods with a low moisture content. The vegetables can come out looking unrecognisable!8. Beer Batter
While air fryers are wonderful for achieving a healthier alternative to deep frying, they simply cannot replicate the same crispy coating that oil frying provides. Therefore, when wanting to indulge in beer-battered treats with that classic crunch, it is best to opt for the traditional deep frying method.
Image source: Reddit
Beer batter on corn dogs, coated chicken wings and fried fish will crisp up into a tasty shell when you fry the food in oil. Hot oil bath in a deep fat fryer will set the wet outer layer by quickly drying it to create the coating. Air fryers cannot handle wet batter or coating as there isn't anything to set the wet batter.9. Olive Oil
The issue of whether or not smoking oil contributes to health risks remains a topic of debate. The jury is still undecided as to the potential dangers associated with consuming food prepared with smoking oils. While limited evidence suggests that certain compounds formed during the breakdown of oil could be harmful, more research needs to be conducted to reach a conclusive verdict.
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Experts recommend using an alternative to olive oil when air frying. This is because other oils have a lower smoke point. I suppose skipping out on oils with low smoke points means that the food could develop a weird aftertaste. The jury is still out as to smoking oil causing health risks.10. Delicate Leafy Greens
The process of air frying involves the production of certain chemical compounds, including acrylamide, which has been linked to an increased risk of cancer. While the levels of acrylamide formed during air frying may be lower, prolonged and frequent consumption of air-fried foods may still pose a health concern.
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Because air fryers cook your food at a high temperature, it's too easy to burn food that doesn't cook evenly. It's also difficult to cook delicate leafy greens which could burn and will taste bad. Besides that, there is the carcinogenic issue which may affect our health.11. Too Much Food
If you overcrowd the tray or basket of your air fryer, certain portions of your food may not cook evenly and can remain raw. By leaving enough space between the food items, you allow the hot air to circulate freely and ensure thorough cooking and browning.
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You should take into consideration the size of your air fryer and the limitations it may present which includes having enough room for the necessary flow of air required to circulate and brown the food. If you overcrowd the tray or basket, some of your food may be raw.12. Chicken Wings
To enhance the flavor and texture of your chicken wings, there are a few tips you can follow. One effective method is to coat the wings with a mixture of egg and a little oil before cooking. This helps the coating adhere more securely to the chicken.
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Chicken wings won't taste the best if you stick them in the air fryer. The heat of the fryer can dehydrate the poultry making it leathery and cracking the skin. We recommend coating the wings with egg and a little oil to encourage the coating to stick to the chicken.13. Toast
Using an air fryer to make toast may not produce the desired results. The hot air blowing inside the fryer may cause the bread to move around, resulting in uneven toasting. Furthermore, the lack of a mechanism to hold the bread in place can lead to crumbs spreading throughout the fryer.
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The combination of hot air blowing about in an open space should make an air fryer the perfect place to make toast. What you will be faced with in reality is a load of crumbs spread all over the fryer and the bread will be only partially toasted. Of course there is the mess to clear up from the crumbs and all for a piece of toast!14. Dry Seasonings
Coating the food with a thin layer of mustard or oil provides a sticky surface for the seasoning to adhere to, allowing it to flavor the food throughout the cooking process. The mustard or oil acts as a natural binding agent, preventing the loose seasoning from being displaced by the circulating hot air.
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The problem with loose seasoning in an air fryer is that it will whip around the container instead of sticking to the food and flavoring it. If you keep re-seasoning, you could totally clog up the machine. The solution is to coat the seasoned food in a little mustard or oil to help the spices stick.15. Salmon
While air frying can be a convenient cooking method for certain dishes, it may not always be the best option for cooking delicate fish like salmon. As an alternative, conventional cooking methods such as baking, grilling, or pan-searing can be more reliable in maintaining the desired texture and flavor.
