Air fryers have taken the culinary world by storm, dethroning the once-beloved slow cookers and emerging as the go-to gadget for those short on time but big on flavour.
Not only do they often cook faster than a conventional oven and save on energy costs, but they also offer the perk of whipping up meals with less oil, ticking the boxes for health-conscious foodies.
However, while air fryers are a nifty and adaptable asset in any kitchen, they’re not without their limitations, and food gurus have issued a warning to air fryer aficionados about certain no-go foods.
Some veggies, like broccoli, just don’t fare well in an air fryer, ending up tough and tasteless compared to traditional cooking methods. But more importantly, some items can be outright risky.
BBC Good Food has flagged popcorn as a definite air fryer faux pas due to its potential to ignite, reports the Express.
The issue with popcorn in an air fryer isn’t just subpar popping; it’s that the kernels might get stuck in the machine’s heating element, posing a serious fire threat.
Grace Forell, a consumer expert from Which?, cautioned in a chat with the BBC: “No, don’t try this one at home. Popcorn won’t cook well in an air fryer as most models won’t reach the required temperature to pop the kernels.
“Popcorn kernels can also become lodged within the air fryer’s heating element, which may cause the appliance to be short, creating a fire hazard. Stick with the microwave or the hob for popcorn if you’re settling down for a good movie night!”
Another no-no for your trusty air fryer is wet batter. We’ve all drooled over that crispy fried chicken coating, but in an air fryer, wet batter won’t reach the temperatures needed to set properly, leaving you with a sad, soggy mess that’ll flop rather than crisp up.
Plus, you’ll end up with a burnt-on batter swamp at the bottom of your basket, potentially wrecking your machine.
Don’t even think about popping bread in to make toast either – while it won’t wreck your gadget, it’s not going to deliver that golden crunch you crave.
Helena Busiakiewicz, Good Food’s culinary whiz, advises against using the air fryer for bread: “If you put bread in an air fryer, it will just move around and not really cook properly. For the best results, I’d always stick to a toaster.”
Although a bit of oil won’t hurt your air fryer, dousing it in the stuff could spell disaster, warns insurance titan Aviva.
Air fryers and copious amounts of oil are a match made in kitchen nightmare heaven – they’re simply not built to handle it. Aviva has found that 8 per cent of kitchen fires in their stats were caused by going overboard with oil in air fryers.
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