In relation to speedy cooking with high quality outcomes, nothing beats the trendy air fryer. The microwave has its perks, however meals typically comes out rubbery or inconsistently heated, and toaster ovens do not impart that good toasty crust the best way an air fryer can. Over the previous few years I’ve made some profound air fryer discoveries — a lot of which got here as an enormous shock.
It is no secret that air fryers prepare dinner staples such rooster wings, french fries and frozen meals higher than different strategies, and with nearly no cleanup. However there are some sudden meals that make good air fryer fodder. From entire roasted chicken to fillets of salmon and even burgers and sizzling canine, the air fryer is now the one place I will make these seven meals.
Listed below are seven issues I will solely prepare dinner within the air fryer any further.
Salmon
Simply 8 minutes within the air fryer and you’ve got completely medium uncommon salmon.
Roasted salmon is a straightforward, wholesome weeknight dinner staple. It isn’t tough to make within the oven, however when you’re solely cooking for one or two individuals, the preheating time is a ache within the butt. Pan-seared salmon is nice and fast, however there’s nearly no option to prepare dinner salmon on the range with out creating an oily, fishy mess. Plus, you may have a pan to clean afterward.
I attempted cooking roasted salmon within the air fryer, and it got here out completely in about 10 minutes, together with preheat time. The closed cooking chamber even hides a number of the fishy odor from taking on my condominium.
OK, so that you may catch me throwing the occasional filet of salmon on the grill throughout hotter months, however gone are the times of me wiping fish grease from the backsplash behind my kitchen range.
This is methods to make perfect air fryer salmon.
Roasted rooster
Air-fryer roasted rooster is a revelation.
This one shocked me probably the most since I make a roast rooster most Sundays and had develop into content material with my methodology utilizing the oven. I discovered quick that the air fryer does an excellent higher job because it’s in a position to crisp the pores and skin shortly with out overcooking the meat. Air-fryer roasted rooster takes about 45 minutes — about 15% faster than the oven — and it is practically unattainable to screw up.
This is how I make a fast roasted chicken in the air fryer.
Bacon cheeseburgers
You may prepare dinner a burger to good medium or medium uncommon with an air fryer.
Air fryer cheeseburgers have develop into a staple round my dwelling. The exception is throughout summer season when the grill is in full swing, however throughout cooler months, I flip to the air fryer for this American basic. It isn’t solely cleaner than pan frying, however the burger would not prepare dinner in its personal grease, so that you get a lighter, more healthy meal (when you’re into that form of factor). You can even stick the bun and a few slices of bacon in with the burger and you’ve got the total meal with nearly no cleanup to handle.
This is methods to make a cheeseburger from top to bottom in the air fryer.
Rooster cutlets
Air fryers prove picture-perfect rooster cutlets.
Earlier than the air fryer, I used to pan-fry breaded rooster cutlets for rooster Parmesan and different recipes, however the air fryer does the identical job with much less mess and produces much less oily fried rooster, too.
Watch this: Greatest Air Fryers: Low-cost vs. Costly
I like to recommend utilizing boneless rooster thighs, which have sufficient fats content material to face up to all that convection warmth with out drying out. Merely coat the rooster in overwhelmed egg wash adopted by bread crumbs blended with salt, pepper and different spices. Prepare dinner at 375 levels for about quarter-hour.
You may spray the cutlets flippantly with a little bit of oil earlier than cooking to get an additional crispy crust, but it surely’s not essential. I’ve tried the identical methodology with rooster breasts; it really works nicely, however there may be extra danger of drying out the meat.
Cauliflower steak
Cauliflower steak made within the air fryer has develop into a staple aspect dish in my kitchen.
One in all my favourite issues to prepare dinner within the air fryer is cauliflower. A slab of cauliflower makes a superb hearty aspect dish or principal course when you’re going plant-based. Merely toss a thick slice or two of cauliflower with olive oil and salt and pepper, or some seasoning of your selection, and air fry for 10 or 12 minutes on excessive. The air fryer offers it a ravishing caramelized crust, and it cooks the dense veggie quick sufficient in order that the within of the cauliflower would not develop into mushy.
Leftover pizza
This leftover pizza acquired an entire new life due to a brief journey to the air fryer.
Whereas not each sort of meals is greatest reheated within the air fryer, quite a lot of them are. Air fryers are the right option to revive leftover pizza, fried rooster, grilled meats and greens. A microwave heats meals inconsistently and tends to impart a rubbery texture. Air fryers give meals a second life through convection warmth for a crispy crust and even heating.
This is the best way to reheat every type of leftover.
Scorching canine
You may prepare dinner a whole bundle of sizzling canine in only a few minutes.
It is exhausting to screw up a sizzling canine, however if you’d like a superbly charred wiener in beneath 5 minutes with basically no cleanup to handle, look to the air fryer. Air fryer sizzling canine are so simple as easy will get, and the superconvection oven offers them an ideal browning in two or three minutes. This is how I cook hot dogs in the air fryer all summer season.