Image source: Reddit
Salmon should be cooked conventionally. It's easy for it to burn or go dry and you could be left with all those bubbles of protein peeping out from the inside of the fish. Cooking the pink fish in an air fryer can be tricky. It can be under-done and then the next minute it is burned.16. Most Cuts Of Steak
Using a meat thermometer is crucial when cooking thick cuts of steak in an air fryer. The high-speed cooking process of an air fryer can potentially result in unevenly cooked steak, making it difficult to achieve the desired level of doneness. Without a meat thermometer, it becomes a guessing game.
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Ruining a steak is disappointing and an expensive mistake. Thick cuts of steak can be a disaster if you try and cook them in an air fryer. It's not a magic cooking box and the meat still has to be checked during the cooking process. If you are going to attempt it, you should use a meat thermometer.17. Cake
When it comes to baking cookies in an air fryer, they can turn out surprisingly well. The hot air circulation within the fryer cooks the cookies evenly, resulting in a crisp exterior and a soft, gooey interior - just like traditional oven-baked cookies.
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Cookies actually cook (or bake) well in an air fryer but the same cannot be said for cake. If you think of a cake, you put the batter into a receptacle so you have to then cover it so it's not blowing all over the inside of the fryer. The outside might look ready but the inside will be raw.18. Bacon
The reason why using turkey bacon or even plant-based/vegan bacon is a better option when using an air fryer is because of the high-speed movement of the air inside the appliance. When regular bacon is cooked in an air fryer, the air currents blow the bacon fat all over the interior.
Image source: Reddit
Because the air from the air fryer moves around at such a high speed, it also blows bacon fat all over the inside of the fryer and it's not a pretty sight! Using turkey bacon is a better option or even plant based/vegan bacon. This will help reduce the clean up time!19. Dehydrated Food
It is crucial to avoid mistakenly using your air fryer as a food dehydrator! Although both appliances rely on air and electricity, air fryers and food dehydrators are designed to employ air at significantly different velocities. Adopting an air fryer for the purpose of dehydrating food would undoubtedly yield disastrous results.
Image source: Reddit
Word of warning - please don't confuse your air fryer with a food dehydrator! Yes, they both use air and electricity but air fryers circulate air at a much higher speeds than a food dehydrator. Whatever you are trying to dehydrate, don't use the air fryer. It will be a disaster.20. Pasta
If you have a leftover pasta bake from the previous night and wish to enjoy it again, the air fryer can come to your rescue. In this scenario, reheating the pasta bake in the air fryer is considered safe and effective. The air fryer's ability to evenly distribute heat can help restore your pasta bake.
Image source: BuzzFeed
Much the same as rice, pasta has to be cooked in boiling water. There's no two ways about it. This means there is no chance you can cook pasta in your air fryer. The exception to the rule is if you want to reheat last night's pasta bake then it's safe to do so for 5-6 minutes in the fryer.21. Sauces
When it comes to cooking dishes that are rich in liquids, such as soups and stews, the air fryer may not be the ideal appliance due to its perforated basket. The presence of these holes can cause the liquid to drip down and potentially create a messy situation.
Image source: Reddit
Dishes such as soups and stews with lots of liquids will not work in the air fryer because of the holes in the basket. Take our tip and use a slow cooker instead! Wet sauces like bolognaise and curries cannot cook because the liquid will splatter and possibly damage the fryer.22. Crusty Pies
When it comes to using an air fryer for baking pies, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind. While it is indeed possible to bake both sweet and savory pies in this appliance, there is an inherent risk of ending up with a soggy bottom due to the position of the heating element.
Image source: Reddit
It is possible to bake sweet and savory pies in the air fryer but because the heating element is at the top, there's a risk you'll get a soggy bottom! Crusty pies are therefore a no-no. The speed at which an air fryer cook means the pastry could easily burn before the pie filling has cooked.23. Hard Boiled Eggs
If you are open to experiencing a texture that leans towards being chewy and rubbery, there's no harm in attempting to boil hard boiled eggs using your air fryer. However, it is worth mentioning that traditionally, the recommended method is to cook them in a pan of boiling water on the stove.
