So let's get one thing out of the way: when you're cooking with an air fryer, you're not actually frying anything. Instead, these devices are essentially countertop convection ovens that cook food with electric heat that's circulated by high-powered fans. It's the air, created by the machine's fan, that keeps the surface of the food being cooked dry, resulting in an extra-crispy exterior and a fluffy (think french fries) or moist (chicken thighs) interior that's reminiscent of the results of deep-frying.
But air fryers are for more than just cooking your favorite fried foods in a slightly healthier fashion. In fact, anything that you would roast in a conventional oven can also be cooked in an air fryer, from Thanksgiving turkey (providing it fits) to a full weeknight fish dinner. Technically you could also bake in the air fryer—some models even come with baking pans—but converting baked recipes is more of a trial-and-error game than converting roasted or fried recipes, so tread lightly when trying it.
The functionality of your air fryer will vary slightly from model to model. (We like the Philips TurboStar Digital AirFryer, available for $249.99 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.) The majority of these devices, like the TurboStar, are boxy in shape, with a drawer that pulls out. Inside the drawer is a removable mesh or perforated metal basket. To use this type of model, you toss your ingredients with a few tablespoons of oil and place them directly into the basket before placing in the pre-heated air fryer. As the food cooks, grease will drip out of the basket into the drawer's receptacle below.
The other common air fryer model looks more like a toaster oven. The Breville Smart Oven Air, available for $399.99 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, even has specified settings for toasting, roasting, and more, in addition to the air fryer setting. For these models, the functionality, too, is much like a toaster oven, except that when air-frying, you place the food on a removable mesh rack that comes with the air fryer.
One thing to note: when air-frying, make sure to only use pans and racks that are specifically made for your air fryer model. These pans are designed to fit perfectly into the air fryer and allow that hot air to circulate effectively.
Here are a few more tips for getting the most out of your air fryer:
1. Adjust the cooking temperature:
When converting a recipe with a suggested temperature for deep-frying or cooking in a traditional oven, lower the air fryer's temperature by 25°F to achieve similar results. So if a recipe calls for deep-frying chicken in oil heated to 350°F, air fry at 325°F. The same rule applies for converting roasting recipes. This adjustment is needed because the circulating air makes the heat of the cooking environment more consistent, and thus more intense than traditional cooking methods. Remember to pre-heat your air fryer to temperature—it usually takes less than 5 minutes—before filling the basket, just as you would with any other cooking method.
2. Toss ingredients with oil, sparingly.
In general, you should toss food with one to two tablespoons of oil (whichever kind you like: olive, coconut, canola). Foods that are naturally fattier, like meatballs, needn't be tossed in any additional oil. For foods that have been battered or dredged in flour, we recommend spraying the air fryer basket or rack first with cooking spray, laying your battered or dredged food in the basket or rack in a single layer, and then giving the food a light spritz of cooking spray just to coat the top. That little bit of oil is essential for getting foods to turn golden-brown, crisp, and appealing.
