Aluminum foil is one of the most commonly found items in kitchens around the world. While the metal was precious in the past, it is used for its practical applications when cooking for the most part today.
With the rise in the popularity of air fryers, many people are interested in trying the new cooking method. Why not? There are plenty of health benefits when compared to other frying methods anyways. Aluminum foil is throwing a wrench in many people’s plans, though.
Why is that exactly? It is safe to cook with aluminum foil in an air fryer as long as it is done properly. If the proper precautions are in place, it won’t be a problem. A careless mistake could spell disaster, however.
What Is An Air Fryer?
An air fryer is a specific type of medium-sized kitchen appliance. It is most often made to sit on top of the counter, but there are some you can have installed in a counter or cabinet space.
Benefits of Cooking With an Air Fryer
- 1. Lowers Total Calories: Foods Cooked in an air fryer can contain up to 80 percent fewer total calories than when compared to other methods
- 2. Substantially Decreases Fat Content: Because it is important not to use oil for safety reasons in an air fryer, it drastically limits the potential to add fat to your meals, making them much leaner.
- 3. Produces Fewer Carcinogenic Compounds: Frying in oil produces carcinogens like acrylamide. Air frying makes these compounds up to 90 percent less often
- 4. Cook Faster: Oil takes a long time to heat up. Convection based cooking methods can heat meals 20 percent faster by eliminating the oil.
How Do Air Fryers Cook?
It lets you cook your food without oil, but it still produces the familiar crispness traditional frying produces. It does this by circulating hot air with a fan at high speeds around the inside of the cooking chamber. This method takes advantage of a physical process called convection.
Convection Based Heating
Convection cooking heats food by having currents of hot air pass quickly and actively over food. This coke things much more quickly than a conventional oven does. It is able to create a very even cooking temperature too. Much more, even then, is possible with other methods.
How To Use Aluminum Foil In an Air Fryer Safely
There is no hard rule against using aluminum foil for cooking in an air fryer. Although because an air fryer cooks differently than other appliances, there’s a couple of things to keep in mind.
Air Fryers Use Air Movement To Cook
This lets it cooks things a lot faster. It is perfect for getting dinner ready in a flash when your life is a constant time crunch. There is one major problem. High-speed high heat air can turn anything loose into a hazard right before your eyes.
Aluminum Foil is Very Easy To Blow Around
Aluminum foil is great for many things in the kitchen. It is lightweight, durable, and it conducts heat well. This makes it perfect for many applications. It also makes it an ideal candidate for an air fryer to throw it around if it gets the chance.
Loose Aluminum Foil in an Active Air Fryer is Hazardous
When you turn your air fryer on a lot of air movement is going to happen. If the foil is not secure, it will quickly be blown, and it can damage the air fryer or even cause a fire if you are not cautious.
Cooking With Aluminum Foil The Right Way
Do not let all these warnings get to your head. Be safe when you use your air fryer, and there isn’t anything you need to worry about. Just make sure to follow these tips below to ensure everyone’s safety when using aluminum foil in an air fryer.
There are two safe ways to cook with aluminum foil in an air fryer.
Place the Foil In the Basket
Inside of every air fryer, there are two major places you will see. One will be a basket. This is where you are supposed to place food when you are cooking,
The other place is the basin at the bottom of the fryer unit. Never put foil down there. That is where food debris and other waste goes as the fryer is cooking.
If you use foil in the cooking basket, it places it in the basket before you place the food. Do not sit it on top of the food. You want to make sure the aluminum foil is weighed down and secured in place before turning the fryer on.
Before you turn on the unit, check to see there is clear space on all sides of the foil in the oven. If there is not space on all sides, you can try to readjust things. Once there is clearance, you could start the cooking process.
Let the foil cool off in before you take things out of the fryer. It is easy to burn yourself if you get a little too impatient for dinner.
Wrap Your Food In Foil
The other way you can safely use foil in an air fryer is by wrapping food in foil when you cook it. You can do this with many types of food, from corn on the cob to skewers of meat.
Wrap whatever food you want to cook tightly and completely with foil. Place the food in the basket used for cooking. Place the basket in the air fryer and examine the inside of the fryer.
As long as there is space on all sides of the food, you can safely begin cooking. Do not cook it for as long as you would in a normal fryer. This will mean your food will get burnt because it will cook quicker in an air fryer.
Do not grab with your bare hands unless the food and foil have been cooling off for a while. It can easily get hot enough to cause burns on exposed skin even after several minutes have passed.
Are There Foods You Should Avoid Cooking With Foil In an Air Fryer?
Almost all foods are perfectly fine to be cooked in an air fryer. There is one type you need to be careful with if you use to foil and place it in an air fryer.
Highly acidic food can react chemically with the aluminum as the food is cooking. The combination of high heat and acidic conditions leads to the corrosion of the foil. This makes food taste very metallic because it is full of microscopic metallic particles.
Beginner Tips For Cooking With Foil In an Air Fryer
- 1. Get Creative: You are already trying out a new method of cooking, why not be creative with your seasoning choices. There is a lot of things that will be different in the flavor profile when you cook using an air fryer. This is Including some of your favorite foods you know and love already. Your taste buds might thank you for letting them be a guinea pig.
- 2. Do Not Be Afraid: Any kitchen appliance will have a mile-long warning list. Follow the directions, and there is nothing to worry about. There is not a very high chance there will be something that goes wrong.
- 3. Try New Things: If you are using a new cooking technology, there is no reason you should not also try out some new foods. Put something you have never had before in your air fryer to see how you like it.
- 4. Clean It Regularly: The better you maintain your air fryer, the more it will do for you in the long run. If you want your new appliance to last very long out of the box, you should follow the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations.
- 5. Preheat It Before Cooking: If you want your air fryer to be at its best, it’s important to let it preheat before putting in the food you are cooking. They do cook a lot faster than other methods, but they still need to preheat for the best results and most even cooking experience.
Last Thoughts Regarding Air Fryers and Aluminum Foil
There are a ton of reasons to try out cooking with an air fryer. It is one of the best ways to make cooking healthier and faster. If you want to save time on cooking, but you still want healthy meals every night, what more could you ask for?
Be responsible and follow all of the directions when you are cooking with your air fryer. The best way to enjoy your food is the safest way to enjoy your meal.
