An air fryer makes it easier to cook healthy and varied meals at home. The secret lies in a cooking method that reduces the amount of oil needed to achieve that crispy, delicate and juicy texture reminiscent of frying and that makes food so appetizing by up to 95%. To get the most out of this appliance, we asked chefs and cooks for some of their air fryer tricks.
Easy-to-Make Air Fryer Tips
Place food without piling it up
Within the list of tips for the airfryer, the first is not to stack food. This way the hot air flow can act equally on all the food. By arranging the food in a single layer without overlaps They are all done at the same time and all reach that much desired crispy point.
Choose the capacity according to the number of diners
To avoid overcrowding, the main advice when buying an air fryer is to adapt its capacity (expressed in liters) to the number of people who usually eat at home. A family with several children will need a fryer with a larger capacity, while a person who lives alone will need a device with fewer liters.
The new Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry™ Chef Edition comes with a large 10-litre capacity basket, perfect for large roasts or generous portions of fries. It can also be divided into two independent 5-litre baskets. It also contains 4 heating elements (two above and two below) and programming technology capable of working with individualised times and temperatures, although with the “Sync” function you can finish both preparations in each basket at the same time.
Oil, only if necessary
Naturally fatty foods, such as chicken wings, can be fried or roasted in the air fryer without the need to add any fat. Others, such as potatoes, meat or vegetables, will need a small amount of oil, preferably olive oil, to facilitate even browning of all surfaces of the food. This will keep them juicy and prevent the circulating hot air from drying them out, creating that crispy crust so appreciated on fried foods. The trick to frying is to add a small amount of oil to the air fryer. To use the minimum amount of oil possible, use a sprayer. or ‘varnish’ the food with a silicone brush.
The Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics highlights that this way of cooking allows for creating more palatable menus with fewer calories, suitable even for people on weight control diets. With one undoubted advantage: The nutritional value of the dishes is more similar to that of foods in their natural stateWe must not forget that he 30-50% of the weight of food in conventional frying is oila factor that modifies the nutritional composition of food, increasing fat and shooting up calories.
Take advantage to do batch cooking
This innovative system for cooking two different dishes at the same time is a great ally for batch cooking. The reheat function allows you to have a healthy dinner ready, with a vegetable garnish, in just a few minutes. A good time to remember the convenience of eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, of which 2 should be vegetables.
Adjust the time to each specific food
Among the tips for the air fryer, chefs recommend checking frequently how the cooking is progressing and Adjust cooking time and temperature on the fly if necessary. The reason is simple: fresh and seasonal foods do not always have the same amount of water, nor are they at the same point of ripeness.
Discovering new textures in food
Another great tip for using your air fryer is to explore all of its features to get the most out of it. Some just friends. In the case of the Dual Blaze Twinfry™ Chef Edition, it also bakes, roasts, grills, reheats and dehydrates.
All these cooking options greatly open up the range of food preparation options, especially with vegetables, a group of foods whose flavour, colour and texture change greatly depending on the cooking process. Without going any further, simple tomatoes can be cooked with onions, peppers and courgettes to make a ratatouille; roasted to serve as a garnish; or dehydrated to add to a lentil salad.
Many weight loss diets fail because the dishes are, in the words of patients, ‘sad, bland and repetitive’. Cook without adding any fat and incorporate vegetables with varied textures a los platos opens a new chapter full of opportunities in the consultation of dieticians-nutritionists. And, of course, it is an asset that will help many citizens to reconcile themselves with vegetables, one of the pillars of our Mediterranean diet.
Use accessories
From silicone tongs to remove food from the basket without burning ourselves to silicone and aluminum cake molds, heat-resistant glass and porcelain trays, or paper trays for air fryers.
Chopsticks for light food
The air fryer fan can cause lighter foods to fly away. To keep the top slice of your sandwich from flying away, there is a foolproof trick: hold it with cocktail sticks to other heavier foods.
In the case of batters or breadings, you have to make sure to bind together as much light elements as possible, such as oat flakes, panko or Cornflakes.
Flip or shake, yes or no?
There are two main types of air fryers: those that fry on only one side and those with high-tech technology. Double glowwith top and bottom heating elements that cook simultaneously on both sides. With the first ones, you do need to turn them over. With the second ones, you don’t have to turn the food over, or even shake it, unless you have put the food in a pile. This saves time in the kitchen, one of the essential rules for healthy cooking not to fail due to lack of time.
Take advantage of connectivity
The latest generation of fryers already incorporate smart technologies with Wi-Fi connectivity so that they can be controlled from a mobile phone in real time. This way, there is no need to stay in the kitchen while dinner is being prepared.
Clean after each use
The last of the air fryer tips may seem obvious: you need to clean the basket and plates after each use, by hand or in the dishwasher. For the latter, it is always a good idea to check with the manufacturer’s instructions that the washable components are dishwasher safe. In the case of Cosori, they are.
In any case, you should always avoid descaling cleaners that could damage the non-stick coating.
The air fryer in the dietician-nutritionist’s office
A dietician-nutritionist does not always give actual recipes, but does suggest how to prepare food. A common complaint when the goal is to achieve a calorie deficit is that boiled or steamed food ‘seems like sick food’. On the other hand, the crunchy texture of fried food is perceived as more appetizing. The problem is that when frying in a pan, food absorbs a lot of oil. That is why fried food disappears in weight loss diets and, for that very reason, when cooking is resumed as before, the dreaded yo-yo effect can appear. This obstacle is attenuated by the cooking methods that new air fryers allow.
Although manufacturers do not comment on the type of fat that should be used, the Academy reminds that a healthy diet should preferably opt for olive oilrich in heart-healthy fatty acids. It may not be an air fryer trick per se, but it is certainly a trick for healthier eating.
Why does the Academy recommend the Cosori Dual Blaze Twinfry™ Chef Edition Air Fryer?
Every day, dieticians and nutritionists come across people who ask us for advice on how to eat healthier. They also want to incorporate more foods, but if there is one thing they are clear about, it is that they do not want cooking to take away time from being with their family, going to the gym or enjoying their favorite leisure activities. This air fryer makes it possible, even for those who are not really cooks at heart.
• Makes it possible to cook with much less fat
• Allows you to multiply recipes, with various ways of cooking that are easy, healthy and in less time.
• It is an excellent ally of batch cooking
• Foods achieve very palatable textures.
• Provides the opportunity to explore all the flavors of vegetables.
