Food & Cooking

[captain_to_fire]

33 minutes ago, whm1974 said:

I never had one of those. How are they?

They taste like Chicken. 

[shaz2sxy]

as @s_k said, anything and everything.  Love mine and cook a lot of things in it.

[whm1974]

41 minutes ago, captain_to_fire said:

They taste like Chicken. 

Everything taste like chicken... Are they more enjoyable then regular roasters?

[RejZoR]

We prefer good old glass convection oven (the sort that were advertised by Mr. T). It has bigger space and we upgraded it ourselves using lifted teflon mesh where you put things to bake. Had one for like 10 years and it died. We bought the same one again. Awesome stuff.

 

We do everything in it. Only thing we don't do are cakes and stuff. But it's great for fish and meat, grill chese and basically anything that's frozen and meant for a fryer.

[whm1974]

The way I cook grilled cheese and egg, is I fry the egg first and put a spread on the inside of the slices of bread, add one or two slices of cheese. Then put the sandwich back in the skillet. Wait until cheese is melted. Enjoy.

 

How would I do this any differently?

[Nayr438]

12 hours ago, whm1974 said:

I figured these things are a lot safer then a Deep Fryer. Plus no used cooking oil to dispose of.

Because it's not a fryer. It's a small convection oven, or a oven with a fan. The main difference between a convection oven and a Air Fryer is that a Air Fryer is smaller which means it can distribute heat more evenly, usually resulting in a crispier exterior on the food. Calling it a Air Fryer is very misleading marketing tactic.

 

9 hours ago, adarw said:

are air fryers a substitute for microwaves or do you still use the microwave?

It's a small convection oven, so technically it could replace your microwave if your main intention is to reheat food, though it will be slower. With that said they do make 2 in 1 Microwaves, which offers the functionality of both a Microwave and a convection oven. I personally have one.

[whm1974]

32 minutes ago, Nayr438 said:

Because it's not a fryer. It's a small convection oven, or a oven with a fan. The main difference between a convection oven and a Air Fryer is that a Air Fryer is smaller which means it can distribute heat more evenly, usually resulting in a crispier exterior on the food. Calling it a Air Fryer is very misleading marketing tactic.

 

It's a small convection oven, so technically it could replace your microwave if your main intention is to reheat food, though it will be slower. With that said they do make 2 in 1 Microwaves, which offers the functionality of both a Microwave and a convection oven. I personally have one.

Spruceeats explains more:

 

https://www.thespruceeats.com/air-fryer-vs-convection-oven-4774315#:~:text=The quick answer is%2C an air fryer is,your food is directly immersed in hot oil.

 

Both gadgets do not look anything alike. Plus the Fryer is smaller so I can put it under my sink when not using.

[s_k]

14 hours ago, whm1974 said:

Thanks. I enjoy Fried Okra, and while I do have a Cast Iron Skillet, there is the Issue of disposing of the used oil properly and having to Season said skillet after cleaning it.

I don't think I had an okra in my life, but google images made me want to try it

 

  

12 hours ago, adarw said:

are air fryers a substitute for microwaves or do you still use the microwave?

I sometimes buy frozen microwave-able meals and those really wouldn't work in an airfryer. Also I sometimes use the microwave to heat up milk or defrost bread if I'm in a hurry, but then I was never a huge microwave-user. Things like microwaveable american pancakes and 'poffertjes' (google them, it's Dutch) definitely work way better in the airfryer. Also there's loads of snacks that you would normally fry, that have a microwave-eable variant that never quite works, that kind of stuff really works in an airfyer too. But generally things that you'd normally put in an oven, as long as they are small enough, are done way quicker and easier in an airfryer. If you treat it like a little oven that's somehow doing a slightly better job than most ovens, you 're golden. Experimenting is really key here, but usually things turn out just fine

[nich99]

I have one. It's terrific

[sub68]

make home fries

[Gagz9k]

The other day I did PopCorn, so... Yeah, anything.

I live in a tiny apartment and the kitchen didn't had an oven, I was between a microwave, a tiny oven or an air-fryer... I choose the later and I'm not disappointed.

[Forbidden Wafer]

I make toasted cheese (a low moisture one that doesn't melt that unless cooked at a very low temperature), using the included bucket. I also fry some thinly sliced bacon or sausage to put in the pasta (I make a small bucket of aluminum foil and put it in the basket, fry the food, then dump the meat and oil into the food I'm making, then I dump the aluminum foil into the trash).

Other than that, I use it mostly for pre-fried potatoes (non pre-fried are terrible) and heating other finger foods (e.g. in pt-br: coxinha, pão de queijo, quibe, bolinha de queijo, dadinho de tapioca). 

Used to fry normal potatoes (in wedges), but they start to burn/dry before they ever get crunchy. Coating them with oil, as the manual says it should be done, helps with the crunchyness but makes a mess on the basket.

Baking sweet breads or cake: meh. I still prefer a normal gas oven. Salty breads = bread machine.
I don't make individual portions of anything, so it just doesn't make sense for me. 

