how to cook jalapeno poppers in air fryer

8 Air Fryer Cooking Tips You Need to Know

New to air fryer recipes? Here are a few secrets for success.

Oven thermometer Rachata Teyparsit/Shutterstock

Check your air fryer's temperature

Just like with ovens, temperatures may vary between air fryer models. Test your air fryer to see if it runs above or below the selected temperature setting. You'll want your fryer nice and hot. Find out exactly what an air fryer does to your food.

air fryer ROLAND ANCLA LEGASPI/Shutterstock

Know your air fryer's cooking times

Since air fryer temperatures vary, so do cook times. That's why air fryer recipes have wider time ranges. So, to find your air fryer cooking times you'll need to experiment. Start checking the food at the shortest time, and check back a little later if it's not done. Learn the surprising things you can cook in your air fryer.

Home-made french fries in modern airfryer Beer5020/Shutterstock

Give it a shake (or a flip)

To help food crisp, always turn, rotate, or shake contents in air fryer basket (just like flipping French fries, fish fillets, or homemade chicken strips halfway through cooking in a traditional oven). Don't miss these ways to make chicken several different ways in your air fryer.

Chicken fry made from Airfryer not use oil.diet food. Ezzolo/Shutterstock

Cook food in a single layer for best results

Allow plenty of air circulation to get even cooking and crispy results. One exception where you can stack and pack foods is if you're roasting veggie side dishes in the air fryer. For instance, you can load the basket with a pound of Brussels sprouts and roast them at 350° for 12-15 minutes, stirring once. Don't make these air fryer mistakes when cooking your food!

Baking cookies MmeEmil/Getty Images

Bake up a little treat

Yes, you can bake homemade cookies in the air fryer! All it takes is a few minutes and chilled dough on stand-by. Models differ in their "baking" functions, so test just one or two cookies at first. You may need to adjust the temperature or cooking time. Here's the difference between air frying and baking.

Smoke from the cooking pot Teerapong Teerapong/Shutterstock

Seeing smoke? Here's what to do

First off, don't panic. Simply unplug the air fryer and remove the food basket. Make sure no food is lodged in the heating coil. Return food to the air fryer and continue cooking. If smoke persists, there may be oil or residue on the heating element. Unplug the machine, cool, and then wipe the coil clean with a damp cloth, just like the heating coil on an electric stove. From now on, make sure to clean your air fryer on the regular.

Young woman measuring temperature of whole roasted turkey with meat thermometer Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Use a thermometer when cooking meat

Because the food can brown nicely on the outside before reaching an appropriate temperature on the inside, checking the temp with a meat thermometer is an important step for safety. That goes for previously frozen foods and fresh ones. Learn this simple trick for perfectly golden air fryer food every time.

Roast chicken legs on white plate over light gray plaster texture table istetiana/Getty Images

It's a quick option when cooking for one or two

Any more than that, and you may have to cook in batches—so be sure to account for that in your timing. Ready to get started? Here are the best air fryer brands to choose from.

Originally Published: October 31, 2020

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