To crisp air fryer fries, start with dry russet potatoes, soak them in cold water (or microwave briefly) to remove starch, pat them completely dry, toss with oil and cornstarch, then cook in a preheated air fryer at 380-400°F in batches, shaking frequently for 15-20 mins until golden and crispy, ensuring good airflow.
There are a few reasons why your French fries may have ended up soggy when cooking them in the air fryer. 1. Too much oil will cause fries to become soggy when air frying. Just use enough to lightly coat them. 2. They were overcrowded. Make sure to add them in a single layer. 3. They weren't tossed halfway through.
Soaking the potatoes does something magical with the starches—it helps achieve the coveted French fry crispiness and prevents the fries from sticking together. This is what I did for the air fryer, too. I soaked these potatoes for about an hour or so, but I've also soaked them for up to 24 hours with no ill effect.
4 Common Mistakes To Avoid With Frying Fries In An Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 160°C then place the pork belly in the air fryer & cook for 30 minutes. Next, increase the temperature up to 200°C & air fry for an additional 10 minutes or until the crackling is crisp. Leave to rest for 10 minutes in a warm place before carving.
People are getting rid of air fryers due to small basket sizes limiting family meals, issues with peeling non-stick coatings, difficulty cleaning, safety concerns like melting components, the perception they're just small ovens, limitations on certain foods (like wet batters), and sometimes switching to cheaper, more efficient appliances like halogen ovens. Many find they outgrow basic models, leading to batch cooking, and eventually replace them with larger or different appliances.
The secret tips that make all the difference: 1. Serrated knife to cut the potatoes = rougher surface = crispier 2. Blanch in vinegar water = wash away surface sugar that causes fries to burn before turning crispy (awesome tip from the legendary Kenji Lopez-Alt "The Food Lab") 3. Double fry!
In a lot of ways, they're just like regular fries. They're crispy on the outside, creamy in the middle, and dusted with an irresistible coating of salt. But there is one key difference between deep frying and air frying: you only need a light drizzle of oil to make crispy French fries in the air fryer.
The "air fryer rule of 25" is a guideline for converting conventional oven recipes: reduce the oven temperature by 25°F (or 10-20°C) and decrease the cooking time by about 20-25%, checking for doneness earlier. This rule accounts for the air fryer's faster, more intense circulating heat, ensuring food cooks quickly but doesn't burn, though adjustments are always needed based on the specific food and appliance.
Using too much oil, overcrowding the air fryer basket or pulling the fries out before they're ready can lead to poor results. Crisp up soggy fries by evenly distributing the fries into one flat layer in the air fry basket and popping them back into the oven to cook for an additional 3–5 minutes.
Yes, you can absolutely air fry raw potatoes to make them crispy and fluffy, but you need to prep them by washing, cutting into uniform pieces, tossing with oil and seasonings, and cooking in batches if necessary, shaking halfway through, for about 15-25 minutes at around 400°F (200°C) for best results, ensuring they are spread out in a single layer. Soaking and drying potatoes first can enhance crispiness.
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using an Air Fryer
Air Fryers Reduce Taste Quality
Out of the top three reasons restaurants don't use air fryers, the taste is the leading cause. It has numerous benefits and can cook food efficiently. However, the taste can be subpar compared to other cooking methods available at the commercial level.
Foodies are switching to healthier halogen ovens that are still small enough to sit on a kitchen worktop but have far cheaper running costs. This £29.89 Daewoo model on Amazon costs as little as 11p to run per 20-minute meal as shoppers who 'don't want to spend money on Ninja' pick it.
Air-frying equipment is not known to cause cancer, but the process of air frying does result in the formation of certain compounds, like acrylamide, that are linked to cancer development. Acrylamide is classified as a probable human carcinogen.
Of all the options, avocado oil is a top choice for air frying, thanks to its high smoke point and health benefits. Oils with lower smoke points, like extra virgin olive oil, can still be used – just keep temperatures under 190°C to avoid burning.
Yes, you can put tin foil (aluminum foil) in an air fryer for easier cleanup and to prevent sticking, but you must follow important safety rules: never let it touch the heating element, ensure it's weighed down by food to prevent it from flying around, and avoid using it with acidic foods like tomatoes or citrus to prevent chemical reactions and aluminum leaching. Always check your air fryer's manual and make sure the foil doesn't block the air vents for proper circulation.
I made frozen fries using my oven, air fryer, grill, and stove to find the best cooking method. The air-fryer fries were the easiest to make, but the oven fries were the crispiest. Surprisingly, the winners were the panfried fries, which were the juiciest of the bunch.
The secret to super crispy crackling involves three key steps: deeply scoring the skin, ensuring it's bone-dry (ideally by leaving it uncovered in the fridge overnight or pouring boiling water over it), and starting the roast in a blisteringly hot oven (around 220-240°C) to puff the skin, then reducing the heat to cook the meat. Generously salting and oiling the scored skin helps it crisp up beautifully.