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If you don't mind a texture that is chewy and rubbery, then go ahead and boil hard boiled eggs in your air fryer. You really should be cooking them in a pan of boiling water over the stove. Why put up with a second rate texture when you know you won't enjoy the finished product!24. Cake Donuts
Cake donuts, unlike yeast-raised donuts, rely on leavening agents like baking soda and baking powder to achieve their fluffy texture. This may lead one to believe that they would be a perfect match for an air fryer, as it uses hot air circulation rather than oil to cook food.
Image source: BuzzFeed
Cake donuts are leavened with baking soda and baking powder so you would think they were suitable candidates for an air fryer. The problem is that instead of fluffy, light donuts, you'll get dense, dry ones. Instead, fry them in hot oil so they become soft and bouncy. Yum!25. Cooking Spray
Using cooking spray on your cookie sheets is undeniably convenient when it comes to ensuring your baked goods don't stick to the surface. However, applying cooking spray to the air fryer basket is not recommended, as it can result in damage. Thankfully, there's an alternative approach you can employ to achieve non-stick results.
Image source: Reddit
Cooking spray has to be the most convenient choice for making your cookie sheets non-stick but you shouldn't apply it to the air fryer basket as you'll damage it. Instead, spray the food or brush it with vegetable oil. The air fryer basket and the grate already have a non-stick coating.26. Liquids
The air fryer basket presents the illusion that your food can luxuriate in its savory sauce, be tenderly braised, perfectly boiled, or gently poached. Alas, this notion is far from accurate. Allow me to enlighten you, for the introduction of liquids into the air fryer would prove to be a grave mistake.
Image source: Reddit
The air fryer basket might lead you to believe that food can be swimming in its sauce, braised, boiled or poached but you are wrong. Liquids will promote steam and that can damage the heating unit. Also the liquid will splatter as the air blows over it, making cleaning it very difficult.27. Foods That Require Long Cooking Times
It is important to note that air fryers excel in expediting cooking processes and achieving desired crispiness. They are particularly effective when it comes to preparing meals or snacks quickly, making them a convenient option for those who are looking for fast and efficient cooking methods.
Image source: Reddit
For your information, air fryers work best for quick cooking and for crisping up. Foods that need long cooking times, such as slow-cooked stews or roasts, would be better suited to other cooking methods. Even though the fryers are versatile and they can handle lots of dishes, some foods will work better with more traditional cooking methods.28. Aluminium Foil
It is indeed possible to utilize foil in an air fryer, but it's crucial to adhere to certain guidelines to ensure safe and effective usage. To start with, it is imperative that you never allow the foil to come into direct contact with the heating element of the air fryer.
Image source: Taste of Home
You CAN use foil in an air fryer as long as you follow the rules. Never allow the foil to touch the heating element. Also, make sure the foil is weighted down or otherwise it will blow around the basket. Finally, avoid contact with any acidic ingredients which could cause the foil to catch on to the food.29. How Air Fryers Work
To put it simply, air fryers function by using hot air to cook food and give it a crispy texture, just like traditional frying methods. The best part is that they achieve this without adding excessive calories and fats. Unlike deep frying, where large amounts of oil are required, air fryers only need around a tablespoon of cooking oil.
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In simple terms, air fryers work by circulating hot air around the food to create a nice crispy finish similar to traditional fried food products. The beauty of them is that they remove the high calorie and fat content. This is because they only use a tablespoon of cooking oil rather than lots more. In a nutshell, you'll get similar results with a fraction of the fat and calories. Bingo!30. Smart Tips For Using The Air Fryer
We understand that cooking with an air fryer can be an exciting experience, and we're here to make it even better by sharing some useful tips. These tips will not only enhance your cooking results but also ensure that your air frying journey is as efficient and hassle-free as possible.
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