Does an air fryer make food crispy? The simple answer is yes. Let’s face it, anybody who buys an air fryer really wants this to be the case.
Being able to replicate fried food without all the mess, smells and importantly, the negative health aspects for deep frying is fantastic.
However, there are a few things that you need to be aware of to get a balanced opinion on what can be achieved.
Read on for the full details on getting food crispy in air fryer.
Does an air fryer make food crispy?
Many people don’t actually know how an air fryer functions or what it actually is.
Essentially, an air fryer is a convection oven. The difference between an air fryer and a convection oven is that the air in the air fryer, is circulated at high speed. This results in the cooking and browning of food.
Essentially this is a chemical reaction called the Maillard effect. This is where an amino acid and a reduction in the sugars when heat is present. For the purpose of this article, all we need to know is that the air fryer uses very little oil but delivers well cooked, attractive and crispy food.
How do I make my food crispier in an air fryer?
There might be a number of reasons why your food is not as crispy as you expect.
Is your air fryer to full? Air fryers need the air to circulate freely to cook the food evenly. If the air is restricted because the basket is too full, you food will be unevenly cooked and not as crispy as you want.
Another reason might be the incorrect temperature being used to cook the food. An air fryer temperature chart can help you select the right temperature. Cooking the food at too low a heat will not crisp your food.
The cooking time may also be incorrect. All foods take different times to cook so it may well be that you need to cook the items a little longer. Things cook fast in an air fryer so it may well be a case of leaving it for a few extra minutes.
Finally, another common mistake that people make that means that the food is not crisp is the amount of oil they use. Using too much oil will mean that the food may come out soggy.
The misconception is that using more oil means crispier food. It doesn’t.
What kind of foods come out crispy in an air fryer?
Some foods deliver better and crispier results than others in an air fryer.
Essentially, ‘dry’ foods deliver better results. These foods tend to be things like French fries, meats, vegetables, breaded items and frozen items.
Air fryers can handle these items very well and the results tend to be very good.
Then there are the ‘wet’ foods. This is where air fryers will not be able to deliver crispy foods.
Items such as battered fish, doughnuts, onion rings and corn dogs can be cooked in an air fryer but they are better cooked in a deep fat fryer. The results are more consistent and crispier.
Air fryer vs Deep fat fryer…which is crispier?
An air fryer will bring you so many benefits, yet there are some that are only concerned with the food results.
They want to know that an air fryer will deliver the same level of crispiness that a deep fat fryer can deliver.
The reality is that an air fryer will NOT be able to produce the level of crispy food that a deep fat fryer can give you.
However, they DO produce results for some foods that are comparable enough. Given that an air fryer will also give you additional benefits, then it is acceptable in my view.
It may not be as crispy…but which tastes better?
There is an old saying among cooks…’the flavor is in the fat’. This is why it is added to dishes or left on meat.
’the flavor is in the fat’
However, this does not apply to deep fat frying. Here, we are not adding fat to improve the taste. The reality is that properly fried food, requires very little oil.
You can therefore conclude that the taste of air fryer food is more realistic given that little oil is used. You actually taste the food rather than the oil that deep fat frying delivers.
Therefore, does air fried food taste as good as deep fried? Its tastes different in most cases…and for the better.
Can you fry battered food in an air fryer?
Yes, you can cook battered food in an air fryer. However, the results that you get may not be to your expectations. Air fryers do not handle freshly battered wet foods very well. They are much better with solid and frozen foods where the air can circulate consistently.
If the battered food is frozen before it is cooked in an air fryer, then you will get results consistent with deep fat frying.
Verdict
Does an air fryer make food crispy? The answer is yes…but it depends on the food.
If you are cooking ‘dry’ and frozen foods, then you will get great results in an air fryer. However, for unstable foods like battered foods that are still ‘wet’, then the results will not be as you want.
The reality is that for most items people want to use an air fryer for such as French fries, then they will come out crispy and great. You will have no complaints.
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