20 October 2023 , 15:14
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Convenient and quick, air fryers have gained a lot of popularity in the last few years. These counter top appliances provide a healthier way of cooking many tasty dishes and snacks because only a fraction of oil needs to be used in comparison to other cooking methods, like deep-frying.
They also can be cheaper to run than a conventional oven, especially if you're only cooking for a couple of people. However, despite being a favourite for many, there are some foods you should never cook in an air fryer - either because the appliance isn't going to produce the best results or because sometimes it can even pose a real safety hazard.
Whether you are one of those that swear by air fryers or are just looking into whether it's worth investing in one, knowing what the appliance can't be used for is crucial. You don't want to find yourself trying to put out a fire or cleaning up a huge mess that defeats the purpose of the appliance's overall convenience, so make sure to familiarise yourself with the list below.
- Broccoli: This low calorie vegetable is absolutely packed with vitamins, fibre and anti-oxidants, so while it should without doubt be a regular part of your diet, it's unsuitable to cook in an air fryer. This is because it doesn't retain moisture incredibly well and will dry out very fast. Roasted brocolli is delicious, however, so if your air fryer has an oven extension you might be able to use it for this.
- Rice: Rice absolutely has to be cooked in water, making an air fryer completely unsuitable for this dish, because you can't add more than a spoonful to your appliance safely. Instead, you'll either need to go the traditional route of cooking it on the hob, or purchase a rice cooker.
- Pasta: You can cook some baked pasta dishes in an air fryer, but not many as most dishes tend to be sauce-heavy, so they simply won't work well in air fryer.
- Popcorn: Popcorn is not suitable to cook in an airfryer, because for the kernals to pop you need to heat them to really high temperatures, which this kind of appliance just can't achieve. Stick to pre-flavoured microwave popcorn or, if you want to be in charge of the levels of seasoning, cook it in a pan on the hob. It can also be a potential fire hazard to try and use an air fryer for this, because kernals can easily get stuck in the heating element, according to BBC Good Food.
- Wet-battered fried foods: Although it's got 'fryer' in the name, this appliance can't handle fried foods that require a wet batter like traditional chicken wings or fish you'd get at the chippy. Instead you would have to opt for dry seasoning mixed with flour.
- Sauce-based dishes: Once again, the air fryer can't really handle anything high in liquid, so if you're wanting to cook stew or bolognese, you either need to go the traditional route, or you could consider purchasing a slow cooker, which are also energy efficient for some dishes.
- Cheese: Air fryers don't cope well with cheese because once it melts it will become incredibly messy and an absolute headache to clean up.
- Leafy greens: Most leafy greens aren't heavy enough to be cooked in an air fryer, instead of staying still they will move around with the hot air inside the appliance, leaving some charred - removing nutritional value and tasting bad - and other pieces possibly under cooked.
- Steak and burgers: Thick cuts of meat are not recommended to be cooked in air fryers because they can easily end up over done and chewy.
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