At least in mine, the basket bottom (spoiler) absolutely destroys brushes and sponges, which makes cleaning it a nightmare.
Dishwasher does absolutely nothing to clean it.

Spoiler

My general opinion: great if your expectations are reasonable. I like mine even with all the cons. 

[whm1974]

2 hours ago, nich99 said:

I have one. It's terrific

What is wrong with it?

50 minutes ago, Gagz9k said:

The other day I did PopCorn, so... Yeah, anything.

I live in a tiny apartment and the kitchen didn't had an oven, I was between a microwave, a tiny oven or an air-fryer... I choose the later and I'm not disappointed.

Oatmeal? Probably need a Microwave for that.

[s_k]

3 hours ago, Gagz9k said:

The other day I did PopCorn, so... Yeah, anything.

I live in a tiny apartment and the kitchen didn't had an oven, I was between a microwave, a tiny oven or an air-fryer... I choose the later and I'm not disappointed.

If i had to choose between those three, I'd immediately go for the Airfryer too. You could technically bake half a pizza in it if you stacked creatively

[Gagz9k]

16 hours ago, Benji said:

I think you've misread that. Terrific≠terrible

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrific

 

Well, we don't have an air fryer at home, but I've heard from two people that own them that it pretty much depends on your expectation whether or not you're gonna be happy with one. Apparently, on some air fryers the recommended times to do different things are a little off (fries, for example, take quite a bit longer than it actually claims to take).

 

It also depends on the brand. An air-fryer is not more than a oven with a fan system that move the hot air. There ARE ovens that do that, but the air-fryer is, in general, a better compact package of that specific type of ovens, normally reserved for larger, or industrial, kitchens.

 

That say, if you know what you're getting (and yes, I also did pizza on mine) it's a pretty solid add-on for the kitchen.

[Forbidden Wafer]

13 minutes ago, Gagz9k said:

It also depends on the brand.

I'd say it depends more on the specific model. I've seen air fryers ranging all the way from 800W and up to 2000W.

 

15 minutes ago, Gagz9k said:

I also did pizza on mine

You mean from the scratch or just cook a frozen pizza/re-heat? From scratch, I would recommend one of these:

 

[Gagz9k]

1 hour ago, Forbidden Wafer said:

I'd say it depends more on the specific model. I've seen air fryers ranging all the way from 800W and up to 2000W.

 

You mean from the scratch or just cook a frozen pizza/re-heat? From scratch, I would recommend one of these:

 

Agree on both statements, mine is a 1800w from Oster. And yes, from scratch (with pre-made dough, though) however I only occasionally do pizza, so it was more like a WAY COULD GO WRONG? type of experiment. I use a layer of baking paper for the bottom and a lot of cheese.

 

Not related but important nonetheless; it was a pineapple pepperoni pizza.

 

I also have done BBQ baby back ribs, Kentucky style chicken, asado negro (is a Venezuelan food, and I don't going to even try to translate that) and other, no necessarily fried style, foods.

 

I'd still 100% go for an industrial professional oven, but air-fryer are like NUC are to threadripper-class workstations.

[whm1974]

3 hours ago, Forbidden Wafer said:

I'd say it depends more on the specific model. I've seen air fryers ranging all the way from 800W and up to 2000W.

 

You mean from the scratch or just cook a frozen pizza/re-heat? From scratch, I would recommend one of these:

 

I'm sure Pizza from scratch is more troublesome for me to be worth doing. And besides Domino's has a carry out special. A short walk to and back.

[whm1974]

SO who uses a Secrete Ingredient when preparing Dishes and which ones? Many Folks tend to use Anchovy Paste or a bit of some kind of Mustard. Chili often has one or the other, or even both. Exotic(To Americans) Spices?

 

Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce?

[Middcore]

I am not usually one to correct people's spelling online but...

 

Secret. SECRET ingredient. Don't need that final "e." 

 

"Secrete" makes this really, really gross. 

[GuiltySpark_]

2 minutes ago, Middcore said:

I am not usually one to correct people's spelling online but...

 

Secret. SECRET ingredient. Don't need that final "e." 

 

"Secrete" makes this really, really gross. 

So focused on that one, missed "Ingredent". 

 

I love vinegar, it goes on everything. All kinds.

[Middcore]

2 minutes ago, rickeo said:

So focused on that one, missed "Ingredent". 

 

I love vinegar, it goes on everything. All kinds.

 

"Ingredent" doesn't have the revolting implications. Like I said, I don't correct typos just for the fun of it. 

[whm1974]

11 minutes ago, Middcore said:

 

"Ingredent" doesn't have the revolting implications. Like I said, I don't correct typos just for the fun of it. 

Blame the Spell Checker... For not catching that. As far as Secrete goes, do you drink Milk? Milk is secreted from the mammary glades...

[sub68]

Mine:

[Middcore]

Just now, whm1974 said:

Blame the Spell Checker... For not catching that. As far as Secrete goes, do you drink Milk? Milk is secreted from the mammary glades...

 

But not from yours!